Mercedes Won

Inducted 1998

1986 b.c. by Air Forbes Won - Bye Bye Mercedes (Roman Line)
12 Wins in 52 Starts, from age 2 to 5
Career Earnings: $1,087,435

Champion 2 Year-Old Colt in Canada

As a $5,700 yearling purchase, Mercedes Won quickly proved to be a wise investment for owner Christopher Spencer by winning 5 of 9 starts and earning $348,200 in his 2 year-old campaign. Named 2 year-old Canadien Champion after victories in the Grade II Swynford Stakes and the $150,000, 1 1/16 mile, Grade III Grey Stakes, Mercedes Won also triumphed in the Grade II Sanford and the Grade I Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga. At 3, he won the $500,000 1 1/8 mile Grade I Florida Derby by 5 lengths over Western Playboy, ran second to Dixieland Brass in the Grade II Fountain of Youth, and earned third spot in the Grade II Jim Beam and Grade III Tampa Bay Derby. Trained by Arnold Fink, Mercedes Won stole the 1989 $100,000 1 1/16 mile Crittendon Stakes at Finger Lakes by 8 lengths over a sloppy track, defeating Packett's Landing and Doc's Leader. The last major victory for Mercedes Won came as a 4 year-old when he ended a 13-month winless streak with a wire-to-wire score in the $112,000 Rochester Cup. After three more wins at the age of 5 and a lifetime record of 23% wins from starts, Mercedes Won retired in 1991 to stand at stud.