Winchell enjoys Super Derby win, solid year at Kentucky Downs

Rotation took care of some unfinished family business last Saturday in the Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

The horse bred and owned by Ron Winchell and his mother, Joan, captured the meet’s marquee race nearly three decades after the family brought a very high-profile runner to town for the 1991 running of the Super Derby.

“We ran a horse, Olympio, there, and he was a huge favorite in the Super Derby and he ended up getting beat and running second,” Ron Winchell said. “So, winning that race was like going back in time and getting done what he didn’t get done.”

Winchell, 47, recalled local Free Spirit’s Joy won the race at 30-1. He was there in person to watch Olympio – a Grade 1-winning homebred for his late father, Verne Winchell – but could not be in attendance Saturday. Winchell was overseeing the action at Kentucky Downs. Winchell and Marc Falcone are the new owners and managing partners of the track, which handled a facility-record $11.3 million on its stakes-filled card last Saturday.

“It went great,” Winchell said Tuesday. “We’re trying to improve that program every year. This was year one. Building it, I compare to Legos, where you keep building pieces on top of it and making it better.”

Winchell said Kentucky Downs wants to add two additional race dates next year to the five-day meet that was to end Thursday.

As for Rotation, plans for his next start have not yet been determined, Winchell said Tuesday. The horse, who invaded from trainer Steve Asmussen’s division at Remington Park, earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 91 for his win in the Super Derby.

Rotation also became the fourth stakes winner from the mare Free Spin, who is a daughter of Olympio. Rotation is by Tapit – as are all the other stakes winners out of Free Spin, including Tapiture, a Grade 2 winner of $1.5 million.

“That family has just been great – both sides, with Tapit and Olympio,” Winchell said.

Winchell is a co-owner of Tapit, who on Monday had a yearling colt sell for $2.5 million to top the first session of Keeneland September.

As for Free Spin, she has an unraced 2-year-old coming up named Free Play. The son of Take Charge Indy worked Super Derby morning at neighboring Lone Star Park.

Free Play is scheduled to make his career debut Saturday night at Remington Park in a maiden special weight at six furlongs. Richard Eramia, who was aboard Rotation in the Super Derby, has the mount for breeders Winchell Thoroughbreds and Asmussen.

Winchell on Tuesday was attending the second session of Keeneland and enjoying what has already been a memorable September.