by Jeff Lowe

Winchester, who has not raced since his emphatic victory in the Secretariat Stakes (G1), will head directly to the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), owner-breeder Bert Firestone said on Tuesday.

The Theatrical (Ire) colt will return from Ireland along with a European-based contingent during Breeders’ Cup week.

Winchester will make his first start against older horses in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf. He was shipped in from trainer Dermot Weld’s Irish base to score a 7 1/4-length romp in the Secretariat on August 9 at Arlington Park. He was returned to Ireland on August 13.

“We’re really looking forward to bringing him back,” Firestone said.

Bred in Virginia by Firestone and his wife, Diana, Winchester finished eighth in the King Edward VII Stakes (Eng-G2) and seventh in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-G1) in his only previous starts at 1 1/2 miles.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer