Will Win was foaled on February 21st, 1976. He was bred by Verne H. Winchell Jr. at Mira Loma Farm in Jurupa Valley, California. His sire, Raise a Native, was the 1963 Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. Raise a Native was by two-time Horse of the Year Native Dancer and out of Raise You, by Case Ace. He was undefeated in four starts, including the Juvenile Stakes and Great American Stakes at Aqueduct. Due to a bowed tendon, Raise a Native did not return to the races at age three. He retired to Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky where he became one of the greatest sires of all time. Raise a Native sired great Thoroughbreds such as Alydar, Crowned Prince, Exclusive Native, Mr. Prospector and Majestic Prince. He had an incomparable influence on the Quarter Horse industry as well.
Our World, the dam of Will Win, was by multiple stakes winner Our Micheal and out of Busy Jill, by Occupy. She made 72 starts, won eight races, and placed second in ten starts, including the 1974 Mother Lode Handicap at Sacramento. She earned $84,126 on the track. Our World went on to produce six race winners for Winchell including Joycapade, Star Champion, Worldspeed, Light the World and Enchanted World. She was later sold to Rancho Jonata where she produced race winners Forbidden World and A. P. Gin. Her final foal, Wana Warrior, was bred by Bill Tackett in Oklahoma. In total, Our World produced thirteen registered Thoroughbred foals. Will Win was her first foal and only stakes winner.
Will Win was owned his entire racing career by his breeder. Founder of Winchell’s Donut House, the largest donut chain in California, Winchell had also campaigned champions Mira Femme and Tight Spot. In 1979, under the guidance of Winchell and trainer Wayne Murty, Will Win made three starts. His best effort was a second-place finish at Santa Anita. Four and a half months later, he won his three-year-old debut in wire-to-wire fashion. The following year, he was undefeated in four consecutive races at Santa Anita and Aqueduct. At age five, he made starts in the Coaltown Stakes and Sporting Plate Handicap, where he led throughout before being nipped at the wire. Will Win later won Atlantic City’s six-furlong Longport Stakes by two lengths. He won six races during his four-year racing career. He ran his first quarter in under 22 seconds in seven of his nineteen starts. His earnings totaled $89,131, which is the equivalent of about $285,000 today.
Will Win retired sound. His early speed and powerful conformation immediately attracted Quarter Horse breeders. A year after he left the track, Will Win moved to Roy Browning Ranches in Ada, Oklahoma. The ranch was also standing Easily Smashed and The Ole Man at the time. Will Win was promoted in numerous Quarter Horse magazines. The ad campaign worked. In 1985, when his first few foals were just turning two, Will Win successfully covered more than 150 quality Quarter Horse mares. Among them was Sudden Fame, the dam of Dash Ta Fame. The resulting foal, Win Fame, won the 1988 Alamo City Futurity.
His best Quarter Horse starter, Win Shady Lady, was also foaled in 1986. She was bred by Brett Hughes. Win Shady Lady was out of Goodby Shady Lady, a race-winning daughter of Rafter Jr. She won the 1989 Gr. 2 West Texas Derby. She also won the Sequoyah County Juvenile Stakes, Black Gold 350 Futurity, Hopes and Dreams Derby, Peter McCue Invitational Handicap, Chisholm Trail Handicap, Kaw Valley Handicap and Northern Belle Stakes. In total, Win Shady Lady made 38 starts, won seventeen races, and earned $207,002 on the track. She passed away in 1993 without producing any foals.
Willwintoo, a brown gelding by Will Win and out of Spectacular Rhythm, by Easy Jet, won the 1989 Gr. 3 Oklahoma Derby. Other Quarter Horse stakes winners by Will Win included Duplicate Secret, Joe Kutch and KB Super Shuttle. Miz Mamie Lu, a chestnut mare by Will Win, set a new track record in 1989. Three years later, another one of his daughters, Cruising Winner, also set a new track record. Think Will Lady, a sorrel mare by Will Win and out of Timetothink, by Timeto Thinkrich, was the 1990 International Hi-Point Claiming Horse. The titles of 1991 International Hi-Point Aged Stallion and Mexico Cinderella Horse also went to a son of Will Win named Charles Will.
