Colt’s Stock on the Rise for Grether

This particular investment has paid off so far for stockbroker Tom Grether.

Our Shining Hour, a 2-year-old son of 1992 Eclipse Award and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Gilded Time and a $200,000 purchase, has won all three of his starts.

Trained by Howard Zucker, Our Shining Hour will try to enhance his value even more today when he makes his graded stakes debut in the $100,000 Hollywood Prevue Stakes at Hollywood Park.

After breaking his maiden at Del Mar, the colt won twice at Oak Tree, including a victory in the Sunny Slope Stakes.

In the seven-furlong Prevue, which is a prep for the $200,000 Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 16, Our Shining Hour is the 5-2 second choice--behind 2-1 favorite Yonaguska--in a field of eight.

Our Shining Hour is likely to have a sizable cheering section.

For Grether and his wife, Elsa, racing is a family affair. His sons, Arno and Carl, are both seriously involved. Arno serves as the stable’s racing manager. Daughter Carol Demartini is the accountant and Sheila Grether Marion works with her father, who is now semi-retired.

A racing fan for nearly 60 years, Grether, who first visited Hollywood Park in 1941, has owned some horses in the past, but really took the plunge earlier this year.

At the recommendation of bloodstock agent Rachel Pagones, he not only purchased Our Shining Hour at a Florida sale, but also Trackofthecat, a promising 2-year-old filly, who was the sale topper at $550,000.

In all, Grether has 10 horses with Zucker. “Rachel’s done a terrific job for us,” said Grether. “My son Carl recommended Howard and he is a great trainer.

“Our Shining Hour is going against better horses now, so we’ll see how he does. He needs to be tested more.”

Even if Our Shining Hour wins the Prevue, Zucker has indicated the chestnut colt would bypass the Futurity.

“He would have had four races pretty close together,” he said. “We’d give him a little bit of a freshening and point him for the San Miguel Stakes (a Grade III sprint on Jan. 13 at Santa Anita). The Futurity might be too far too soon.”

Horse Racing Notes

High Walden, the 6-5 favorite, won the $150,000 Matiara Stakes Saturday at Hollywood Park. Kent Desormeaux rode the winner for trainer Bobby Frankel and the Juddmonte Farms. She completed the 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:46 4/5.