Cash Conversion commanding initial victor for Colonel John

Multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Colonel John (Tiznow) got his first

winner as a freshman sire when Blazing Meadows Farm and breeder WinStar Farms'

Cash Conversion wired the field in Sunday's

2ND race at Presque Isle Downs. The

Timothy Hamm-trained juvenile grabbed the lead early and widened his lead in the stretch

with Deshawn Parker in the saddle. The 1-5 favorite crossed the wire in :53 for

the 4 1/2-furlong test over the Tapeta and finished 2 3/4 lengths ahead of

stablemate Rise Up (Rockport Harbor).

Cash Conversion, who finished second in his debut on May 16, is out of the unraced Cash No Credit

(West by West), who also produced Grade 3 winner and 2006 Haskell (G1) runner-up

Praying for Cash (Songandaprayer).

Colonel John broke his maiden in only his second start and would next out

take his stakes bow in the Real Quiet before closing out his juvenile season

with a runner-up effort in the CashCall Futurity (G1). The bay opened his

sophomore campaign on a winning note, capturing both the Sham (G3) and Santa

Anita Derby (G1), and ran better than appeared when sixth in the Kentucky Derby.

He rallied from well out of it after being steadied early in the classic

contest, and was shipped back to the West Coast by trainer Eoin Harty following

that race for a brief freshening.

Colonel John returned in July to be third in the Swaps (G2) but was saving

his best for a return trip back east. The WinStar Farm homebred traveled to

Saratoga for the Travers (G1) and appeared to lose all chance after breaking in

the air, but got up in the final strides to gut out the nose decision. He faced

older runners for the first time in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita,

tiring to sixth on that occasion, before closing out the year with a

fourth-placing in the Malibu (G1).

Colonel John competed just four times in 2009 after getting a late start to

his four-year-old season. The Kentucky-bred bay scored in the Wickerr in late

July at Del Mar, was fifth in the Pacific Classic (G1) in September and made his

penultimate race a close second in the Goodwood (G1). The talented runner

attempted a rail trip in his second Breeders' Cup Classic try, but tired to

fifth after briefly challenging in the stretch of what would be Zenyatta's

history-making victory.

Colonel John is out of Sweet Damsel (Turkoman), making him a full brother to

stakes runner-up Kayce Ace as well as a half-brother to Grade 3-placed

Caroline's Gold (Touch Gold). Another of his full siblings is Grade 1-placed and

current stakes-winning steeplechaser Mr. Hot Stuff. His female family is also

responsible for Grade 2 winner and classic-placed Imperialism (Langfuhr).

Joining his sire at WinStar Farm upon his retirement, Colonel John brought a

15-6-3-1 mark from the track and earnings of $1,779,012 to his new career at

stud. The eight-year-old stallion currently stands for $15,000, stands and

nurses, at the Versailles, Kentucky, farm.