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| Unusual Heat |
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Overview | Conformation | Pedigree | Race Record | Progeny | Foal Photos | News
Read all of our exclusive Showcase Updates about Unusual Heat here:
Reigning California king Unusual Heat sizzles at Santa Anita
Unusual Heat, California's record-breaking leading sire of 2008, extended his hot streak during Santa Anita Park's 2008-2009 winter/spring meet, which closed on April 19. The 19-year-old stallion was represented by the winners of a record 28 races during the 84-day stand, besting his own previous record of 26 victories by his offspring, which he achieved during the track's 2007-2008 meet.
The Nureyev sire sent out 19 different winners during the most recent racing season in Arcadia, including four stakes winners.
His 3-year-old daughter Beltene was the first to take home a stakes trophy on January 24, when she captured the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride main track. His other black-type winners excelled in turf races restricted to California-bred runners: 4-year-old Bel Air Sizzle won the $100,000 Valentine Dancer Handicap for fillies and mares on February 21, followed one week later by 6-year-old Medzendeekron, who earned his inaugural stakes victory in the $100,000 Crystal Water Handicap. On March 15, Christiana's Heat, 5, won the $125,000 Irish O'Brien Stakes, which was conducted at about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita's downhill turf course.
Unusual Heat was also represented by a pair of runners who each won three races during the meet: the 4-year-old filly Flashover and the 6-year-old gelding Dadsalittleunusual.
From nine crops of racing age, Unusual Heat has sired 172 winners. The Old English Rancho stallion is North America's leading turf sire of 2009, with year-to-date progeny earnings of more than $800,000 in this category. His runners have earned more than $1.7 million in 2009 alone, and more than $19.5 million overall. - April 19, 2009
Unusual Heat filly Bel Air Sizzle just misses in G2 Santa Ana
Beleaguered Bel Air Sizzle endured a two-minute nightmare in Santa Anita Park's $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap (G2) on March 22, but the classy Unusual Heat filly somehow overcame nearly all obstacles to finish second by a head in the elite turf race.
The official chart comments for the 4-year-old filly accurately summarized her adventure-filled journey: "Bel Air Sizzle hesitated and broke inward to be off well behind the field, content to lag back inside, shifted out on the final turn, came three wide into the lane, angled out further in the drive, surged late from the outside and just missed while four deep at the wire."
Saddled in the Santa Ana by trainer Barry Abrams just seven days after she ran third in the restricted, $125,000 Irish O'Brien Stakes on the Arcadia track's downhill turf course, Bel Air Sizzle was sent postward at 6-1 under Rafael Bejarano in the field of seven. She collected $30,000 for her runner-up effort behind the winner, Belmont Cat (NZ), to bring her lifetime bankroll to $457,366. From 19 starts, she has achieved five wins and six placings.
The Grade 1-placed stakes winner was bred in California by Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams and Vincenzo Loverso, and produced by the winning Runaway Groom mare Bel Air Belle. She is owned by M. Auerbach LLC, Loverso and Ron McCauley.
Nineteen-year-old Unusual Heat was California's leading sire of 2008, and is again leading all statewide stallions by progeny earnings in 2009. Nureyev's multiple stakes winner stands at Old English Rancho in Sanger. - March 22, 2009
Unusual Heat distaffers dominate downhill turf stakes
With four of his daughters swarming the six-horse field, leading California stallion Unusual Heat nearly pulled off a rare trifecta in Santa Anita Park's $125,000 Irish O'Brien Stakes on March 15. The state-bred race was ultimately captured by his first-time stakes winner Christiana's Heat, with two of the stallion's other runners finishing third and fourth.
Conducted at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the Arcadia track's distinctive downhill turf course, the Irish O'Brien lured the 4-year-old fillies Bel Air Sizzle, Burna Dette and Unusual Spirit, but it was 5-year-old Christiana's Heat who put in the day's strongest run. Ridden incisively by regular companion Michael Baze, the gray mare stalked the early pace in third and responded when roused in deep stretch, just getting up for a nose victory in a final time of 1:13.32.
