rams ). ▁The ▁next ▁day ' s ▁issue ▁of ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁declared ▁him ▁the ▁best ▁two - year - old ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁stating ▁that ▁hors emen ▁consider ▁him ▁" the ▁greatest ▁col t ▁ever ▁fo aled ." ▁ ▁El ▁Rio ▁Rey ▁followed ▁up ▁with ▁another ▁win ▁in ▁September ' s ▁Pro spect ▁St akes ▁at ▁the ▁Gra ves end ▁Race ▁Track . ▁The ▁col t ▁ended ▁his ▁two - year - old ▁campaign ▁und efe ated , ▁having ▁won ▁all ▁seven ▁starts . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁El ▁Rio ▁Rey ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁run , ▁but ▁breath ing ▁problems ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁belief ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁ro ar er , ▁and ▁his ▁career ▁eventually ▁ended ▁without ▁him ▁making ▁a ▁start ▁at ▁age ▁three . ▁ ▁Ret irement ▁Later ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁The odore ▁Winter s ▁sold ▁his ▁California ▁properties ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Nev ada ▁after ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁selected ▁the ▁ ▁Democratic ▁Party ' s ▁candidate ▁for ▁Governor ▁of ▁Nev ada . ▁He ▁re located ▁his ▁bre eding ▁operations ▁to ▁his ▁Ran cho ▁del ▁Sierra ▁in ▁Nev ada ' s ▁W ash oe ▁Valley ▁with ▁El ▁Rio ▁Rey ▁and ▁Joe ▁Hook er ▁as ▁his ▁main ▁st all ions . ▁ ▁El ▁Rio ▁Rey ▁s ired ▁some ▁Californ ian ▁race ▁w inners . ▁ ▁S ire ▁line ▁tree ▁ ▁El ▁Rio ▁Rey ▁Sc ar borough ▁Bon us ▁Res ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁List ▁of ▁leading ▁Thor ough bre d ▁race h ors