Isabel’s father, looking dark, suave, and impeccably groomed in a black tuxedo appeared arm-in-arm with the bride. Isabel was dressed in a flowing white gown with subtle colored flowers embroidered on the upper portion of the dress. She was not tall, maybe 10 years younger than Bernie, with perfect skin and a pretty, round face, with fresh flowers in her hair. When she smiled at her father, and then at Don Bernie, it was a smile filled with love, warmth, and happiness.
Miami and Don Bernie exchanged a long look, a smile, and a nod. Tears of happiness could be seen in the corners of Big Bernie’s eyes.
The room was filled with colors. The room was filled with winners.
At a barn far away, in a comfortable corner stall, stood Winning Colors. She looked out at wide, green meadows, pawed the ground, and waited to run again.
A $1,000,000 Score
Winning Colors Kentucky Derby -Photo Finish (Photo by Bettman)
Mexican Federal Police Forces (Photo by Frontpage)
Zeta Magazine Coverage of Narco Trafficking
Saratoga Race Track (Photo by Barbara Livingston)
Miami Paul - Tijuana, Mexico
Wayne Lukas (Photo by Barbara Livingston)
Santa Anita Race Track (Photo by Cheryl Ann Quigley)
Ava Bouchon and Miami Paul
Miami Paul - 1988
Zeta Magazine Continuing Coverage of El Gato’s Murder
LAS VEGAS (Photo by Claudio Zaccherini)
Jockey Gary Stevens (Photo by Cheryl Ann Quigley)
Jeff Lukas and Wayne Lukas 1988 (Photo by Barbara Livingston)
Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby Day (Photo by Barbara Livingston)
Miami Paul - Praying at Race book - Las Vegas, Nevada
Miami Paul - Los Angeles 1988
Map Route - San Diego to Agua Caliente Racetrack
Winning Colors 1988 (Photo by Barbara Livingston)
Saratoga Race Track (Photo by Barbara Livingston)
Acknowledgements
Grateful acknowledgment is given for the contributions of Dino Mateo, Ken Stovitz, David Freehling, Rusty Weber, Richard Zien, Stephan Tow, Rick Edwards, Howard Parelskin, Joel Adelman, Steven Semprevivo, Chris Powel, George Vasquez, Robert Robotti, and my mentor and first editor Mary L. Holden.
A special thanks is in order for jockey Gary Stevens and his wife Angie who allowed me to interview them. They both added much detail and color to this story.
For inspiration, I thank author Laura Hillenbrand for writing Seabiscuit—the greatest book about horses and racing ever written.
I thank my wife Renee, for without her enthusiasm this book would never have been completed.
Bibliography
Books
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Magazines (Print and Digital)
BloodHorse
Daily Racing Form
Harvard Business Review
Proceso
Sports Illustrated
All of the following magazine and newspaper website references
were accessed between November 26, 2018, and December 9, 2018.
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Nack, William, “Lady’s Day,” Sports Illustrated Vault. May 16, 1988. Web. www.si.com/vault/1988/05/16/117677/ladys-day-churchill-downs-rocked-as-the-filly-winning-colors-rolled-over-16-colts-to-triumph-in-the-kentucky-derby
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Ranft, Patricia. “Horse of a Winning Color.” Kentucky Monthly. Web. http://www.kentuckymonthly.com/lifestyle/featured/horse-of-a-winning-color/
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Agencia Fronteriza De Noticias
Frontline/PBS
KentuckyDerby.com
LAWEEKLY.com
Los Angeles Times
Mexico Perspective
New York Times
Proyecto Impunidad: Crímenes Contra Periodistas
Reuters
San Diego Reader
Sinembargo
Vanguardia
Washington Post
Zeta
Cortéz, Dora Elena. “That April 20 ...” Agencia Fronteriza De Noticias. April 30, 2015. Web. https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.afntijuana.info/afn_politico/40110_aquel_20_de_abril&prev=search
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“Gene Klein, 69, Sold N.F.L. Club And Later Owned Derby Winner.” New York Times. March 13, 1990. Web. https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/13/obituaries/gene-klein-69-sold-nfl-club-and-later-owned-derby-winner.html
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