The Grade 1-placed stakes winner Bel Air Sizzle rallied for third, a neck behind the runner-up, while allowance winner Burna Dette held on for fourth in her black-type debut.
"She was overdue," said winning trainer Steve Knapp, who saddled Christiana's Heat to three second-place stakes finishes on the hillside course within the past five months: the Grade 3 Monrovia Handicap, California Cup Distaff Handicap and Wishing Well Handicap. An earner of $332,332, the California-bred mare has notched five wins and 11 placings overall from 24 career starts.
Christiana's Heat was bred by Abrams, P. Johnson, V. Johnson, Nakkashian and Roberts, and carries the silks of Albert and Kathleen Mattivi. She is the second stakes winner out of the unraced Tiffany Ice mare Silverstrike.
Nineteen-year-old Unusual Heat resides at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California. The veteran Nureyev stallion is represented by lifetime progeny earnings of more than $19.1 million, including approximately $1.2 million banked by his runners already in 2009. - March 15, 2009
Unusual Heat represented by his 60th $100,000-plus earner
California sire sensation Unusual Heat reached yet another career milestone on March 7, when his 5-year-old son Apoplectic became the Nureyev stallion's 60th offspring to break the $100,000 earnings barrier with a win at Santa Anita Park.
The Craig Dollase-trained gelding, who is now the third six-figure earner for his dam, outran 11 rivals in a $65,800 allowance optional claiming event carded at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the Arcadia track's unique downhill turf course. With Tyler Baze in the irons, Apoplectic pressed the pace from the outside, gained the lead past mid-stretch and proved 1 3/4 lengths superior to his competition under Baze's left-hand urging. The final time recorded by the 12-1 longshot was a snappy 1:12.80.
His $37,800 winner's check pushed Apoplectic's lifetime earnings to $113,120. The California-bred gelding, who broke his maiden at 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Hollywood Park in the final start of his 4-year-old campaign last June, has won two of nine starts to date.
Bred by Madeline Auerbach and owned by A and R Stables LLC and Class Racing Stable, Apoplectic is a full brother to the notable racemares The Toast of Troy ($181,420) and Frankie Eyelashes ($129,477). The three Unusual Heat siblings were produced by the winning Native Prospector mare Laguna Sunrise.
Unusual Heat reigned supreme as California's leading sire by progeny earnings in 2008. The 19-year-old stallion, who maintains his duties at Old English Rancho in Sanger, is responsible for more than $18.9 million in racetrack revenues overall. - March 7, 2009
Medzendeekron, by Unusual Heat, captures first stakes title at 6
A return to state-bred company and the services of the reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey were all it took for 20-time starter Medzendeekron to capture the first stakes title of his career on February 28. The Unusual Heat gelding, who ran third in a pair of rich, black-type events last year, nabbed his elusive win by a head in Santa Anita Park's grassy, $100,000 Crystal Water Handicap.
The 6-year-old Barry Abrams trainee, who has won five races and banked $336,758 overall, entered the one-mile turf test for California-breds off a seven-furlong allowance victory on the Arcadia track's Pro-Ride main surface on February 14, his first win since a Santa Anita allowance optional claiming race last March. Despite his lack of recent entries in the win column, Medzendeekron has made a good accounting of himself since his single 2008 triumph, with earnings of more than $185,000 and placings in Keeneland's Grade 2 Commonwealth Stakes and Hollywood Park's restricted, $150,000 Tiznow Stakes to his credit in the interim.
Partnered with leading rider Garrett Gomez in the Crystal Water, 7-2 wagering choice Medzendeekron was kept at the rail near back of the eight-horse field for the first three-quarters of the race, moved outside in the stretch and passed all of his rivals with authority in a final time of 1:34.35.
Medzendeekron was produced by the Cozzene mare Fleet Sparrow, and races for his breeders: David Abrams, Hagop Nakkashian and Tom Roberts.
