By Alan Carasso
It isn't always easy for a small breeder to mix it with the bigger operations, pinning their hopes on mating more inexpensive mares with less-regarded stallions who might be flying under the radar at four- and lower five-figure service fees.
The Lexington-based Winchester Farm, owned and operated by Dr. Naoya and Marie Yoshida, have made their mark applying those principles, and the pair were on hand over the past weekend at Saratoga. No, they didn't necessarily have a stake or other vested interest in the final leg of the Triple Crown, but it was a memorable weekend all the same owing to the on-track exploits of Classic Q (Classic Empire), foaled and raised at Winchester, and the Scottish Lassie (McKinzie), who the couple bred.
Classic Q is a daughter of Lovely Em (Scat Daddy), who was purchased on behalf of Frenchman Samuel Blanchard's Winning Bloodstock for $9,500 in foal to Copper Bullet at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale. The half-sister to the dual stakes winner Bear Holiday (Harlan's Holiday) had been bought by Winchell Thoroughbreds at Keeneland January in 2018.
“[Mr. Blanchard] is a very smart guy and he said, 'I want a mare by Scat Daddy,'” Marie Yoshida recollected. “And so this gray mare came out, we could see Winchell had owned her and she was in foal to one of their stallions, so that's maybe why we could buy her for the price we did. It's all about producing a good horse.
Classic Q winning the Just a Game | Sarah Andrew
“So the budget was not going to be a crazy high budget for a stallion, so it had to make sense, but a horse who could perform and he really wanted Classic Empire.”
Yoshida always had time for the Lovely Em foal.
“I absolutely loved her at Winchester Farm, she was tough and she was good-sized,” she said. “And we were very happy when she sold for $40,000 [as a yearling].”
Classic Q was placed three times in graded company at three in 2025 for trainer Mark Casse, including a near miss in Saratoga's GIII Lake George Stakes, but had really found form this season. Beaten three-parts of a length into second by the classy Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) in the GIII Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream in February, she made the GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes her first win at the graded level on May 2.
That box having been ticked, it was on to last Saturday's GI Just a Game Stakes and the gray filly treated her opposition to a 1 1/4-length beating, making all the running beneath Hall of Famer John Velazquez.
“She has a strong mind and she's a high-spirited girl,” Yoshida said. “And the jockey, the legend who knows her well and just how she likes to be ridden. She's all business, and Mark Casse is exceptional.”
Classic Q ensured that a Winchester Farm product had succeeded at the top level for a fourth season running. After Locked (Gun Runner) won the Breeders' Futurity in 2023–he also added the GI Santa Anita Handicap in 2025–Scottish Lassie followed suit with her barnstorming success in the Frizette Stakes and that filly was back to winning ways–and in a big way–on June 7 at the Spa, taking a seven-furlong allowance by a whopping 8 1/2 lengths (video).
“Very happy to see her win like that,” said Yoshida, who was en route back to Kentucky and was forced to miss the race in person. “She is such a nice filly and Jorge Abreu has done such a great job with here. From what I understand, Abreu and the owners want to run her in the [GI] Personal Ensign and there is a chance she will race again next year.”
Bodebabe (Bodemeister), dam of Scottish Lassie | Sarah Andrew
Scottish Lassie, a $50,000 Keeneland September grad turned $85,000 OBS March breezer, won the 2025 GI CCA Oaks by better than 15 lengths and was having her first start since finishing a tough-trip fourth as the favorite in the GI Cotillion Stakes last September. She was offered at the Fasig-Tipton Night of the Stars last November, but was unsold on a bid of $3.8 million.
Having had a chance to catch her breath a bit, Yoshida was still grinning from ear to ear about last week's results for an outfit that does things the right way.
“We were delighted and it's just very special,” she said. “To have good trainers and good breeders–these horses have a real chance to shine.”
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