Sir Winston, owned by Tracy and Carol Farmer of Midway, wins Belmont in his first graded stakes victory

Sir Winston, with Joel Rosario up, wins the Belmont Stakes. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, The Associated Press)

Sir Winston, owned by Tracy and Carol Farmer of Midway, won the Belmont Stakes in New York today. It was a big upset, and an ironic one, because Sir Winston has the same trainer, Mark Casse, as the horse that went off as the second favorite in the race, Preakness winner War of Will.

Casse and Farmer joined forces at the suggestion of John Oxley, who owns Fawn Leap Farm, just south of Midway and near the Farmers' farm. Casse, who has trained several Oxley horses, told NBC after the race, "The Farmers, they've been so good to us, and to have this opportunity, is just a dream come true."

War of Will won the Preakness after being interfered with in the Kentucky Derby by Maximum Security, who hit the wire first but was taken down by the stewards, giving the win to Country House.

Sir Winston had won only one race, the Display stakes at Woodbine in December, and did not run in the Derby or Preakness. However, he closed very fast to place second in the mile-and-an-eighth Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont on May 11, then showed well in training on the track. He was initially rated a longshot, but his morning line was 12-1 and bettors had made him 9-1 just before post time. He was 10-1 when the bell rang and paid $22.40, $8.80 and $6.10.

Sir Winston and jockey Joel Rosario saved ground, found running room on the inside, moved outside and "slightly bothered War of Will," The Associated Press reported. He took the lead and beat the 9-5 favorite, Tacitus, by a length. Joeiva, which led for most of the race, was third, and Tax finished fourth. War of Will was ninth. Sir Winston ran the mile and a half in 2:28:30.

Tracy and Carol Farmer

The trophy was accepted by the Farmers' nephew, Robert McQueen; they watched the race from their home at Shadowlawn Farm.

Tracy Farmer bred Sir Winston. The horse is out of Breeders Cup Classic winner Awesome Again by LaGran Balladora, a daughter of Afleet Alex, who won the Belmont; his grandsire is Deputy Minister.

Churchill

Farmer named the horse for Sir Winston Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom during most of World War II. NBC noted the recent 75th anniversary of D-Day and Farmer's resemblance to Churchill.

This was the first graded stakes win for the Farmers since La Gran Bailadora won the 2011 Distorted Humor Kentucky Cup Distaff Stakes at Turfway Park. They had two prior Belmont entries; Royal Assault placed third in 2004, and Indy Storm was fourth in 2005.

Another Midway horse, Bourbon War, finished last in the Belmont after going off at 10-1, as Sir Winston did. He is owned by Bourbon Lane Stables and Lake Star Stables. Bourbon Lane is a public racing partnership managed by McMahon & Hill Bloodstock, LLC, with offices in Midway.