Nineteen-year-old Unusual Heat is represented by 20 stakes winners and the cumulative earners of more than $18 million. The Nureyev sire resides at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California. - February 28, 2009
Bel Air Sizzle, by Unusual Heat, shares her Valentine goodies
Closing resolutely from last in Santa Anita Park's $100,000 Valentine Dancer Handicap, the accomplished Unusual Heat filly Bel Air Sizzle finally crossed the wire first in a stakes event for the first time in her 17-race career on February 21. But the multiple graded stakes-placed performer was forced to share her spoils of victory with another late runner who moved with her until the very last strides.
The 4-year-old filly has finished second or third in four graded grass stakes in Southern California over the past 10 months, including the 2008 Del Mar Oaks (G1). She was also credited with a win in Hollywood Park's $200,000 Melair Stakes on Cushion Track last April, although that trophy came via disqualification of the actual winner.
Saddled by Barry Abrams and installed as the 119-pound highweight in the Valentine Dancer, Bel Air Sizzle benefited from a patient ride by North America's leading jockey, Garrett Gomez. After a slow break, she settled in back of the nine-horse field and unleashed her rally in late stretch, reaching the finish in tandem with fellow closer Onebadkitty for a dead-heat victory in a final shared time of 1:36.15 for the restricted, one-mile turf test.
Bel Air Sizzle collected $40,000 for the winning effort, bringing her lifetime bankroll to $412,366. Produced by Runaway Groom's multiple winner Bel Air Belle, she was bred in California by Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams and Vincenzo Loverso, and currently races for M. Auerbach LLC, Loverso and Ron McCauley.
Unusual Heat, a multiple stakes winner by Nureyev, ranked as California's leading overall sire and North America's leading active turf sire in 2008. The 19-year-old stallion holds court at Old English Rancho in Sanger. - February 21, 2009
Christiana's Heat, by Unusual Heat, is bridesmaid once again
Christiana's Heat, a winning daughter of Unusual Heat who has run second in two recent stakes events at Santa Anita Park, continued the trend on January 31 with a runner-up finish in the track's $84,600 Wishing Well Handicap, which was contested at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course.
The 5-year-old mare, who races for owners Albert and Kathleen Mattivi, stalked early from a rail position among the nine contenders, made her bid between horses in the stretch and briefly took the lead past the eighth pole, but could not hold off the late charge of Dawn After Dawn, and ultimately finished a half-length behind that winning rival under regular rider Michael Baze.
Conditioned by Steve Knapp, Christiana's Heat displayed an affinity for the hillside course by running second in both the 2008 California Cup Distaff Handicap last October and the Grade 3 Monrovia Handicap in her 2009 debut on January 3. Ironically, she also finished a half-length behind the winner in each of those six-figure tests.
Christiana's Heat was bred in California by Abrams, P. Johnson, V. Johnson, Nakkashian and Roberts. Out of the unraced Tiffany Ice mare Silverstrike, she has compiled a lifetime record of four wins, nine seconds and two thirds from 22 trips postward, and earnings of $257,332.
Unusual Heat holds court at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California. The 19-year-old Nureyev stallion is the Golden State's leading sire of 2008, and boasts lifetime progeny earnings of more than $18 million to date. - January 31, 2009
Beltene, by Unusual Heat, nabs $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks
Undefeated Beltene kept her race record perfect and the accomplishments of her sire, Unusual Heat, humming when she captured the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks at Santa Anita Park on January 24. The locally bred filly was her home state's sole winner on the eight-race Sunshine Millions program, which pitted California-breds against Florida-breds in bicoastal competition for the seventh consecutive year.
Paired with jockey Joel Rosario, the 3-year-old filly rocketed from seventh to first in the length of the stretch and posted a head victory in 1:09.16 for the six-furlong race, which featured nine starters. Sent off at odds of 10-1 despite her two-length allowance win at the track and distance two weeks earlier, Beltene collected $137,500 to push her three-race tally to $164,260.
"This was a big step up for her, but I thought she was capable and she improved enough to have a chance," said winning trainer Jack Carava. "She'll probably run long, and so far she's done everything right."
