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Redattore (Brz) Sires G1 Winner in Brazil
His one Brazilian crop has made him the leading freshman sire in that South American country.

Torquay's a Stakes Horse Now for Sure
Late in life, the 6-year-old son of Deputy Commander gets his first graded placing.

Complete stories below.


Redattore (Brz) Sires G1 Winner in Brazil
     Estrela do Oriente became Redattore (Brz)'s first Group 1 winner Sunday when he captured the Grande Premio ABCPCC at a mile on the turf at Gavea Racetrack in Rio de Janeiro, the final juvenile Group 1 race of the season.
     On the same afternoon, Setembro Neva took third in another Group 1 race, the Grande Premio J. Adhemar Prado at Hipodromo Paulistano in Sao Paulo.
     Their achievements have helped Redattore (Brz) become the leading freshman sire in Brazil with the crop he sired before departing for the United States. His first California foals are now 2-year-olds, only one of which has started.
     Estrela do Oriente has won four races, three of them stakes, including the Group 2 Grande Premio Conde de Herzeberg.
     Redattore (Brz) is also the sire of stakes winner Al Arab and two stakes-placed runners, including Group 1-placed Setembro Neva.
     Redattore (Brz) won a Group 1 race in Brazil and two Grade 1 races in the United States. He won or placed in 18 stakes races in Brazil and the U. S., retiring with earnings of $1,799,883. He stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga, Calif.--July 3.

Torquay's a Stakes Horse Now for Sure
     Torquay, who'd never run in an added-money race until his final start as a 5-year-old, has been nothing but a stakes horse this year at the age of 6.
     A stakes winner in that final 2007 race, the son of Deputy Commander solidified his late-career rise in status with a third-place finish in the $200,000 Grade 3 Dominion Day Handicap Monday at Woodbine.
     That finish made him the 18th runner by Deputy Commander to either win or place in a graded stakes race.
     He won the $125,000 Valedictory Handicap at Woodbine last December 9 and has raced in nothing but Grade 3 events since then. He was unplaced in the first two but made the leap in class in Monday's Dominion Day. Those three were his only 2008 starts.
     He raced 25 times at 2, 3, 4, and 5 with six wins, three seconds, and four fourths for earnings of $326,088. His 2008 earnings of $26,388 bring his career total to $352,476. Although he's a Kentucky-bred, he's raced his entire career at Woodbine.
     In the mile and a quarter Dominion Day, he was rated early and moved well in the stretch drive but was unable to overtake the two front-runners, winding up 3 3/4 lengths back, 5 1/2 lengths in front of the fourth-place finisher.
     Toquay was no stranger to a distance race, having won an allowance race at that distance last year as well as taking the Valedictory at a mile and three quarters.
     He was bred by Respite Farm and is owned by his trainer, Nickolas De Toro. His rider in Monday's race was Eurico Rosa Da Silva.
     Torquay's stakes placing was the third in three days for runners by Deputy Commander, who stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--July 3.


Sea of Secrets Son Stays on Successful Path
     Consistent Sea of Pleasure continued to race at a high level Sunday with a third-place finish in the $75,000-added Captain Squire Handicap at Hollywood Park.
     The 3-year-old son of Sea of Secrets, who's won or placed in seven of his eight starts, has taken one stakes race and placed in three others since beginning his career with consecutive victories at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita.
     He suffered his first defeat in running second in the $80,000 San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita but followed by capturing the Sophomore Sprint Stakes at Bay Meadows. After failing to place in the Grade 3 Baldwin Stakes at Santa Anita, he then began a streak of three straight third-place fnishes, in the $75,000 San Miguel Stakes at Santa Anita and in an allowance race and Sunday's Captain Squire Handicap at Hollywood Park.
     In eight starts, the Illinois-bred has three wins, a second, and three thirds for earnings of $123,949.
     In Sunday's race at 6 1/2 furlongs, Sea of Pleasure took the lead out of the gate and held it until the final sixteenth, when he weakened and fades to third, 3 1/2 lengths behind the winner.
     He's owned by Steve and Terry Burnett, Bruno DeJulio, Gail Searing, and JS Bohon Stables and is trained by Jeff Mullins. He was bred by Valerie Blethen and was ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
     Sea of Secrets is a graded stakes-winning son of Storm Cat. He stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--July 1.


