Frater Changing Philosophy to Earn Kentucky Derby Win

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - WinStar Farm is hoping a change in philosophy will result in a change of luck when it comes to the Kentucky Derby.

In 2006 and 2007, WinStar got three or more prep races into its trio of Derby runners. After racing three times before the Derby, including a well-beaten fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes, Bluegrass Cat finished second to Barbaro in 2006. Last year, Any Given Saturday finished eighth in the Derby after having three prep races, and Cowtown Cat finished last of 20 in what was his fifth start of the year.

WinStar, owned by Frater Kenny Troutt (Beta-Chi, Southern Illinois Univ.) and Bill Casner, is utilizing the less-is-more approach when it comes to Court Vision and Colonel John, its two primary candidates for this year's Kentucky Derby. Court Vision, last year's Remsen winner, will have his final Derby prep in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, while Colonel John (pictured on right), winner of the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on March 1, will start in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby. Both races will be broadcast live by NBC Sports during a one-hour telecast beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern.

"It's interesting how less is more in this day and age, and the more space you have to give them is kind of an intriguing thing," said Elliott Walden, a former trainer who twice finished second in the Derby and who now serves as the vice president of WinStar. "It does pay off when you do that. Back when I was training, three weeks was plenty. Now it seems like four and five is the way to go."

Bill Mott, the trainer of Court Vision, and Eoin Harty, who conditions Colonel John, both said that their horses are light-framed and would benefit from having just two races heading into the Derby.

Walden said the primary reason Any Given Saturday ran in last year's Wood Memorial was to ensure that he had enough graded stakes earnings to make it into the Derby field. Earnings are not a concern for either Court Vision or Colonel John. Court Vision, a $350,000 son of Gulch, established his Derby credentials as a 2-year-old, winning 3 of 4 starts, including the Grade 3 Iroquois at Churchill and the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct. Those exploits caught the attention of IEAH Stable, which bought a half-interest in the colt prior to his third-place finish in the Fountain of Youth, his lone start this year. Court Vision has not run particularly fast in any of his races, but he did show some courage in overcoming a difficult trip to win the Remsen by a neck over Atoned.

About 30 minutes after Court Vision runs, the WinStar team will turn its attention to Santa Anita where Colonel John, a homebred son of Tiznow, will try to establish himself as the West Coast's leading Derby contender. Colonel John has 3 wins from 5 starts.

Should he perform well and get to Louisville, Colonel John will have to prove he can handle a regular dirt surface. All of his starts have come over the synthetic surfaces of Del Mar, Santa Anita, and Hollywood Park.

"Ability-wise he reminds me of all of them," Harty said Tuesday. "I'm not predicting I'm going to win the Kentucky Derby, but I know from being around those horses that my horse will be competitive on Derby Day."