Beltene was produced by the unraced Wavering Monarch mare Wallis of Windsor, and bred in California by Charlotte Wrather. She was purchased for $30,000 by owner Ron Valenta's La Canada Stables during the 2008 Barretts October Mixed Sale.
Nineteen-year-old Unusual Heat is California's leading sire of 2008. The Nureyev stallion resides at Old English Rancho in Sanger. - January 24, 2009
Unusual Suspect becomes leading earner for Unusual Heat
It may not have been a victory in the traditional sense of the word, but the 2008 Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes provided a victory nonetheless for the 5-year-old runner Unusual Suspect, whose third-place finish in the lucrative race pushed him to the head of the class among the offspring of Unusual Heat.
Valued at $500,000 and restricted to horses who were bred in either California or Florida, the Sunshine Millions Turf attracted 13 starters for its January 24 running at Santa Anita Park. Unusual Suspect was shunned by most handicappers at odds of 53-1, the highest in the entire field, despite his last-out victory in Golden Gate Fields' Silveyville Stakes. But he rewarded his loyalists with a $19.20 show payout, and his connections with a $60,000 payday.
The Barry Abrams trainee broke last and was content to remain in back for most of the 1 1/8-mile grass event, but he rallied willingly in the stretch under Joseph Talamo to finish 1 3/4 lengths behind the winning favorite, Soldier's Dancer. Owned by Abrams in partnership with David and Dyan Abrams, Unusual Suspect improved his lifetime earnings to $622,592, leapfrogging past Tucked Away to become his sire's top earner.
The Grade 3 winner was bred in California by David Abrams and produced by the winning Crested Wave mare Penpont (NZ), California's reigning Broodmare of the Year and dam of 2008 Grade 1 winner Golden Doc A. He has won seven of 33 career starts, with eight placings.
Unusual Heat stands at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California. The 19-year-old Nureyev stallion boasts progeny earnings of more than $18.3 million to date, and was the state's leading sire of 2008. - January 24, 2009
Leading California sire Unusual Heat exits record-breaking year
He did not simply assume the throne; he broke an incredible record in ascending to it.
Nineteen-year-old Unusual Heat is exiting a tremendous year, and the most successful period to date in his illustrious stallion career. At the conclusion of racing for 2008, not only did he lead all California sires in the ultimate category of highest overall progeny earnings, with a remarkable year-end bankroll of $5,827,513, he also led all Golden State sires by turf earnings ($2,893,629), all-weather surface earnings ($2,511,242), average earnings per runner ($41,625) and several other statistical categories.
The Nureyev stallion, a Group 3-placed winner of two turf stakes in Ireland during his own racing career, has left an indelible mark on the breeding industry in the state where he has covered mares since 1998. For six consecutive years, Unusual Heat has been represented by more than $1 million in annual progeny earnings. To date, his sons and daughters have won 489 races and earned more than $18.1 million collectively, and his dominant streak shows no signs of slowing down.
Thanks to the exploits of his 72 winners last year, a group which included 11 stakes winners amongst its ranks, Unusual Heat smashed California's single-year progeny earnings record of $5,597,979, which was established by Cee's Tizzy in 2000 when the latter's son, Tiznow, won his first of two rich editions of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) en route to being named North America's Horse of the Year.
In comparison to the former record-holder, Unusual Heat has had no Breeders' Cup winners - yet - to boost his bankroll. Instead, he was represented last year by consistent, durable performers such as Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) winner Golden Doc A ($343,380 earned during 2008), dual graded stakes winner Lethal Heat ($426,528), Grade 3 winner Lightmyfirebaby ($373,739), Grade 1-placed stakes winner Bel Air Sizzle ($368,866) and California Cup Classic Handicap winner Mr. Chairman ($302,798), among his many other runners who are proving their athletic abilities on dirt, turf and California's new all-weather racing surfaces.
Unusual Heat stands at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California, and has already compiled progeny earnings of more than $250,000 for the new year. - January 22, 2009
Showcase stallions top 2008 Western Region leading sire lists!