His Quarter Horse offspring were successful in the arena too. Winning Dian, Cee Bar Will, Shining Speckawin and Native Will Win earned performance ROMs. Will To Love, Chicago Win Dancer, Winning Cheetah, Will Win Go, Will Hurrah Them, Willy Doright, Our Jet Set, Will Folly Win and Rammin To Win all earned performance points.
Willowy Mood was Will Win’s best Thoroughbred starter. She won nine stakes races including the 1984 Gr. 3 Tempted Stakes and the 1986 Gr. 3 Barbara Fritchie Handicap. In total, Willowy Mood made 48 starts, won fourteen races, and earned $542,298 on the track. Other Thoroughbred stakes winners by Will Win included Nooo Problema, Sleek World, Win Grey, Willie Willya, Will Split, Shelby’s Will Win, Cimmarron Run, Uncle Will, Willful Bidder and Winward Will. Will I Win, a dark bay Thoroughbred gelding by Will Win, won four stakes races. He equaled the track record in the Tulsa State Fair Handicap at Fair Meadows for 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.80. Yes He Will, another Thoroughbred gelding by Will Win, set a new track record at Canterbury Park for 3 ½ furlongs in 39.60 seconds. He also established a track record at Lone Star Park for 2 ½ furlongs in 26.53 seconds.
Will Win sired very few foals in 1991 and 1992, perhaps due to fertility issues. In 1993, at the age of seventeen, he sold for just $13,000 at the Heritage Fall Mixed Sale. He was purchased by Terry Wynn, who owned him for the remainder of his life.
In total, Will Win sired 640 registered Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals. They included 238 race winners, 149 ROM earners, 29 stakes finalists, six stakes winners, six Superior Race Award earners, three graded stakes winners, three regional champions and two all-around show winners. His get earned $4,310,206 on the track and 106.5 points in the arena. Not included in those statistics are his Appaloosa foals of which D.J. Indy, Easy Winner, Far and Away, I Sure Will, Iroc G, John’s Tee Kee, Kan Win, Kaywin, Oh Lily Win, Prime Time Lady, R Mailman, So Long Folks, Spiffy and Wilamena were race winners.
His sons Broken Bubble, Charley Will, Gallant Will, Goodbye Will, Lightning Will Win, Moon Will, Olympic Win, Power Strategy, Public Nuisance, Sippin Will, Starring Win, Top Win and Will Redford sired Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas. His Quarter Horse daughters were good producers. Will Win was the dam sire of 98 ROM earners, 77 race winners, three stakes winners, two Superior Race Award earners, one Regional Champion and one World Champion. His Quarter Horse grandget earned $1,280,546 on the track and 321.5 points in the arena. They also earned money in the National Snaffle Bit Association and the Barrel Futurities of America.
The aforementioned Win Fame was Will Win’s best producing daughter. When bred to First Down Dash, a nick that was proven within that female family, Win Fame produced Dash for a Win. Dash for a Win won sixteen races including the Sam Houston Speed Challenge, Goodnight Trail Handicap, Rheudasil Handicap and Burnett Handicap. She set three new track records and equaled the track record at Sam Houston for 250 yards in 13.140 seconds. In total, Dash for a Win earned $100,669 on the track. Win Fame also produced stakes contenders Win a Dash, Win Comes Easy, Quick Dash Fame and Fames Check Point. Her descendants are still competing in racing and barrel racing today.
Barrel racing money earners out of Will Win mares included Duebytwo, Will Love To Win, Our Bull, Ima Smasher, Talents Hanta, Dellas Playmate, Life Takes Visa and Approche Ta Fame. Jet Will Honor, Scoops Lil Magic, A Riva Diva, One Man Army and Tactical Command all earned performance ROMs. Blues Win Dee, a gray gelding by Tee J Blues Dee Red and out of Love to Win Easy, by Will Win, was a World Champion Team Penning horse. He also earned a performance ROM and halter points. Other performance point earners out of Will Win mares included Hawk Will Win, Theciscokiddwillwin, Showemalex, Will Streak To Win, Copy My Glow, Dassles Ginger Chip, Rocky Pecan, Kickn Bully, TMF Flashy Mint, Cheer Together and Kick N Bootie.
Will Win’s last foals were born in 1996. It is through great sires like Will Win that Raise a Native set new standards for the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse breeds.
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, AQHA, All Breed Database, The Quarter Racing Record
The Western Thoroughbred 