Paynter (foaled March 4, 2009) is an American-bred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
racehorse notable for a promising three-year-old racing season that included a second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes and a victory in the
Haskell Invitational
The Haskell Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event is a signature event at Monmouth ...
, cut short by a near-fatal case of
colitis
Colitis is swelling or inflammation of the large intestine ( colon). Colitis may be acute and self-limited or long-term. It broadly fits into the category of digestive diseases.
In a medical context, the label ''colitis'' (without qualification ...
requiring abdominal surgery, complicated by
laminitis
Laminitis is a disease that affects the feet of ungulates and is found mostly in horses and cattle. Clinical signs include foot tenderness progressing to inability to walk, increased digital pulses, and increased temperature in the hooves. Seve ...
. Most experts believed that even if he survived, his racing days were over. His struggle for life, regularly updated via
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
by his owners, gained him a large fan base and earned him the
National Thoroughbred Racing Association Moment of the Year The National Thoroughbred Racing Association Moment of the Year award, first awarded in 1999, celebrates or honors one moment that occurred during a given year that most thoroughly exemplifies the spirit and ethos of the sport of Thoroughbred horse ...
and
Secretariat Vox Populi Award The Secretariat Vox Populi Award, also known as the "Voice of the People" award, was established in 2010 by Penny Chenery
Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery (January 27, 1922 – September 16, 2017) (married names: Penny Tweedy until 1974 and later Penn ...
for 2012. His surgery was successful, and innovative treatment for laminitis prevented harm to his feet, so he was sent to the Fair Hill Training Center for recovery and rehabilitation. In his four-year-old year, he returned to the track in June 2013, almost eleven months after his 2012 Haskell victory, winning the first race of his comeback by lengths, then running in three more
graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a thoroughbred horse race in the United States that meets the criteria of the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). A specific grade level (I, II, III or listed) is the ...
s, placing second in two of them, demonstrating his ability to compete against top horses. In November, 2013, he ran in the
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October ...
and following the race was retired to
WinStar Farm
WinStar Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding and racing farm near Versailles, Kentucky, owned by Kenny Troutt. It won the 2010 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Owner and 2016 Outstanding Breeder. WinStar Farm owned 2018 Triple Crown ...
to stand at stud beginning with the 2014 breeding season.
pastern
The is a part of the leg of a horse between the fetlock and the top of the hoof. It incorporates the long pastern bone (proximal phalanx) and the short pastern bone (middle phalanx), which are held together by two sets of paired ligaments to fo ...
bred by Diamond A Racing Corporation of Kentucky. His sire is 1998
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October ...
winner
Awesome Again
Awesome Again (March 29, 1994December 15, 2020) was a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and stallion. As a three-year-old, he won the Queen's Plate in Canada and the Jim Dandy Stakes in the United States. He was undefeated at age four ...
, and his dam is Tizso, who raced twice and is a full sister to the two-time Breeders' Cup Classic winner
Tiznow
Tiznow (foaled March 12, 1997 in California) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for his wins in the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2000 and 2001, becoming the only horse to win this race twice. He was the 2000 American Horse of the Year an ...
.
Originally named MC's Dream, Paynter sold for $325,000 at the
Keeneland
Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for its ...
yearling sale. He was purchased by
Ahmed Zayat
Ahmed Zayat (; ar, أحمد الزيات), (born August 31, 1962) is an Egyptian American businessman and owner of Thoroughbred race horses. He is the CEO of Zayat Stables, LLC, a Thoroughbred horse racing business which bred and owns the 20 ...
horse trainer
A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some of the responsibilities trainers have are caring for the animals' physical needs, as well as teaching them submissive behaviors and/or coaching them for e ...
J.B. McKathan in Florida. After completing basic training, Zayat's adult son, Justin, selected Paynter, along with stablemate Bodemeister, to move on to the racing stable of trainer
Bob Baffert
Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer who trained the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakn ...
.
Paynter did not race as a two-year-old.
Racing career
2012: Three-year-old season
Paynter won his maiden race on February 18, 2012 at
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...