Congratulations to the connections of 10 Thoroughbred Info Showcase stallions, who emerged from 2008 as leading sires in several notable categories, both in the Western Region and nationally.
Leading the pack with remarkable year-end progeny earnings of $5,827,513, according to statistics compiled by "The Blood-Horse", was Old English Rancho's Unusual Heat. The Nureyev stallion captured the crown as California's leading sire of 2008 by overall progeny earnings, turf earnings ($2,893,629) and all-weather surface earnings ($2,511,242). He also gained national attention as North America's highest-ranked active stallion by turf earnings, second only to the deceased leader Chester House.
One of Unusual Heat's California counterparts, the Magali Farms resident Decarchy, solidified his standing as the state's leading freshman sire of 2007 by compiling 2008 progeny earnings of $876,349 - enough to take another divisional title as California's leading second-crop sire.
Harris Farms stallion Swiss Yodeler, California's leading sire by overall progeny earnings in 2006, ranked highest among all of the state's sires by 2-year-old progeny earnings in 2008, with $486,379 banked by his juveniles last year.
In Washington, El Dorado Farms mainstay Matty G ruled supreme as the state's leading overall sire for the third consecutive year, with total progeny earnings of $1,819,949 during 2008. The Capote stallion also topped his local brethren by all-weather surface earnings, with $297,123.
Another El Dorado stallion, Private Gold, served notice as Washington's leading freshman sire of 2008. With six winners from 14 starters, the dual stakes-winning son of Seeking the Gold was represented by first-crop progeny earnings of $71,688.
Meanwhile, Woodstead Farm garnered a leading regional sire in the form of He's Tops, whose year-end juvenile earnings of $123,483 were enough to rank him first among all Washington stallions in this category.
Bar C Racing Stables in Hermiston, Oregon, is home to two of that state's 2008 leaders. Freshman standout Harbor the Gold, a winning son of Seeking the Gold who attained an astounding three stakes winners from his initial eight starters, compiled first-year progeny earnings of $110,181 as the clear winner in that division.
Meanwhile, fellow Bar C resident Soft Gold (Brz) led all Oregon stallions by all-weather progeny earnings, with $153,426.
In Arizona, the sons and daughters of Golden Gear installed their sire as the state's leader by overall progeny earnings, with $632,649. Fleming Thoroughbred Farm's Gulch stallion was also the state's top turf sire, with $92,456 banked by his runners on the grass during 2008.
Category Five, a resident of Mesa Farms in North Dakota, was the overwhelming leader in his home state for 2008. The Storm Cat stallion was best by overall progeny earnings ($244,577), as well as turf earnings, all-weather surface earnings and 2-year-old progeny earnings.
Congratulations to the owners and managers of these outstanding stallions, and thank you for participating in the Thoroughbred Info Showcase during 2008! We are proud to be associated with these leading sires, as well as all of our Showcase members. - January 15, 2009
Unusual Heat distaffers place in Santa Anita graded turf test
Unusual Heat, California's leading sire of 2008, began the journey to retain his lofty title for 2009 on January 3, when two of his daughters placed in the Grade 3 Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita Park and added a combined $32,000 to his early-year coffers.
Five-year-old Christiana's Heat earned her second black-type placing and 4-year-old Lethal Heat made a rousing comeback in the $100,000 race, which was contested by 11 starters at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the Arcadia track's unique downhill turf course.
Ridden by Michael Baze, 18-1 longshot Christiana's Heat jumped eagerly from the gate and pushed the pace from second the entire distance, holding on to her position to finish just a half-length behind the heavily favored winner, Jibboom. Meanwhile, in her first start since she ran third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks last August, dual graded stakes winner Lethal Heat moved from sixth to third while encountering traffic in deep stretch and completed the trifecta a half-length behind Christiana's Heat under Alex Solis.
