A Colt's Journey: Won Ton Win and Her Colt

Won Ton Win
Photo by Terri Cage

What defines a hard-working racehorse? There are many different ways to answer that question. Perhaps a horse that has made many starts, or maybe a horse that has overcome great adversity. There are many different ways to respond to that question, but perhaps that question could best be answered with an example: Won Ton Win.

Donna (Gowdy) Keen’s mare was honored as the Hardest Working Texas Racehorse in 2006 and deservedly so. Won Ton Win had been racing since 2000 and going into 2006, the mare had run 38 times, accumulating earnings of $112,540. She’d contested in four black-type races over her career, placing in two of them. By the end of her career, the daughter of Daring Damascus had started on 46 occasions, amassing 9 wins and $155,675 in earnings.

Those earnings, in the words of Donna Keen, “pretty much paid for this place.” What is ‘this place,” you may ask? The land on which Keen Farms and Remember Me Rescue operate. The land on which Won Ton Win – who Donna once saved from slaughter – now lives out her days as a broodmare.

WonTon has only had one foal to race so far: a son of the Keens’ stallion Final Row named Spinstopshere. He only raced three times, placing twice before going through the Remember Me program. But it is WonTon’s latest foal that has everyone excited.

WonTon was bred to the young, graded stakes-winning Ready’s Image – who already has a stakes winner from his first crop, which hit the track this year – in 2011 for a 2012 foal. A mare’s gestation period is approximately 340 days – give or take a few. WonTon was in foal with her Ready’s Image foal for 373 days – a year and eight days. It shouldn’t be a surprise that her stomach was incredibly large as the birth of the foal approached. Whenever it moved, you could see its movement if you gazed at her stomach. It seemed like the foal would never arrive!

Won Ton Win at a year and five days pregnant
Photo by Donna Keen

But on the night of May 13, he finally did. A big, healthy bay colt with a star and snip, the foal had finally arrived. It sure took him long enough! A day later, he was out in the paddock with his dam, enjoying the world around him.

Won Ton Win and her newborn colt
Photo by Donna Keen

It didn’t take long for the colt to begin to show how special he was. He grew quickly, beginning to fill out while never leaving behind his attitude. When WonTon’s foal was less than two months old, Donna told me, “This colt is special and I have a great feeling about this. I have seen a lot of babies. I have never met one like him.”

Won Ton Win and her Ready's Image colt at one day old
Photo by Donna Keen

A month later, the colt was already standing in the starting gate… the schooling one in the pasture, that is!

Photo by Donna Keen

The colt is certainly an attention hog with an abundance of attitude! As soon as he catches sight of you, he will scurry to the fence to greet you with a whinny, ready to be the center of attention. Considering he is still with his dam and already has this much self-confidence, one can only imagine how grand he will be when he matures into a racehorse. To think he will someday become a majestic athlete that graces the track, his presence absolutely riveting, is a thought that leaves you marveling. How could something so small become something so grand? He has a long way to go until he reaches that point, but what a journey he will take us on, especially if he has the perseverance of his dam. 

Photo by Terri Cage

Stallion Feature: Unbridled's Heart

Unbridled’s Heart: New for 2012 at Keen Farms in Texas

John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rasheed al Maktoum’s bloodstock manager, is possibly the most famous bloodstock agent in the industry. You can find his name next to many of the highest-priced racing prospects sold at the most prestigious sales in the world, such as the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. After all, he is employed by one of the most well-known owners in all of horse racing.

At the 2006 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, you could find Ferguson’s name next to ten of the twenty-three highest-priced colts in the sale. Six colts sold for exactly one million dollars and of those colts, Ferguson was listed as the buyer for four of them. Among those colts was a son of Unbridled’s Song consigned by Taylor Made.

It was obvious why the colt had sold for seven figures. His sire had landed sixteenth on the leading sires list in 2005, which had been his fifth appearance in the top one hundred sires since 2001. The winner of the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) and the 1996 Florida Derby (GI) had sired the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) winner in Unbridled Elaine, the 2001 Wood Memorial Stakes (GI) victor in Buddha, and the 2001 Fountain of Youth Stakes (GI) champion in Songandaprayer. Furthermore, the gray colt’s dam, Wild Heart Dancing, was a four-time graded stakes winner who was a half-sister to the grade one-winning Man from Wicklow.

Unbridled's Heart
Photo: Terri Cage

The colt, who was eventually named Unbridled’s Heart, made his debut on May 10, 2008 at Belmont Park. Sent off at odds of nearly 14-1, the colt led from start to finish under Darley’s silks to take the mile and one-sixteenth maiden special weight by ten lengths in a final time of 1:42.12 over a track labeled ‘good.’ With that victory, the gray colt earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Next out, he finished third after an awkward start in the Postponed Stakes at Belmont. Crossing the wire ahead of him was Mint Lane, eventual winner of the Dwyer Stakes (GII), and finishing behind him was the graded stakes-placed Trust N Dustan and the future multiple graded stakes-placed Spurrier.

