WinStar Farm Earns First Outstanding Breeder Eclipse

WinStar Farm’s efforts to expand the quality and scope of its stallion roster and broodmare band starting six years ago paid big dividends in 2016, with the operation’s first Eclipse Award as leading breeder.

Kenny Troutt’s 2,400-acre farm near Versailles, Ky., topped the breeders’ standings in several categories: by earnings with $10,516,427; by number of graded stakes wins with 15; and by number of overall wins with 239. The farm had a 17% win rate and had its farm-bred runners finish in the money in 43% of their starts.

WinStar has regularly ranked among the top 10 North American breeders since 2010 and been among the top five every year since 2012. The farm’s highest end-of-the-year ranking prior to 2016 was third in 2014 with $6,897,879 in earnings.

Though earnings drive the standings, WinStar has been represented by a deep bench of quality runners. WinStar bred 17 black-type stakes winners for the year.

Tourist   is the leader among the grade 1 winners. The son of Tiznow   won the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) for co-owners WinStar, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable. Tourist entered stud this year at WinStar.

WinStar’s other grade 1 winners are New Money Honey, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf; and Constellation, who won the La Brea Stakes. Other graded stakes winners include Calgary Cat, Cyrus Alexander, Flexibility, Good Samaritan, Nonna Mela, and Stanford.