WinStar Makes it a Double as Outstanding Breeder

Four grade 1 winners, including an American classic winner, and the highest total North American earnings in 2020 among individual breeders and partnerships landed Kenny Troutt's WinStar Farm its second Eclipse Award as outstanding breeder.

The 2,400-acre farm near Versailles, Ky., was represented last year as the breeder of 331 runners that captured 254 (14%) victories and placed in another 490 races. Collectively they earned $11,713,732 in purses.

Since 2016, when WinStar received its first honor as outstanding breeder, the farm has been the leading North American breeder four times among individuals and partnerships. The runners bred by WinStar over the last five years have earned more than $57.6 million in purses.

Swiss Skydiver owned the top of the marquee for WinStar last year. The 3-year-old daughter of Daredevil  raced by Peter Callahan and trained by Ken McPeek won five graded stakes, which include becoming the sixth filly to win the Preakness Stakes (G1). She won what would be the third jewel in the 2020 Triple Crown by a neck over Authentic , who won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and later took the Longines Breeder's Cup Classic (G1). Swiss Skydiver's other graded wins for the year were the Alabama Stakes (G1), Santa Anita Oaks Stakes (G2), Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), and the Fantasy Stakes (G3). The filly won or placed eight times out of 10 starts in 2020 and earned $1,791,820.

Swiss Skydiver was runner-up in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) to another WinStar-bred heavyweight by Daredevil named Shedaresthedevil. The bay filly campaigned by Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing, and Big Aut Farms along with trainer Brad Cox won the Oaks after previously winning the Honeybee Stakes (G3) and Indiana Oaks (G3). Shedaresthedevil won four times and placed three times out of seven starts last year and earned $1,185,320.

Two other WinStar-bred stakes winners made their mark in grade 1 company.

Global Campaign , a son of Curlin  who enters stud this year at WinStar, won the Woodward Handicap (G1) after taking the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) for WinStar in partnership with Sagamore Farm. Homebred Paris Lights, a daughter of Curlin racing in the name of WinStar Stablemates Racing, won the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).

The other black-type performers bred by WinStar include dual stakes winner Nonna Madeline, Iowa Distaff Stakes winner Abounding Joy, Desi Arnaz Stakes winner Astute, and Seeking the Ante Stakes winner Samborella.