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Winter's Tale (horse)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Winter's Tale
SireArts and Letters
GrandsireRibot
DamChristmas Wind
DamsireNearctic
SexGelding
Foaled1976
CountryUnited States
ColourBay
OwnerRokeby Stables
TrainerMacKenzie Miller
Record29: 14-7-1
EarningsUS$888,900
Major wins
Nassau County Handicap (1980, 1983)
Brooklyn Handicap (1980)
Marlboro Cup (1980)
Suburban Handicap (1980, 1983)

Winter's Tale (1976–2002) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.

Background

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Winter's Tale was bred by owner Paul Mellon. His sire was U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Arts and Letters, a son of a European superstar, the undefeated runner and British Champion sire Ribot. His dam, Christmas Wind, was a Canadian daughter of E. P. Taylor's sire Nearctic, the sire of Northern Dancer. He was conditioned for racing by Hall of Fame trainer MacKenzie Miller,

Racing career

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Winter's Tale began racing at age three in 1979 and, because he was a gelding, continued to race through age seven. In 1980, he won many of the top dirt races for older horses in the pre-Breeders' Cup era. At Belmont Park, he began a three-race win streak with a record seven and three-quarter length victory in the June 15 Nassau County Handicap.[1] Then, in what the New York Times headlined as a "Most Perfect Ride", jockey Jeffrey Fell rode Winter's Tale to victory in the July 4, 1980, Suburban Handicap, also at Belmont.[2] He then won the July 19th Brooklyn Handicap[3] and although he suffered shin problems, in September Winter's Tale earned his eighth win from eleven career starts with a victory in the Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park.[4]

In 1983, at age seven, Winter's Tale won his second Nassau County Handicap and his second Suburban Handicap.

Retirement

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Winter's Tale was retired from racing to Paul Mellon's farm in Virginia, where he died in 2002 at age twenty-six.

References

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  1. ^ "The Hartford Courant article archive - Winters Tale Romps To Seven Length Nassau County Win". Archived from the original on July 19, 2012.
  2. ^ Tuite, James (5 July 1980). "Winter's Tale Wins Suburban; 'Most Perfect Ride'". The New York Times.
  3. ^ "Winter's Tale Takes Brooklyn; Winning Move in Stretch". The New York Times. 20 July 1980.
  4. ^ "Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search".