KD Colonel, a Record Setter

Dynamite III did not break the national nor Retama Park's record for a mile and a sixteenth as reported in a previous newsletter and on this web site. Ken Danyluk brought to the editor's attention that it had been reported incorrectly by Retama Park, Equibase and consequently The Finish Line and TABA's Starting Gate and web site. In fact, it is KD Colonel who holds the 1 1/16 record at Retama Park at 1:58.4, and and Boeagle holds the national record of 1:54.1.

The handsome grey stallion, KD Colonel, is almost an icon for Texas racing. In fact, he has been pictured on the front of many issues of TABA's newsletter, Starting Gate. He is the number 2 horse breaking from the gates!

KD Colonel was bred in Alberta, Canada by owner/trainer Ken Danyluk, and began his Texas racing career at Retama Park on October 2, 1997 as a 3-year-old. He showed his owner and fans he had promise by taking a third in that first race. He ran his second race a week later and took fourth, and then ran a few weeks later and accomplished a second... not blowing the fields away, mind you, but definitely had promise! And show his promise he did. On July 25, 1998 he had his first stakes win at the Nora Wilson Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park. He beat some tough cookies running that day- including the favorite AF Sir Vivor and Benediction Col.

The next month, KD Colonel struck again in the Texas Arabian Derby at Retama Park in San Antonio. Tense excitement was the rule that night, and a field of ten colts broke well. KD Colonel was running third and then really got his second wind. He won by a length and a half, setting a new track record for 1 1/16 mile, 1:58.4. This race is actually the one pictured on our front cover.

Three years later and many wins later, KD Colonel was still running and winning and set another track record. On March 23, 2001, Colonel won at Sam Houston Race Park going 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:26.4 (matched by Cody James on 11/21/2002 and matched again by Dynamite III on 1/25/2003).

In 2003, in his seventh year of racing, KD Colonel is still having fun. On May 30th at Retama Park, he won a starter allowance going 6 furlongs. No new track record this time, but winning just the same! This is one kind of racehorse that makes it worthwhile- KD Colonel hasn't been a Darley nominee, but we are Texas proud of him. He's a hard working, honest and talented racehorse.

** KD Colonel was retired from his racing career after 2004 when he battled a case of EPM. Colonel has recovered, and is standing as a breeding sire.