. In an unusual move, he was taken directly from his maiden race to the
Grade I
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of $400,000. It is one ...
, where he had a troubled start and ran in sixth place before finishing fourth, lengths behind the winner. Viewed as not quite ready for the
Triple Crown
Triple Crown may refer to:
Sports Horse racing
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States)
** Triple Crown Trophy
** Triple Crown Productions
* Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
* Tri ...
races, Paynter next ran in the
Derby Trial
The Pat Day Mile Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on dirt over a distance of one mile scheduled on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The current purse is $500,000.
Histo ...
, where, on a muddy track, he lost narrowly in the final
furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hor ...
. In his first three races, he was ridden by Martin Garcia. His second win was in a mile
allowance race
Glossary of North American horse racing:
Additional glossaries at:
*Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting
*Glossary of equestrian terms
This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical terminology and jargo ...
on the undercard of the 2012 Preakness Stakes, when he was ridden by Mike Smith, who also rode Bodemeister in the Preakness later that day. Following Bodemeister's second-place finish in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, Paynter was entered into the Belmont with Smith as jockey.
In the Belmont, Paynter led for most of the race until the final furlong when Smith came off the rail, allowing winner
Union Rags
Union Rags (foaled March 3, 2009 in Kentucky) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2012 Belmont Stakes. He also won the Champagne Stakes and the Saratoga Special Stakes
Background
Union Rags is a bay with a white blaze si ...
to slip through and win by a neck. Paynter had already fended off two challengers during the race, and Smith had switched his whip from his right hand to his left in an attempt to fend off a late challenge from Atigun; Smith considered his decision to be an error that cost him the race.
Paynter's biggest win and first graded stakes win came in his next race, the mile, $1 million
Haskell Invitational
The Haskell Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event is a signature event at Monmouth ...
at
Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...
in July 2012. Baffert's assistant trainer, Jim Barnes, represented the stable at the race, as Baffert had cut back his schedule following a heart attack earlier in the year. Paynter went off as the even-money favorite. Ridden for the first time by jockey
Rafael Bejarano
Rafael Bejarano (born June 23, 1982 in Arequipa, Peru) is a champion jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He trained at the Peruvian national riding school before embarking on his professional career in 1999. Having met with success, inclu ...
, he followed the leader through the backstretch, then took the lead at the far turn, beating five other horses to win by lengths. His winning time was 1:48.87, earning him a
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post. First published in book form in 1 ...
of 108. The victory was also Baffert's third win in a row at the Haskell and sixth Haskell win in his career. Paynter's winnings of $600,000 put him close to a lifetime earnings figure of $1 million, at $952,224, considered impressive for a three-year-old horse who did not race as a two-year-old.
Paynter's next race was scheduled to be the
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...
on August 25. With all three Triple Crown race winners for 2012 already retired from racing (all due to injury), Paynter was considered a contender to become the 3-year-old Horse of the Year if he continued to win races.
Illness and surgery
On July 29, 2012, two days after his Haskell win, Paynter developed a fever,
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...
, and diarrhea. He was hospitalized at the nearby Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center in New Jersey and then shipped on August 10, 2012 to Belmont Park where he trained for several days. He was then shipped to
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
, home to the Travers Stakes, to recover further. However, he had no public workouts and missed the Travers. He was scheduled to be flown back to Baffert's home stable in California on August 27, but Paynter again developed a fever and diarrhea. He was sent to the Upstate Equine Medical Center in
Schuylerville, New York
Schuylerville () is a village in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The village is located in the northeastern part of the Town of Saratoga, east of Saratoga Springs. The Village of Victory is adjacent to Schuylerville to the southwest ...
where he was diagnosed with
colitis
Colitis is swelling or inflammation of the large intestine ( colon). Colitis may be acute and self-limited or long-term. It broadly fits into the category of digestive diseases.
In a medical context, the label ''colitis'' (without qualification ...
, an inflammation of the colon. Paynter's condition quickly deteriorated and was deemed life-threatening. Ahmed and Justin Zayat began to tweet regular updates on his condition to the public. His care was supervised by Dr. Laura Javsicas, an Equine Internal Medicine specialist. Her devotion to Paynter was admired by both Zayat and Baffert, who later said that Javsicas should receive a special
Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th-century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse.
An Eclipse Award Trophy is presented to the winner in each division that is made by a few small selected American ...
. In turn, Paynter, normally characterized as an "aggressive" horse, was very cooperative toward his caregivers and accepted treatment without causing problems.
Paynter developed an infection at a catheter site and blood clots in his veins due to problems with his protein levels. He lost weight, and suffering from fever, colitis and diarrhea was given plasma and "aggressive" antibiotic treatment.
The medical staff were also worried, because a systemic illness with intestinal inflammation, such as colitis, is a common precursor to
laminitis
Laminitis is a disease that affects the feet of ungulates and is found mostly in horses and cattle. Clinical signs include foot tenderness progressing to inability to walk, increased digital pulses, and increased temperature in the hooves. Seve ...
, a painful inflammation of the internal structures of the
hoof
The hoof (plural: hooves) is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Artiodactyls are even-toed ungulates, species whose feet have an even number of digits, yet the rum ...
. The staff had been using
cryotherapy
Cryotherapy, sometimes known as cold therapy, is the local or general use of low temperatures in medical therapy. Cryotherapy may be used to treat a variety of tissue lesions. The most prominent use of the term refers to the surgical treatment, s ...
on his lower legs as a precaution. Although his blood test results and protein levels began to stabilize, he nevertheless developed
laminitis
Laminitis is a disease that affects the feet of ungulates and is found mostly in horses and cattle. Clinical signs include foot tenderness progressing to inability to walk, increased digital pulses, and increased temperature in the hooves. Seve ...
in three of his feet on September 4, ten days after he arrived at the center. The veterinarians treating Paynter put casts on his lower legs to support his feet. Most experts believed that even if he survived his racing days were over, and the Zayat family feared that euthanasia would be necessary.
After about three days, he seemed to be feeling better; his blood work became normal and his diarrhea cleared up, but he still had low-grade fevers. Against the odds, his hoof X-rays came back showing no separation of the laminae, and no rotation or sinking of the
coffin bone
The coffin bone, also known as the pedal bone (U.S.), is the bottommost bone in the front and rear legs of horses, cattle, pigs and other ruminants. In horses it is encased by the hoof capsule. Also known as the distal phalanx, third phalanx, ...
in any of his feet. Although the cryotherapy had not prevented laminitis, it might have kept it from becoming worse. On September 21, the casts were removed from his legs. The laminitis treatment was successful and his feet were returning to normal, raising hopes that he could race again some day.
Paynter developed an increasing fan base as people followed the Zayat family's social media updates, drawing comparisons to the struggle of Barbaro a few years earlier. Both Ahmed and Justin Zayat sent out regular tweets and the hashtag #PowerUpPaynter was used to help organize updates to the public. Paynter received handmade posters from children and hundreds of get well cards.
Because fevers and colitis were still a problem, Javsicas performed
ultrasound
Ultrasound is sound waves with frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is not different from "normal" (audible) sound in its physical properties, except that humans cannot hear it. This limit varies ...
and found a problem area in his colon, thus surgery was required. Paynter was very thin by this time, weighing less than 900 pounds, and surgery was considered high risk. On October 2, he was shipped to the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
School of Veterinary Medicine's New Bolton Center (where Barbaro had also been treated) and saw Dr. Louise Southwood, a veterinary surgeon who specialized in equine intestinal medicine and colitis cases. The following morning, Paynter went into surgery and Southwood removed a growth "full of puss icand bacteria" from his intestines. Southwood explained, "we finally got to the bottom of why he was spiking the fever." Paynter came out of the surgery well and Zayat tweeted, "Just think about the resilience of this guy." Baffert commented, "I can't believe this horse is still alive." Nine days later, a press release came out stating that Paynter was "cleared of any lingering symptoms of both olitis and laminitis, and expected to fully recover.
