Produced from the Roman Line mare Bye Bye Mercedes, Mercedes Won raced through 1991 and was retired with a dozen wins from 52 starts. The late Arnold Fink trained him in all but his first start. Partway through 1991, Michael Sherman of Farnsworth Farm bought an interest in him. Mercedes Won entered stud at that Ocala, Fla., farm in 1992. Mercedes Won, who stood at other farms during his career, sired six stakes winners, including three champions in the Dominican Republic.
Mercedes Won, a champion, millionaire, and grade I winner, has been pensioned because of declining fertility. The 17-year-old son of Air Forbes Won was donated to the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. Following several fertility evaluations, it was determined that he suffered from testicular degeneration, and the decision was made to retire him from breeding. He remains in excellent health.Christopher Spencer bought Mercedes Won for $5,700 at the 1987 Keeneland September yearling sale and earned $1,087,435 with him. Bred by Oscar T. Penn Jr., Mercedes Won was Canada's champion 2-year-old male in 1988. He captured that year's Grey (gr. III) and Swynford Stakes at Woodbine, plus the Hopeful (gr. I) and Sanford (gr. II) Stakes.Mercedes Won's big win the following season came in the Florida Derby (gr. I) that March. He didn't run in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), won by Sunday Silence over Easy Goer, but managed to win the Crittenden Stakes at Finger Lakes that summer. The following year at that resort track, he took the Rochester Cup Handicap.