Both distaffers were bred in California. Christiana's Heat, who was produced by the unraced Tiffany Ice mare Silverstrike, is trained by Steve Knapp for owners Albert and Kathleen Mattivi. The 2008 California Cup Distaff Handicap runner-up has earned $237,372 from 21 starts, with four wins and 10 placings to her credit. Ten-time starter Lethal Heat has banked $438,528 for trainer Barry Abrams, who owns the filly in partnership with M. Auerbach LLC and Ron McCauley. Produced by the multiple stakes-winning Synastry mare Lethal Leta, she has won six races to date, including four in stakes company.
Nineteen-year-old Unusual Heat is exiting a record-breaking year as California's leading sire, a 365-day span during which he accumulated unprecedented progeny earnings of $5,827,513. The multiple stakes winner by Nureyev holds court at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California. - January 3, 2009
Unusual Heat's leading active runner achieves fourth stakes victory
Four-year-old Unusual Suspect, a Grade 3 winner from the sixth crop of top California stallion Unusual Heat, solidified his status as his sire's leading active runner - and his highest-earning male descendant - on December 26, when he broke a 12-race winless streak by capturing the $75,000 Silveyville Stakes for California-breds at Golden Gate Fields.
Trained by Barry Abrams, who owns the four-time stakes winner in partnership with David and Dyan Abrams, Unusual Suspect won the 1 1/16-mile test on the Northern California track's Tapeta racing surface under Chantal Sutherland. The duo tracked the dueling leaders three-wide in the early portion of the four-horse race, took command in upper stretch and drove to a one-length score in 1:47.36 as the 5-2 third wagering choice. With the victory, his seventh overall and first since November 2007, the colt pushed his 32-race bankroll to $562,592.
Unusual Suspect was bred by David Abrams and produced by the winning Crested Wave mare Penpont (NZ), California's 2007/2008 Broodmare of the Year. He is a full sibling to 2008 Grade 1 winner Golden Doc A, a 3-year-old filly whose $508,736 in earnings ranks her third, just below her brother, among all of Unusual Heat's offspring.
Unusual Heat, an 18-year-old son of Nureyev, won three stakes races and placed in a Group 3 event on the turf in Ireland during his 16-start career. As a sire, he has left an indelible mark on the California Thoroughbred industry, with progeny earnings of more than $17.8 million to date. Poised to be named the state's leading sire of 2008, he stands at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California. - December 26, 2008
Unusual Heat simply the best in California
With his third-place finish in an allowance optional claiming event at Laurel Park on December 11, Cinder Cone not only pushed his own career earnings past the $100,000 mark, he also helped his sire, Unusual Heat, break California's single-season progeny earnings record.
The $3,520 banked by the 4-year-old gelding improved his lifetime record to 18-3-2-1 and $101,399, and increased the 2008 progeny earnings tally of his sire to $5,598,104 - eclipsing the $5,597,979 record set by Cee's Tizzy eight years ago, when his multiple Eclipse Award-winning son Tiznow won the $4,296,040 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).
Bred in California by Steve Warner's Fast Lane Farms, Cinder Cone is the 56th runner by his sire to earn in excess of $100,000.
His sire's record annual earnings total had risen to $5,608,704 by the end of the day, after the 2-year-old filly Beltene won her debut at Hollywood Park.
Unusual Heat is represented by 68 winners in 2008, including four graded winners among his 10 stakes winners. The 18-year-old Nureyev stallion, who has made Old English Rancho in Sanger, California, his home since he retired to stud in 1998, boasts lifetime progeny earnings of more than $17.6 million. His average earnings per starter of $75,009 is now a mere $340 short of the current California leader in that category: Cee's Tizzy. - December 11, 2008
Versatile Pass the Heat scores another stakes placing
On November 28, stakes veteran Pass the Heat added another black-type placing to his rйsumй and to that of his sire, Unusual Heat, when he collected the show money in the $73,500 Forty Niner Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
The 5-year-old gelding stalked the pace early in the 1 1/16-mile race on the Albany track's all-weather Tapeta surface and moved up to share the lead in the final turn, but weakened to third in late stretch under jockey Russell Baze. The 4-5 favorite, who is trained by William Morey Jr. for the Joseph P. Morey Jr. Revocable Trust, completed the race 3 1/2 lengths behind the winner, but nine lengths clear of the fourth-place finisher.