Rehabilitation and awards
Following surgery, Paynter quickly started to regain his weight, putting on 35 pounds in the two weeks between his surgery and being sent to Fair Hill Training Center's Equine Therapy program on October 15 for rehabilitation. Nonetheless, he arrived at Fair Hill weighing only 912 pounds. At Fair Hill, he started out with hand-walking and grazing, later being allowed short periods of exercise in a
round pen
The round pen, sometimes called a bullpen, is a round enclosure used for horse training. They range in diameter from a minimum of to a maximum of , with most designs in diameter. Footing is usually sandhyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, an underwater treadmill called an AquaPacer,
equine massage
Equine massage is the practice of massage on horses. Beginning in the early 1990s, it has been a growing field of equine therapy, used for both day-to-day riding and post-trauma rehabilitation. Proponents list a number of positive effects, inclu ...
therapy, electromagnetic therapy, and use of a cold saltwater spa. By November 15, he was close to 1,000 pounds and was allowed free daily turnout in a
paddock
A paddock is a small enclosure for horses. In the United Kingdom, this term also applies to a field for a general automobile racing competition, particularly Formula 1.
Description
In Canada and the United States of America, a paddock is a small ...
. His normal temperament returned as he began to buck and kick during turnout. He also developed a taste for red peppermint candies, strongly preferring them over green spearmint ones.
On December 26, Paynter was selected as the winner of the 2012
Secretariat Vox Populi Award The Secretariat Vox Populi Award, also known as the "Voice of the People" award, was established in 2010 by Penny Chenery
Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery (January 27, 1922 – September 16, 2017) (married names: Penny Tweedy until 1974 and later Penn ...
Secretariat
Secretariat may refer to:
* Secretariat (administrative office)
* Secretariat (horse)
Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ame ...
, for whom the award was named, said "Paynter's popularity stems from his ability to battle and exceed expectations, making him the perfect choice as the recipient of this year's Vox Populi Award ... After seeing firsthand the devastating effects of this disease, I am even more convinced that the industry must continue to diligently fight laminitis. The progress we have made to date clearly benefited Paynter—a beautiful colt with a tremendous spirit."
In January 2013, Paynter's survival and recovery was voted the "Moment of the Year" by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) in a field of 12 nominees, and the horse's connections were given that honor at the annual
Eclipse Awards
The Eclipse Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th-century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse.
An Eclipse Award Trophy is presented to the winner in each division that is made by a few small selected American ...
.
2013: Comeback
On December 29, 2012, Paynter was shipped from Fair Hill back to California, where he resumed race training with Baffert. When he left Fair Hill he weighed 1022 pounds and was described as "full of himself." Both Southwood and Javsicas believed that he could recover completely. While numerous horses recovering from colitis and abdominal surgery have been able to return to their previous levels of competition, Paynter's successful recovery from laminitis was the biggest factor in his ability to resume racing. He began jogging on the track on January 5, and had his first official workout on February 26. On June 14 he was entered into a 7-furlong allowance race at Betfair Hollywood Park. Ahmed Zayat said, "He has shown so much courage, so much tenacity. I just want to let the horse do the talking."
Paynter carried 124 pounds, the co-highweight of the eight horses in the race. Bejarano returned as jockey. It was the horse's first start on a synthetic surface. He started from starting post position two at odds of 2–5. Paynter led from the start, clocked the first quarter mile in :22.68 and the half mile in :45.67. At six furlongs, he was lengths in front, running that distance in 1:06.56, and continued to increase his lead over the other horses. He won by lengths, finishing in 1:21.86, and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 114, the best of his career. Justin Zayat said, "I thought I was winning the Kentucky Derby", and Baffert stated, "He is just an incredible, phenomenal horse, I can't believe he is back. He's just a great horse... He went from being 99–1 to survive to 1–9 to win ... I got emotional watching. It's an amazing story." Paynter handled the race well and came out in good shape.
