COLLEGE STATION, TX–NOVEMBER 25, 2024–AQHA Racing World Champion and former all-time leading money earner Stolis Winner died in his paddock recently at Windham Ranch in College Station, Texas. The All American Futurity(G1) winner was 18.

"I feel like I have had several nice horses in my career, but Stolis Winner was most certainly the best runner we've ever had, breeder-owner Jerry Windham said of himself and his wife Pat.

Windham bred his stakes-placed mare, Veva Jean, to All American Derby(G1) winner Stoli, and Stolis Winner was foaled at Windham Ranch on February 7, 2006.

Windham repurchased the colt at the 2007 Heritage Place Yearling Sale for $30,000.

Stolis Winner was gelded prior to him breaking his maiden at first asking on March 30, 2008, at Manor Downs in Austin, Texas. He won a 300-yard dash for accredited Texas-bred 2-year-olds.

"Even his trainer (M. Heath Taylor) says to me to this day that he (Stolis Winner) was one of the most exceptional two-year-olds that he's ever trained, Windham says."

The late Tommy Zarate, who played an integral role in breaking and conditioning babies at Windham Ranch, trained Stolis Winner in his first two races. He won at first asking, but even though he ran second in his subsequent start, Windham and others took notice.

"He got bumped, but that was the start that showed us he was a racehorse," said Windham. "I had several offers, including one for $100,000, but knew I could not sell him."

Stolis Winner was sent to Remington Park in Oklahoma City in preparation for trials for the $1.1 million Heritage Place Futurity (G1). M. Heath Taylor took over training duties at Remington Park.

The first of three grade 1 futurity wins for Stolis Winner came in the $1.1 million Heritage Place Futurity(G1) final at Remington Park.

Hall of Fame jockey G. R. Carter recalls the first time he saw Stolis Winner.

"Boy, that's a big, good-looking horse," he recalled.

Carter rode Stolis Winner to victory in his trial to the Heritage Place Futurity (G1), setting the fourth-fastest qualifying time. He also qualified another Windham homebred, Jess Zoomin, who won his 350-yard trial in a track record-setting time of 17.320.

Carter opted to ride Jess Zoomin in the final and Windham gave the call on Stolis Winner to champion jockey Rodrigo Vallejo.

Dismissed by the betting public, Stolis Winner led gate-to-wire, covering 350 yards in 17.347, earning a 105 speed index. Jess Zoomin finished second as the betting favorite; Stolis Winner rewarded his backers with a $51 win payout.

Stolis Winner shipped to Ruidoso and won his Rainbow Futurity (G1) trial on July 3 with Carter back in the saddle.

The jockey faced a similar dilemma when choosing a mount for the $625,000 Rainbow final. Even though Stolis Winner won his trial easily, Carter also piloted the explosive Fast Prize Zoom, which set a new world record at Sunland Park earlier in the year.

"Stolis Winner kicked my ass a second time," stated Carter.

Carter's agony was somewhat diffused by Windham's gracious acceptance of his decision and tremendous faith in jockey Rodrigo Vallejo.

But when it came time to make the call for the All American Futurity, Carter did not hesitate to choose Stolis Winner.

"I liked his draw and was really confident," he explained. "If I had turned him down one more time, who knows if I would ever have gotten the mount again. He was in top form; just left there and marched to the wire."

Carter won his first All American Futurity in 1998 with Falling In Loveagain and described it in an interview with Martha Claussen as "very emotional and almost surreal".

He acknowledges how much he enjoyed his second victory with Stolis Winner. It was even more special to see the pride and joy of Jerry Windham, who bred and owned his first All American champion.

Windham originally planned to give Stolis Winner a break and gear up for his Derby season. Taylor compelled him to consider finishing the year with a run in the Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park.

He won his trial in commanding fashion but was a "little off" in the following days. The decision was made to send Stolis Winner to Dr. Tommy Hays in Elgin for evaluation. He had suffered a sesamoid ankle injury, and surgery was performed.

"He had such a tremendous year as a two-year-old that could have been even more exceptional if he hadn't developed his soundness issues," Windham said. "It just goes to show that his two-year-old campaign could have even been more memorable without the issues."

After his successful recovery from surgery, Stolis Winner began training for his 3-year-old campaign. He qualified for the All American Derby (G1) and won the Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park.

Windham had a nagging feeling that even though his champion was sound, he did not finish as well as an older horse as he had as a 2-year-old.

"Following his 2-year-old season, he stumbled out of the gate in 70% of his races," Windham said in the Claussen interview in 2020. "He still made $400,000 as a 3-year-old and won graded stakes over the next two years."

Stolis Winner made his final start in the 2011 AQHA Challenge Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos, where he finished 11th.

After over 20 years, Stolis Winner broke Refrigerator's All-Time Leading Money Earning Quarter Horse record.

Stolis Winner completed his career with 13 wins from 29 starts and earnings of $2,242,661.

He remains the sixth-leading Quarter Horse earner in AQHA history today, behind Kj Desparado, Ochoa, Danjer, Apocalyptical Jess, and Heza Dasha Fire.

Stolis Winner was cremated, and Jerry and Pat Windham will keep his remains.

Additional reporting by Martha Claussen.