Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC

Joan Winchell and her son, Ron, are partners in Winchell Thoroughbreds, continuing the family's prominent racing and breeding operation started by the late Verne Winchell, Joan's husband and Ron's father. Verne Winchell, who died in 2002 at the age of 87, founded the doughnut company Winchell's and later was the CEO and chairman of the Denny's restaurant chain.

Through the years, Winchell runners have included champions Mira Femme and Tight Spot and the accomplished runners Pyro, Donut King, Olympio, Sea Cadet, Fleet Renee, Valiant Nature, On Target and Exetera. Winchell Thoroughbreds was a breeder of Paddy O'Prado, the Donegal Racing colt who finished third in the Kentucky Derby and won graded turf stakes. The Winchells also raced Tapit, now a leading sire, in partnership. Their homebred Tapit colt, Tapizar, won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes in 2011 and was a Derby prospect, but had to be taken out of training to remove a chip in his left knee. He later won multiple graded stakes, including the Breeders' Cup Mile, and now stands alongside his sire at Gainesway Farm in Kentucky.

Winchell Thoroughbreds bred and raced Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Untapable who was later named champion 3-year-old filly, as well as multiple graded stakes winner Tapiture, who now stands at stud at Darby Dan Farm. In 2017, Gun Runner capped a Horse of the Year campaign with a win in the Breeders' Cup Classic for Winchell Thoroughbreds and partner Three Chimneys Farm.

In 2022, Winchell had a standout 3-year-old on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Resrerve trail in Epicenter. The Not This Time colt won the Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford and Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby before runner-up finishes in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. After winning the Jim Dandy Stakes in the summer at Saratoga Race Course, Epicenter delivered a dominant win in the Runhappy Travers Stakes Aug. 27 at Saratoga to secure the elusive Grade 1 win.