Plans were made for Paynter to run additional races before the
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October ...
in the fall. His next race was the
San Diego Handicap
The San Diego Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late July/early August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade II race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles o ...
at Del Mar on July 27, 2013. Shortly after his arrival at
Del Mar racetrack
The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundi ...
in early July, Paynter was profiled on TV, showing that his usual temperament was back to normal, as the camera showed him attempting to nip Baffert. Running for the first time on a different synthetic surface,
Polytrack The track surface of a horse racing track refers to the material of which the track is made. There are three types of track surfaces used in modern horse racing. These are:
*Turf, the most common track surface in Europe
*Dirt, the most common trac ...
, in the grade 2 race, Paynter was the 3–5 favorite, and at 122 pounds carried the most weight. After running close to the pace and taking the lead in the homestretch, he lost by a half-length to a late-running horse, Kettle Corn, at the finish. Jockey Bejarano believed the polytrack surface was a factor in his loss. "He never seemed comfortable out there, I felt like I had plenty of horse, but he just wasn't liking what he was doing ... he didn't have enough at the end." Nonetheless, purse money for his placing put him over one million dollars in lifetime winnings.
Paynter next went east to run in the Grade I
Woodward Stakes
The Woodward Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. It is named for prominent racehorse owner William Woodward.
The race was first run in 1954 at Aqueduct Rac ...
at Saratoga on August 31. Five of the horses in the initial seven-horse field, including Paynter, were previous Grade I stakes winners. Paynter drew post position 5 and was the second favorite at 3-1 odds on the
morning line
Glossary of North American horse racing:
Additional glossaries at:
*Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting
*Glossary of equestrian terms
This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical terminology and jargon ...
. However, following the scratch of a speed horse, the oddsmaker revised his figures to make front-running Paynter the 2-1 favorite. On race day, over a sloppy track, another horse,
Mucho Macho Man
Mucho Macho Man ( foaled June 15, 2008) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic. He was foaled in Florida and named after the Village People song " Macho Man". His breeders were Carole and John Rio of Flori ...
, scratched and only five horses went to the post. Paynter had a bad start, hitting the left side of the
starting gate
A starting gate also called a starting barrier or starting stalls is a machine used to ensure a fair start to in horse racing and dog racing.
History
Throughout the history of horse racing, there have been proposals as to how better to start ...
. Although he ran second for part of the race, he finished last in the field. Justin Zayat said after the race, " aynternever got a hold of the track. We’ll be back another day." Baffert concurred, stating that the horse was "fine", but had been troubled by the poor break and by mud hitting his face.
Paynter's next race was the Grade I
Awesome Again Stakes
The Awesome Again Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old or older over the distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt scheduled annually in September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. ...
at Santa Anita on September 28. He started from the seven post with his former rider, Martin Garcia up. After running in the middle of the pack and going five horses wide coming into the stretch, he finished second to Mucho Macho Man. His placing was viewed by sportswriters as proof that he could run against top competitors. Baffert said Paynter was still "a bit rusty", but the trainer was happy with Paynter's race. He was entered in the Breeders' Cup Classic, on November 2. Before the race, he had a very strong workout and Baffert said that Paynter was "a monster" and "back to top form", and Ahmed Zayat stated, "Paynter is a horse like no other ... The fact that he's even competing in the Breeders' Cup is miraculous." Though he finished 7th out of 11 horses, with Mucho Macho Man winning again, Paynter finished ahead of a fellow Awesome Again son, the stakes-winning favorite
Game On Dude
Game On Dude (foaled April 26, 2007 in Kentucky) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse gelding. He won fourteen graded stakes races, including eight Grade I stakes: the Santa Anita Handicap in 2011, 2013, and 2014 the only horse to have wo ...
.
Retirement and Stud Career
After the Breeders' Cup, Paynter was retired and shipped to WinStar Farm to begin his stud career. His initial
stud fee
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species (stallion, bull, rooster, etc.) usually imply that the animal is intact—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offsp ...
was set at $25,000 for the 2014 breeding season. Before his arrival, WinStar commissioned a unique, colorful long
graffiti
Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
-style mural, created by Louisville
street artist
A street artist is a person who makes art in public places. Street artists include portrait artists, caricaturists, graffiti artists, muralists and people making crafts. Street artists can also refer to street performers such as musicians, acrob ...