Unbridled’s Heart made six more starts at four of the nation’s most prestigious tracks on the east coast – Belmont, Saratoga, Gulfstream, and Aqueduct – before making his first start for trainer Dallas Keen and owners Brent Gasaway and Ian Yarnot at the premier racing venue in the south, Fair Grounds Race Course.

He raced at the New Orleans track four times and at Keeneland once before running in the Dallas Turf Cup Stakes at Lone Star Park, in which he ran third behind the graded stakes-winning and multiple grade one-placed horses Dean’s Kitten and Expansion. Finding the finish line after Unbridled’s Heart was the stakes-placed Alwayswithapproval, the graded stakes-winning Schramsberg, the eventual stakes-winning McKenna’s Justice, and the stakes-winning J J’s Indy.

Unbridled’s Heart’s final career victory came in a mile and one-sixteenth turf allowance optional claiming at Lone Star Park, in which he finished ahead of six others in 1:40.98 – just . 93 seconds off the course record. Together, the six horses that finished behind him earned $628,000. One of the horses that Unbridled’s Heart defeated in that race was Backstabber, a half-brother to the 2011 Florida Derby (GI) winner Dialed In.

Unbridled’s Heart was a very versatile racehorse, winning on a good dirt track at Belmont and a firm turf course at Lone Star Park. He won at a range from seven and one-half furlongs to a mile and one-sixteenth and was stakes-placed on both dirt and turf. He exited his racing career with $151,893 in earnings from three wins, five seconds, and four thirds in twenty starts.

In just his first six generations, Unbridled’s Heart traces back to five Kentucky Derby (GI) winners: Unbridled, Foolish Pleasure, Seattle Slew, Swaps, and Native Dancer. He hails from female family number five, the same family from which some of the greatest sires to ever live descended from: Hoist the Flag, Native Dancer, Nureyev, Pleasant Colony (who also won the Kentucky Derby), and Sadler’s Wells. Other descendants from female family five include the 1938 Horse of the Year Seabiscuit, the 2004 Epsom Derby (GI) victor North Light, and the 2008 Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Big Brown.

Not only does Unbridled’s Heart possess a magnificent pedigree and a racing career marked by versatility, but he also has very correct conformation. It is difficult to take your eyes off his handsome face and dark, thick forelock, but once you do, you will see that he has a beautifully built seventeen-hand frame. He has a slender neck that ties in well to his sloping shoulder. The angle of his shoulder allows him to be very evenly balanced, having a short topline in comparison to a long underline. As a result of this proportionality, the gray stallion can easily be divided into thirds. He is also very structurally correct, possessing short, sturdy cannon bones and angular pasterns. His hip is long and rounded, allowing him to drive more from the hindquarters and propel himself forward. Unbridled’s Heart is also very adequately muscled, displaying delineation in his forearms and gaskins. His conformation only adds to his validity.

Unbridled’s Heart has all the makings of a sire: value, pedigree, racing talent, and correct conformation. He will stand at Keen Farms in Burleson, Texas for an introductory stud fee of $1,500. The Keens are offering an incentive of a $10,000 bonus to the breeder of the first foal to win an allowance race. With all the qualities that Unbridled’s Heart brings to the table, I would not be astounded in the least if he became one of the leading sires in Texas.

Unbridled's Heart
Photo: Donna Keen

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Visiting Remember Me

One of my favorite places in the world is Remember Me Rescue. Nestled on a farm named Keen Farms in Burleson, Texas, Remember Me is known for retraining and rehoming ex-racehorses. Yet, there is more to the farm than just the rescue. It is also home to racehorses needing some rehabilitation, breeding stock, and some great people.

I have visited Remember Me Rescue several times and have enjoyed myself every time. From riding the now twenty-nine-year-old Yeah Me Do (Yammi) bareback and brideless on my first visit, to meeting and adopting my horse Dexter, to meeting and riding the rescued 2001 Texas Horse of the Year Lights on Broadway, and to meeting and riding the amazing King of Speed, some of my greatest memories would not exist without Remember Me Rescue and the three main people that come to my mind when I think of the organization: Lilly Armstrong and Dallas and Donna Keen.

Remember Me Rescue has recently made the headlines because of a heartbreaking horse seizure in Many, Louisiana. They currently have four horses rescued from Many at the farm: O’l Little Mike (Mikey), Straight Eddie (Eddie), Ol Suzie Q (Suzie), and Prince Alyzig (Kipper).

Those four horses were on my mind when my mom pulled up to Keen Farms on Monday. Yet, though those four were in the vanguard, there were several other horses on my mind, including Lights on Broadway, Yammi, King of Speed, Future Covenant, and Hy Danger.

