Deputy Commander, right, defeating Behrens in the 1997 Travers Stakes.
Deputy Commander was represented by his first winner as a sire Saturday when Blue Harmony held off Assail to win a 5 1/2-furlong maiden claiming race on the Colonial Downs turf course. Under Travis Dunkelberger, the chestnut filly completed the distance in :59.79 on the firm surface.Deputy Commander won four of 13 races and placed second three times, including the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). His victories include a pair of 1 1/4-mile grade I stakes -- the Super Derby, in which he defeated Free House and Awesome Again, and a thrilling victory over Behrens in the Travers Stakes. Deputy Commander, Awesome Again and Touch Gold -- all three grade I winning sons from Deputy Minister's 1994 foal crop -- are first-crop sires of this year. Deputy Commander was produced from Sword Dancer Handicap (gr. IT) winner Anka Germania and stands at Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky.Blue Harmony is owned by Kenneth Taylor and others and was bred in Kentucky by Rowland and Elanor Miller. John Salzman trains Blue Harmony, who is out of Winter Feathers, by Bold Ruckus.
