“Scott Zeron, who drove him last year, came over to me after his last race when he was up for the North America Cup and said that he had never seen the horse look so good and so manageable...he’s really come along.”
Dustin Jones headed to the 2015 January Select Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands with a list of three horses in his hand provided by Bennett Wells Stables of Lexington, Ky. Looking for a horse that could be competitive on the Canadian circuit for the ownership group, Winds Of Change caught Jones’ eye.
“I looked at the three of them and I liked Winds Of Change better than the other two. We were going to try and buy Big Boy Dreams also but we put a limit on him.”
Spending the first two years of his career under Linda Toscano, Winds Of Change was a consistent stakes competitor. He hit the board in the Nassagaweya and his Metro Pace elim as a two-year-old before taking a mark of 1:51.3 in a division of the Champlain. As three, he won his Empire Breeders elim and a New York Sire Stakes event with runner-up finishes in the Tattersalls (to JK Endofanera, back a head) and his Simcoe division.
Jones collared Winds Of Change, at the time a winner of four races and more than $250,000, for $130,000. Three horses later, Big Boy Dreams sold for $265,000 to Rene Allard -- the second highest price of the sale. Though he left the sale with one horse instead of two, Jones was more than happy with the purchase.
“The day we bought him, we thought we made a good buy. We were planning on going to $150,000 so we were pleased to get him for $130,000. I think even more of him after his last few starts.”
Winds Of Change (American Ideal - Arts Temptress) was sent north to Jones’ operation after the sale. Laid off for sixteen weeks, he returned to the track at the start of May with two qualifiers at Mohawk in the hopes of having him race ready.
“When we first got him, he was quite sore in his feet so we worked on his feet, changed his shoeing to aluminium with a spider pad and gave him some time off.”
Noting that the harsh Winter weather threw off his training plans by two to three weeks, Jones was forced to take more time that he had hoped in returning Winds Of Change to the track. That extra time off may have been just what the hoof doctor ordered.
“Now his feet are really good; no work has been needed for the last two months. He was a horse that didn’t really accept the corks on his shoes, it jammed him up a bit while pacing so we didn't train him hard.”
Jones drove the horse in his first parimutuel starts for his new connections, finishing fifth in both. He then handed the lines over to Chris Christoforou, who faced a challenging trip the first time out and finished sixth.
“I drove him his first two starts and I got caught behind horses that weren’t keeping up," confessed Jones. "I put Chris on him and first week with him he got gapped out a bit but he told me ‘put me back on the horse, I think I have him figured out.’
“I think he needed a few starts to get his race legs under him. I trained him in :53 and he qualified twice but it took a little time to get him ready to race.”
The patience and preparation has started to pay off, with back to back sub-1:50 wins, the latter coming in Mohawk’s Preferred Handicap on the North America Cup card June 20.
“Chris knew how he wanted to race him and he got him right into the race from the start and won with him. We thought he was in a little too tough last week but he got away fifth with a second over trip and when he came off cover he won really nicely.”
“He’s really sharp right now and Chris has figured out how to drive him. When you ask him, he wants to go too fast too soon and then you have to slow him up before asking again so there was a learning curve."
Jones hopes the horse will remain a regular in Mohawk’s Preferred class, believing the horse will continue to improve with time. He'll shoot for his third straight win as he returns to the Preferred Pace ranks at Mohawk this Saturday night.
Only staked to four events for the year, Jones was forced to bypass two due to the inclement weather and his necessary rehab left him unable to have Winds Of Change ready in time.
“We had planned to go to the Confederation Cup and the Graduate Series but with the time lost over the winter, it didn’t work out.”
Missing out on two stakes will make one of those remaining extra special. Jones is already looking ahead to the recently rejuvenated Prix D'Été, a race that holds a special place in his heart. Getting his start in racing at Hippodrome 3R, he will be looking to return the hometown hero with Winds Of Change later this year.
“We’re pointed towards the Prix D'Été at Three Rivers. That’s the track where I started to race at and that was where I won my first race. It would mean a lot to get back there and win the big one.”
Winds Of Change has also been sustained for the Breeders Crown which will return to Woodbine in October.
“He’s a really nice horse, he’s good to work with and pretty quiet around the barn but when he gets to the track he’s all business. I have high hopes for what we’ll see from him this year.”
(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Hannah Beckett)