Bred in California by Joseph Morey Jr., Pass the Heat has won nine of 19 starts, with five placings. A versatile runner, he won the 2008 Joseph T. Grace Handicap on the grass at Santa Rosa and the 2007 Bull Dog Stakes on the dirt at Fresno, and ran third in Golden Gate's $150,000 Berkeley Stakes (G3) on Tapeta earlier this year. The $330,499-earner was produced by the winning Pass the Glass mare She's Got Glass.
Unusual Heat currently leads all stallions in California by year-to-date progeny earnings, with more than $5.5 million to his credit thus far in 2008. The 18-year-old Nureyev stallion stands at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California. - November 28, 2008
Unusual Heat attains 55th six-figure earner
On November 15, California standout Unusual Heat reached another milestone when his daughter Unusually Hot surpassed the $100,000 mark in career earnings-the Nureyev sire's 55th offspring to reach the six-figure accomplishment.
A three-time winner from 11 starts, Unusually Hot got up for third under Joel Rosario in a grassy, $62,500 claiming race for 3-year-old fillies carded at six furlongs at Hollywood Park. Saddled by trainer Kathy Walsh, who shares ownership of the filly with Craig and Karen Edwards and Michael O'Riordan, Unusually Hot unleashed a powerful stretch move from back of the seven-horse field and just missed second by a nose at the wire. She collected $4,320 for her hard-trying effort and boosted her lifetime earnings to $104,214.
Bred in California by Edie Leone, Unusually Hot was produced by the durable Shanekite mare Cruella D, a 13-time winner from 52 starts.
Unusual Heat is nearing the end of a remarkable year as the leading sire in California. The 18-year-old stallion, who resides at Old English Rancho in Sanger, California, leads all Golden State sires by a wide margin in 2008 progeny earnings, with more than $5.5 million banked by his runners this year alone.
His influence is also felt nationwide. For the year to date, Unusual Heat is ranked 17th overall by North American progeny earnings, second by turf earnings ($2,760,749) and seventh by all-weather surface earnings ($2,353,378). - November 15, 2008
Spenditallbaby adds to Unusual Heat's chart-topping year
Spenditallbaby, a dual graded stakes-placed, stakes-winning daughter of leading 2008 California sire Unusual Heat, did her part to add to the Nureyev stallion's margin of victory in the financial race to be the state's top-ranked sire by progeny earnings with her second-place finish in Hollywood Park's $75,250 Its In The Air Stakes on November 2.
The 4-year-old filly, who captured Hollywood's $150,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes for California-bred distaffers last April, has made 18 consecutive stakes appearances, dating back to June 2007. Her efforts have been rewarding: to date, she has earned $454,173, with a tally of five wins, five seconds and three thirds from 29 starts.
Saddled by Barry Abrams and ridden by Victor Espinoza in the Its In The Air, 13-1 wagering choice Spenditallbaby bided her time in the early stages of the 1 1/16-mile test, then rallied three-wide into the stretch to finish 1 3/4 lengths behind recent Grade 1 runner-up Model, the 7-10 winning favorite.
Bred by Tom Roberts, Jack Nakkashian, Peggy Johnson, Victor Johnson, Barry Abrams and David Abrams, Spenditallbaby was produced by the winning Dynaformer mare Andover the Money, who also yielded the Grade 1-placed, 2007 California Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes winner Runforthemoneybaby. She is campaigned by a partnership that includes the Abrams brothers, Mark Fiorito, Peggy Johnson, Chuck Stoll, Victor Johnson, Tom Roberts and Alfred Pais.
Eighteen-year-old Unusual Heat holds court at Old English Rancho in Sanger. The Group 3-placed, multiple stakes winner touts 2008 collective progeny earnings of $5.3 million-more than $2 million more than his closest competitor for the year-end title as California's champion sire. - November 2, 2008
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