Drakenstein Stud’s four time G1 winning stallion What A Winter made news in North America on Friday.
His seven-year-old son Isivunguvungu, the Equus Champion Sprinter of 2022-2023, bounced back to winning ways when he won at Laurel Park.
Under Jorge Ruiz, the Narrow Creek Stud bred gelding stormed down the stretch to edge a game Where’s Ray by half a length in a $56,000 allowance race at 5½ furlongs on the Fort Marcy Turf Course.

Isivunguvungu made his first start of the year after going unraced since a sixth-place finish in Colonial’s Van Clief Stakes on Aug. 9.

“That was really cool,” said assistant trainer, Ian Wilson. “We thought he needed a little more time to get him to the races this year, and it obviously worked out well today.”
Out of the Tiger Ridge mare Miss Tweedy, Isivunguvungu has won 8 of 22 starts, with his triumphs including the 2023 G1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint and 2023 G1 Mercury Sprint.

What A Winter, South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2YOs in 2019-2020 and Leading First Season Sire of 20-16-2017, is enjoying another wonderful run in 2025-2026. At the time of writing, the multiple Equus Champion had been responsible for four stakes winners who have won seven black type races in South Africa this season.
Sire of more than 30 stakes winners thus far, What A Winter has seven lots on offer at the KZN Yearling Sale.