WinStar Ranch held a grand opening on May 12 to introduce breeders to its newest stallion — setting a track record Nashville a son of outstanding stallion Sightstown who also stands at WinStar.
The Open House also showcases class 1 winners and future WinStar males Life is good and Country Grammer who have been gearing up for their racing return since returning from Dubai, where Country Grammer won the Emirates Airline-sponsored Dubai World Cup (G1) and Life Is Good finished fourth.
Raced by China Horse Club and WinStar, Nashville set one of several stake records set during day two of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in Keeneland November 7, 2020, when he won Perryville shares six long feathers on the bottom card. He dominated the field through sizzling opening ratios of: 21.54 and :43.87 for the half-mile as he built a six-length advantage. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr dropped the gas and Nashville won 3 1/2 in a 1:07.89 record. Performance gave Nashville 102 Beyer Speeds and 117 Equibase Speeds. Perryville’s final time was faster than the time of champion sprinter Eclipse then Whitmore of 1:08.61 in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) later that day.
“Nashville is the fastest horse we’ve ever had at WinStar,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO and racing director of WinStar. “He’s a freak. He’s gone three times: 43 and changed; he’s leading in the first half in every start and leading after one inning in all but one start. . The dazzling form he displays will give him a great opportunity at school. Speightstown has always been a plus, already having six boys to make as a 1st grade winner.”
Nashville marches at WinStar Open House May 12
Nashville has been a serious racer from the start, starting his career undefeated in his first three appearances for coach Steve Asmussen in the Hall of Fame. He broke his maidenhood in dazzling fashion for the first time in his career with a long 11 1/2 comeback in the special maiden weight class with 6 1/2 furlongs in Racecourse Saratoga. On his debut, he blasted through opening fractions of: 21.50, :43.87 and 1:07.92 on his way to finishing with a final time of 1:14 ,48. Against Perryville, he won the 6 lap permit race at Keeneland at 9 3/4 length.
Then at the age of 3, he placed fourth in the 2020 Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita . Park.
This season, Nashville scored a wire-to-wire win at Fair Grounds & Slots in March, where he won 4 3/4 lengths on six scissors, reaching the distance in 1:08.61, the fastest sprint in the entire Fair Grounds and fastest time at that distance in over two years. He finished his racing career with 10th place in the April 9 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) in Keeneland.
Speightstown, who was a 2004 Eclipse champion sprinter, is an obvious source of speed for Nashville but the 5-year-old gets an extra level of racing through the Veronique dam, half-sister Mizzen Mast’s mother with a big bet winner. Almond Roca and the winner placed the graded bet Calistoga . His immediate family also produced the 2005 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Giacomo Winner of the 2007 Santa Anita Derby (G1) Tiago and graded and multiple bet winners class 1 Stanwyck . Raised in Kentucky by Breffni Farm, Nashville was a $460,000 graduate of the September 2018 Sales at Keeneland, where he was acquired by CHC and Maverick Racing from Lane’s End consignment.
Walden said Country Grammer, a 5-year-old son of Tonalist will be moving to California in a few weeks with his next race planned in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) on September 3 at Del Mar. Which coach he will go to has yet to be decided.
“He’s been playing brilliantly. His World Cup comeback couldn’t have been better,” he said. “We haven’t tested him yet but may say hello once or twice before he ships.”
The good life at WinStar Open House May 12
Life Is Good, the 4-year-old son of the three-time leader Into Mischief won the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) last fall and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) versus Horse of the Year Knicks Go January 29 before being sent to Dubai. He also made a full recovery from his trip to the Middle East, according to Walden.
“He’s going to Todd Pletcher next week and show Whitney Stakes (G1) and then we’ll take it from there,” he said. “We hope both of these horses have a chance to meet again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).”