Braylyn Stewart. The artwork featured the slogan "Paynter: Awesome Heart", and was surrounded by quotations about the horse and assorted references to his racing career. The decision to use graffiti art as a promotional tool was to reflect Paynter's toughness and "street fighter" image. Artist Stewart also expressed hope that the artwork would help put graffiti art in a positive light and encourage young people to get involved with the arts.
In 2017, the first of Paynter's offspring began racing, and his first winner was a two-year-old filly named Dark Artist, who won at
Monmouth Park
Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...
on July 30.
Knicks Go
Knicks Go (foaled January 29, 2016) is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2021 American Horse of the Year after winning five of seven starts, including the Breeders' Cup Classic, Whitney Stakes and Pegasus World Cup. The year before h ...
became the first offspring of Paynter to win a
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, ...
race when he won the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in track record time. Knicks Go then went on to win the 2021
Pegasus World Cup
The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race whose first running was on January 28, 2017 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. It is run over the dirt at the distance of miles (9 furlongs) and is o ...
Awesome Again
Awesome Again (March 29, 1994December 15, 2020) was a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and stallion. As a three-year-old, he won the Queen's Plate in Canada and the Jim Dandy Stakes in the United States. He was undefeated at age four ...
, winner of the 1998
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October ...
. At stud, Awesome Again has sired many stakes winners including
Ghostzapper
Ghostzapper (foaled April 6, 2000) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2004, outdistancing Roses in May by three lengths in a track record time of 1:59.02. His gate-to-wire Classic victory completed a 4-for-4 season, ...
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up and was once considered the most important race for o ...
winner
Game On Dude
Game On Dude (foaled April 26, 2007 in Kentucky) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse gelding. He won fourteen graded stakes races, including eight Grade I stakes: the Santa Anita Handicap in 2011, 2013, and 2014 the only horse to have wo ...
, another Bob Baffert-trained horse. Paynter is closely related to
2013 Preakness Stakes
The 2013 Preakness Stakes was the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race. The race was held on May 18, 2013, and was televised on NBC. The race was won by Oxbow. The post time of the race was EDT. The race was the 12th ra ...
winner
Oxbow __NOTOC__
An oxbow is a U-shaped metal pole (or larger wooden frame) that fits the underside and the sides of the neck of an ox or bullock. A bow pin holds it in place.
The term " oxbow" is widely used to refer to a U-shaped meander in a rive ...
; the two horses share the same sire and are out of full sisters. Both horses have pedigrees
outcross
Out-crossing or out-breeding is the technique of crossing between different breeds. This is the practice of introducing distantly related genetic material into a breeding line, thereby increasing genetic diversity.
Outcrossing can be a usefu ...
ed for four generations, with very little
inbreeding
Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders and o ...
, 4x5x5 to Northern Dancer.
Paynter's dam is Tizso, a full sister to
Tiznow
Tiznow (foaled March 12, 1997 in California) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for his wins in the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2000 and 2001, becoming the only horse to win this race twice. He was the 2000 American Horse of the Year an ...
, who was 2000 Horse of the Year and won the Breeders' Cup Classic twice. Tizso's dam, Cee's Song, is credited with raising the respect
breeders
A breeder is a person who selectively breeds carefully selected mates, normally of the same breed to sexually reproduce offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. This might be as a farmer, agriculturalist, ...
have for her female breeding line,
Thoroughbred family 26
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are con ...
, as one of the top
distaff
A distaff (, , also called a rock"Rock." ''The Oxford English Dictionary''. 2nd ed. 1989.), is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and thus easing the spinning process. It is most commonly us ...
lines in America. Five full siblings out of Cee's Song were either race winners or the dams of race winners: Paynter's dam Tizso and Oxbow's dam Tizamazing both foaled stakes winners, and Tiznow, Tizbud and Tizdubai all won stakes races. Another Cee's Song son, the gelding Budroyale, was second in the 1999 Breeders' Cup Classic.