Winchester fires winning shot in Secretariat

Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone's WINCHESTER (Theatrical [Ire]) rallied to

catch pacesetter Tizdejavu (Tiznow) and quickly drew clear in Saturday's

$400,000

Secretariat S. (G1), eventually winning the 1 1/4-mile turf test for

three-year-olds by 7 1/4 widening lengths. Under Rene Douglas, the Dermot Weld-trained colt registered his first stakes win with

the convincing score.

Even-money favorite Tizdejavu secured a narrow lead through a dawdling

opening quarter-mile in :25 1/5 and extended his advantage to 2 1/2 lengths

after a half-mile in :49 3/5. Winchester was saving ground along the inside in

fourth during the early stages, but he had reduced his deficit by the time the

six-furlong mark had been passed in 1:13 4/5. The Virginia-bred boldly went

after the Tizdejavu on the far turn, collaring his rival by the top of the

stretch, and Douglas took a quick look back for the competition upon hitting the

lead. Nobody was coming, and Winchester romped to the finish line, stopping the

teletimer over the good turf in 2:01 3/5.

"I had no idea about this horse," Douglas explained. "I know Dermot Weld is

one of the top trainers in Europe. He told me he liked this horse and that was

good enough for me."

Weld added first-time blinkers and Lasix to Westchester on Saturday, and he

was glad to have the services of Arlington Park's leading rider.

"I put the blinkers on him and that helped," Weld said. "Rene has beat me a

couple of times in other races so when I had the chance to get him on this horse

I took it."

Sent off the 7-1 third choice in the nine-horse field, Winchester returned

$17, $7.60 and $3.80. Plan (Storm Cat), the 5-2 second choice, edged past

Tizdejavu in midstretch but was no match for the winner while finishing second.

He paid $5 and $2.80, and it was 2 1/2 lengths back to Tizdejavu, who gave back

$2.20 for the show. The exacta yielded $62, the trifecta $148, and the 2-3-6-1

superfecta, with the 14-1 Prime Realestate (Prime Timber) in fourth, was good

for $984. Strait of Mewsina (Ire) (Spartacus), Your Round (Distorted Humor),

Snoose Goose (Aptitude), Secret Getaway (Skip Away) and Sr. Henry (Straight Man)

rounded out the order of finish.

Winchester broke his maiden when making his second career start in April and

finished a good second in the Silver S. in his next outing. He was exiting a

pair of unplaced finishes in the Irish Derby (Ire-G1) and King Edward VII S.

(Eng-G2). Out of the Group 3-winning Rum Charger (Ire) (Spectrum), the bay colt

is a half-brother to the unraced juvenile filly Wardrobe (War Chant), and a 2008

filly by Mr. Greeley. He also has a yearling full sister. Winchester has now

earned $274,684 from his 6-2-1-0 line.

Westchester will return home to Ireland, but Weld said "don't be surprised if

you see him back for the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) (at Santa Anita on October

25)."