From left to right: Lilly, Peace, Beau, King,
and Rio (below King)
Photo: Terri Cage

After visiting with Donna’s beautiful pony horse, Wyatt, my mom and I then headed down to the barn, where we met up with Lilly. The three of us – and the official greeter of Remember Me, an adorable dog named Rio – made our way to one of the back paddocks, where we visited King of Speed, Perfect Peace, and Heather’s Prince (Beau). In order to get the horses to do more than stand around, my mom used an app on her phone that made the sound of a whinny. Lilly grabbed the phone, taking off across the pasture. My mom and I couldn’t help but laugh as we watched Lilly, Rio, and the three geldings run across the pasture.

For several minutes, Speed, Peace, and Beau galloped and pranced along the fenceline. Before long, the whole farm was joining in. In the closest paddock, Lights on Broadway and his pasture buddies did the same. Down by the barn, horses pranced in the pens and the yearlings frolicked in their pasture. All this chaos was caused by an iPhone app that makes a whinnying noise.

After we let ourselves out of the paddock, we stopped along the fenceline of the next one over. Lights ambled over to us and we fed him some rich green grass. The beautiful chestnut gelding nuzzled against me, rubbing his velvety nose on my hand. As we headed back down to the barn, I stopped to visit Yammi, affectionately giving the near-white gelding attention.

We continued making our rounds, visiting the horses in the pens behind the barn before walking into the barn. I stopped outside of Future Covenant’s stall, rubbing the chestnut’s soft face as he let his head hang over the stall door. I stood outside his stall for several minutes, reminiscing on when I’d watched the gelding brilliantly win at Santa Anita on HRTV. He’d suffered an injury in the race, which is why he is currently on stall rest, but he also won a large bottle of Grey Goose vodka that raised $1,000 for Remember Me. Future Covenant is not just a winner of three races, but he is a contributor to Remember Me. Not to mention he’s one of my favorite horses on the farm because of his endearing personality.

Hy Danger
Photo: Terri Cage

While in the barn, I paid a visit to my favorite newly-turned two-year-old, Hy Danger, who is out of a half-sister to the multiple group stakes-winning Strong Suit. The colt, who I have always thought resembles Zenyatta, stood at the front of his stall. I approached him, allowing him to sniff my hand before I reached up to rub his nose. When I moved my hand with the intention of stroking his neck, the colt flinched, jerking his head away. I murmured reassuringly to him, allowing him to sniff at my hand yet again. I stroked his head comfortingly while whispering to him and slowly, I moved my hand closer to his neck. Before I knew it, Hy Danger was allowing me to pet his neck without a problem.

As Lilly headed to the front paddock to bring Wyatt to the barn, my mother and I visited two of the yearlings in a nearby paddock. The chilly wind was picking up, but I stood along the fence and tickled the silky muzzles of the youngsters despite it.

Brushing Mikey
Photo: Terri Cage

Then it was time to visit with the horses that had arrived from Many, Louisiana. Though they were all either newly-turned two-year-olds or three-year-olds, they looked like skinny yearlings. We first led Mikey out of his pen and as Lilly held the chestnut colt, I brushed his copper-colored coat, admiring his long, thick forelock. The colt had an extremely sweet personality and stood serenely as I groomed him and also later as I allowed him to graze.

The next colt we brought out was Kipper. The bay two-year-old grazed calmly, relishing the green grass as Lilly held him. Just like Mikey, Kipper had a very kind personality.

We then brought out Suzie, who had been attempted to be saddled in Many by trainer Bill Young, who laughed when he told the story of her running loose for two days when she was saddled. There is physical proof along her withers and topline – white hairs and saddle sores – and also evidence in her apprehensiveness. When my mom and sister had visited the horses a few days earlier, Suzie hadn’t even been brave enough to eat grass. This time, though, she grazed contentedly while Lilly held her.

Eddie with Dallas Keen
Photo: Terri Cage

Donna and Dallas soon arrived – just in time for the most difficult horse of the four to be brought out. Dallas led Eddie out into the open and I looked on as the trainer worked with the three-year-old. Just a few days prior, the gangly colt had given Donna much trouble and had taken hours to finally begin to show signs of trust. Yet the malnourished colt had changed since then and was much more willing this time around. It was as if Eddie is beginning to realize he is in much better hands now.

Mikey, Kipper, Suzie, and Eddie are some of the lucky ones involved in the Many, Louisiana seizure. Over sixty horses were involved and more than twenty-five did not survive. Now that these four are at Remember Me Rescue, they have bright futures ahead of them.  Before long, they will nearly fit in with the rest of the horses on the Burleson farm. Every single horse that resides at Keen Farms receives the care every horse should get. Not only are Lilly and the Keens incredible at working with horses, but they have an immense love for the animal. When these four horses were under the “care” of owner Charles Ford and trainer Bill Young, they were not receiving the right care. But now, they will get the kind of care every horse deserves and each horse on the Keens’ farm receives: plenty of TLC.

Click here to donate and read more.

To read about it through Donna Keen's eyes, click here.

Visit Remember Me Rescue's Facebook page to keep up with news by clicking here.

Click here to visit Louisiana Horse Rescue Association's website to donate and learn more.

To hear Charles Ford's story, click here.


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