Stealh Attack Nails Third Stakes Victory
     Late-blooming Stealth Attack won his third stakes race in his past four starts Sunday, a come-from-behind victory in the Dane Boersma Stakes at Grants Pass.
     A 5-year-old son of Flying With Eagles, Stealth Attack raced at the rear of the six-horse field until the turn for home in the 6 1/2-furlong race. He circled the field on the turn for home to move up to fourth entering the stretch, 4 1/2 lengths back of the leader.
     Then he moved strongly through the lane and reached the finish a length and a quarter in front under jockey Joe Crispin.
     The victory was his third stakes win in his past four races at three different tracks. He won the Au Revoir Handicap at Sun Downs on May 4 and the Queens Handicap at Walla Walla one week later.
     He's won six races with seven seconds and nine thirds in 33 starts, earning $82,837.
     Bred in Washington by Mr. and Mrs. David Heerensperger, he's owned by Jim Gilmour and trained by Sue Gilmour.
     Flying With Eagles, a multiple stakes-winning son of Skywalker, stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--July 1.


Deputy Commander: Two New Stakes Horses
     In a single afternoon, Deputy Commander added No. 33 and No. 34  to his roster of stakes horses when two 3-year-old daughters placed in added-money events Saturday at Belmont Park and Delaware Park.
     At Belmont Park, Ambidaxtrous took third in the $75,000-added Elmont Stakes and at Delaware Park My Main Starr finished second in the $55,000-added St. Georges Stakes.
     It was the first stakes effort by My Main Starr, the second for Ambidaxtrous, who ran fifth in the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont on May 31.
     Deputy Commander now is the sire of 34 stakes horses--16 winners, 18 placed--in North America in addition to two foreign champions and a $2,470,595 earner in Japan.
     In the one-mile Elmont Stakes on the turf, Ambidaxtrous raced last in the field of seven to the stretch, where she moved up to fourth and advanced to third to finish a head and 2 1/4 lengths back of the winner.
     In the 1 1/16-mile St. Georges Stakes, My Main Starr followed a similar pattern, racing seventh out of eight in the early stages before moving up to second in midstretch to finish just a length and three-quarters back of the winner and 10 1/4 lengths in front of the third-place horse.
     Ambidaxtrous has earned $87,575 in eight starts, with two wins, two seconds, and a third. My Main Starr has earned $112,850 in 13 starts, with four wins, four seconds, and a third.
     Ambidaxtrous was bred in New York by Waterville Lake Stables Limited LLC, is owned by Parting Glass Stable, is trained by Thomas Bush, and was ridden by Rajiv Maragh.
     My Main Starr was bred in Kentucky by John Sullivan and Hargus and Sandra Sexton, is owned by Partners Stable, is trained by Gary Capuano, and was ridden by Sylvester Carmouche, III.
     Deputy Commander, a Grade 1 stakes winner of $1,906,640, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 30.


Soundness No Problem for Beau Genius Son
     The problem of unsoundness in Thoroughbred racehorses is drawing national attention these days, but it's not a problem that affects My Creed.
     The 7-year-old son of Beau Genius started for the 41st time Saturday at Pleasanton and came away with a third-place finish in the $50,000-added Alamedan Handicap.
     It was the 9th stakes race in which My Creed has either won or placed, including a victory in the Grade 3 Berkeley Stakes at Golden Gate Fields. In his sixth season on the track, he's having one of his best years, with a win, a second, and a third in three allowance races followed by Saturday's third in the Alamedan.
     He has a career bankroll of $351,895, $104,335 of it earned last year at the age of six and another $39,420 this year at seven. He's won eight races with four seconds and 11 thirds in his 41 starts.
     He was competitive all the way in the 1 1/16-mile Alamedan, pressing the front-running winner all the way, though overtaken in the final sixteenth by a late challenger. He reached the finish just a neck and a length back of the winner.
     Bred in Kentucky by W. D. and Dave Fishback, he's owned by Seven Star Racing Stable and his trainer, Robert B. Hess, Sr. Alex Bisono was his rider.
     Beau Genius, whose 547 runners have more than 24 average career starts, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 30.


