Winning Colors (KY)

The Eclipse Award winner for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in 1988, Winning Colors won the Kentucky Derby that year, joining fellow Hall of Famers Regret (1915) and Genuine Risk (1980) in that rare company.

Inducted

2000

Foaled

1985

Sire

Caro

Dam

All Rainbows

Damsire

Bold Hour

Breeder

Echo Valley Horse Farm

Owner

Eugene V. Klein

Trainer

D. Wayne Lukas

Career

1987-1989

Earnings

$1,526,837

Racing Record

19

Starts

Year	Starts	First	Second	Third	Earnings
Year	Sts	1	2	3	$
1987	2	2	0	0	$31400 $31,400
1988	7	2	0	0	$1347746 $1,347,746
1989	7	2	0	0	$147691 $147,691

Biography

The Eclipse Award winner for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in 1988, Winning Colors won the Kentucky Derby that year, joining fellow Hall of Famers Regret (1915) and Genuine Risk (1980) in that rare company.

Bred in Kentucky by Echo Valley Horse Farm, Winning Colors was a roan daughter of Cairo out of the Bold Hour mare All Rainbows. Purchased for $575,000 by Eugene Klein, Winning Colors was turned over to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

As a 2-year-old, Winning Colors broke her maiden in her career debut at Saratoga on Aug. 13, 1987. She raced once more that year, winning an allowance at Santa Anita.

As a sophomore, Winning Colors began her season with a victory in the La Centinela Stakes at Santa Anita before suffering her first defeat when she finished second to Goodbye Halo in the Grade 1 La Virgenes Stakes. She rebounded to an eight-length romp in the Santa Anita Oaks (Goodbye Halo was a distant third), prompting Lukas to enter her against males in the Santa Anita Derby. Winning Colors was once again brilliant, pulling away from the overmatched field to win by 7½ lengths.

Winning Colors met a strong field in the Kentucky Derby, including champion Forty Niner, Risen Star, Seeking the Gold, Regal Classic, and Private Terms. Winning Colors broke well and went to an early lead. Although Forty Niner made a furious run in the stretch, Winning Colors held on to win by a neck.

In the Preakness, Winning Colors finished third to Risen Star, who went on to win the Belmont by 14¾ lengths with Winning Colors sixth in the third leg of the Triple Crown. Returning to filly competition, Winning Colors next finished three-quarters of a length behind Personal Ensign in the Maskette and was off the board in the Spinster. She took another shot at Personal Ensign in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs but came up a nose short in a thriller.

Returning as a 4-year-old, Winning Colors won twice in seven starts before being retired with a career record of 8-3-1 from 19 starts and earnings of $1,526,837.

Winning Colors died in 2008 at the age of 23.