WinStar polling fans on Revolutionary’s rider for Kentucky Derby

As WinStar Farm selects a jockey for its Kentucky Derby contender Revolutionary, the outfit has taken the novel approach of asking fans to share their opinions. The Versailles, Ky., racing and breeding operation is allowing members of its StableMates online club to vote for their favorite jockey candidate in a poll on WinStar’s website.

Revolutionary, a well-bred War Pass colt out of Grade 1 winner Runup the Colors and from the family of Horse of the Year and sire Mineshaft, sits fourth on Churchill Downs’ Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 110 points as of April 12. Javier Castellano piloted Revolutionary to back-to-back graded stakes wins in the Grade 3 Withers and the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby but has opted to ride Wood Memorial runner-up Normandy Invasion in the Kentucky Derby, leaving the mount on the WinStar colt open.

“Well, obviously we need a new rider for Revolutionary,” WinStar Farm president and CEO Elliott Walden said. “We thought we’d have a little fun and ask the fans who they wanted to see get the mount.”

StableMates members can vote for Rafael Bejarano, Calvin Borel, Julien Leparoux, Rosie Napravnik, or Mike Smith on WinStar Farm’s website. As of April 12, none of these riders had a confirmed mount for the Kentucky Derby. Fans who are not StableMates members can sign up for a free account and vote.

Borel commandeered WinStar’s Super Saver to victory in the 2010 Kentucky Derby.