Back East, Stormy Jack Gets His 9th Winner
     La Colombina posted a wire-to-wire victory Saturday at Penn National to become Stormy Jack's ninth winner, but it wasn't easy.
     The 3-year-old California-bred opened a nine-length lead in the stretch in the six-furlong race but had to hold off a late challenger who cut that to 3 3/4 lengths at the wire--still a comfortable margin.
     La Colombina was out of the gate quickly, opening a six-length lead at the quarter, extending it to seven lengths after a half-mile, then extending it to nine in the stretch.
     It was her 11th start, three at Turf Paradise and the last eight at Penn National. She came off two fourth-place finishes at 5 1/2 furlongs to collect her first win.
     La Colombina was bred by Blue Sky Training Center, is owned by Theresa Schimer and trained by David Lupo. She was ridden by Joseph Farley.
     Stormy Jack's other winners from his first crop to race include Bob Black Jack, a Grade 1-placed earner of $442,925 who set a world record of 1:06.53 for six furlongs early this year.
     A stakes winner of $596,673, Stormy Jack stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga, Calif.--June 30.


Free At Last Filly Back in Stakes Competition
     Free At Last's Silky Sally reaffirmed her status as a stakes horse Friday at Marquis Downs by finishing second  in the Prairie Meats Handicap, 11 starts and 10 months after her first added-money placing.
     In her second career start last August 11, while still a 2-year-old maiden, Silky Sally took third in the $45,000 Knights Choice Stakes at Emerald Downs and hadn't tried another added-money race until Friday.
     Seven starts later, she broke her maiden at Stampede Park and won once in her following three starts before becoming a stakes horse again as a 3-year-old in the Marquis Downs event.
     After starting sixth in the eight-horse field in Friday's race, she closed steadily on the front runner but fell two lengths short while securing the second spot in the six-furlong stake.
     With two wins, two seconds, and two thirds in 13 starts, Silky Sally has earned $21,769. She's one of 49 stakes horses sired by Canadian juvenile champion Free At Last.
     Bred in Washington by Mr. and Mrs. Frederick L. Pabst, she's owned by Darryl Paranica, is trained by Robertino Diodoso, and was ridden by Tim Moccasin.
     Free At Last, whose runners have earned more than $8,600,000, stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--June 29.


Snowdrop Continues to Thrive in New Milieu
     Snowdrop hammered out a successful racing career in two seasons in Northern California, but she's doing even better since moving to New Mexico, where she continued to thrive with a second-place finish in Sunday's $50,000 Dr. O. G. Fischer Memorial Handicap at Sunray Park.
     In four starts in the Land of Enchantment, the 5-year-old daughter of Beau Genius ran first and third in allowance races and followed with second-place finishes in a Ruidoso Downs stake and Sunday's blacktype event.
     In the Fischer, she tracked the leader for the entire seven furlongs but ran into a series of bumping incidents down the stretch and was unable to make up the 1 1/2-length difference, but finished a comfortable 3 1/2 lengths ahead of the third-place runner.
     In 20 starts in Northern California at 3 and 4, Snowdrop earned $143,110, with three wins, two seconds, and five thirds, racing only in stakes and allowance races. She won the Sweepida Handicap at Stockton, ran second in the Alameda County Handicap at Pleasanton, and won an allowance race at Santa Rosa. She won a maiden special weight race by six lengths at Bay Meadows in her second career start.
     In her four New Mexico starts, she's earned $39,740, bringing her bankroll to $182,840 in a career in which she's never run in a claiming race. She's one of 76 stakes horses sired by Beau Genius.
     She was bred in California by David and Mary Ann Sawyer and is owned by Double Eagle Ranch and Garth McCloud. She's trained by Chris Hartman and was ridden in the Fischer by another California expatriate, Patrick Valenzuela.
     Beau Genius, a Grade 1 winner of $1,055,600, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 25.


Lit de Justice Maiden Takes Golden Gate Stake 
     Lit de Justice's third California crop got off to a quick start Sunday at Golden Gate Fields when Maidens Justice broke his maiden with a come-from-behind victory in the $75,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
     The 2-year-old colt prepared for his added-money debut by running second in maiden races in his first two starts before earning his first victory in an open stakes race, reaching the wire in front of a pair of Kentucky-breds.
     He is the 33rd winner in three crops sired by Lit de Justice since his arrival in California from Kentucky. Maidens Justice is the fifth stakes horse from those crops. He's also Lit de Justice's 33rd stakes horses from his nine crops.
     He broke last in the field of seven, a perilous start in a five-furlong race, but he advanced steadily and reached the top of the stretch in third place. From there he weathered a rough trip, forced into one horse and bumped twice by another. But he reached the finish a length and a quarter in front.
     Bred in California by Running Luck Ranch LLC, he's owned by M. A. Douzos and Sandra Matos, is trained by Gil Matos, and was ridden by Juan Ochoa. Maidens Justice has earned $56,400 in his three starts.
     Lit de Justice, an Eclipse Award-winning sprinter, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 24.


Enumclaw Girl Handles Distance, Wins Stake
     Katowice's classy 3-year-old filly dismissed doubts that she can handle two turns by scoring a decisive start-to-finish victory in the $50,000 Irish Day Handicap at one mile Sunday at Emerald Downs.
     In winning two of her first three career starts, Enumclaw Girl had succeeded at five and then six furlongs, but in stretching out to 6 1/2 furlongs, she suffered her first defeat, finishing second in the Federal Way Handicap at Emerald Downs.
     But she had no difficulty moving out still farther to a flat mile, capturing Sunday's race by a widening 3 1/2 lengths.
     In four career starts, she's won two stakes races and finished second in a third after breaking her maiden in her debut. Her earnings now total $74,680.
     She was bred in Washington by John and Doris Konecny and is owned by Doris Konecny. She's trained by Rosie Simkins and was ridden by Gallyn Mitchell.
     Enumclaw Girl is one of 16 stakes winners and 30 stakes horses sired by Katowice, a son of Danzig who's sired earners of more than $9,000,000. He stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--June 24.


5-Year-Old's First Stakes Try Nets G3 Placing
     Five-year-old Dubai Gold waited a long time to get a chance to run in a stakes race, and when that opportunity finally arrived Sunday, he came away with black type in his 23rd career start.
     And it wasn't just any stakes race. It was the Grade 3 $150,000 Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine.
     The son of Deputy Commander has been a successful runner through his four seasons of competition, earning $239,794 almost exclusively in two-turn races, with wins all the way up to a mile and a quarter.
     He had to go even farther in the 1 1/2-mile Singspiel, and he appeared to have lost all chance when he dropped back to last in the field of 12 soon after the start. But he moved up steadily, racing fourth entering the stretch and continued to close to earn his third-place finish.
     He exceeded the expectations of Woodbine bettors, who had sent him off at 43-to-1 odds, the second-longest price on the board.
     Dubai Gold was bred in Kentucky by Rae and Bob Horton, is owned by Terry Hamilton, is trained by Alec Fehr, and was ridden by David Clark.
     He's the 17th graded stakes runner sired by Deputy Commander, a millionaire son of Deputy Minister who stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 24.


Bellsblade Continues Surge With Stakes Win
     Life as a quality racehorse has begun at 4 for Bellsblade, and she's making the most of it.
     The homebred daughter of Mr. Broad Blade moved into stakes company for the first time Saturday at Golden Gate Fields and came away with a wire-to-wire victory in the $75,000 Work the Crowd Handicap.
     Unraced at 2, Bellsblade bounced unsuccessfully from $20,000 to $32,000 maiden claiming races through six starts at 3, netting just one second and earning only $5,500 while racing at six different tracks in both Northern and Southern California.
     Dropped into a maiden $12,500 race at Bay Meadows in her first start at 4, she found a new career, sailing to a nine-length victory. A fourth-place finish in her next start, in an allowance race at Santa Anita, provided no prospect of a turnaround, but it came.
     She hasn't been beaten since, winning a Bay Meadows starter allowance by nine lengths and then moving to Golden Gate Fields for an allowance score and following that with Saturday's stakes victory in her first start at that level.
     Her 2008 record shows four wins in five starts with earnings of $91,260, bringing her career line to 11-4-0-$96,760. She's won on dirt and grass and at 7 1/2 furlongs and one mile.
      Bred in California by her owner, Robert Reseigne, she's trained by Steve Miyadi and was ridden by Catalino Martinez.
     Mr. Broad Blade, a stakes-winning son of Broad Brush, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 23.


Unusual Heat Pair 2-3 in Golden Gate Stake
     A pair of 5-year-old daughters of Unusual Heat captured two of the top three places in the $75,000 Work the Crowd Handicap Saturday at Golden Gate Fields, adding to their already-established stakes credentials.
     Favored Lightmyfirebaby ran second almost all the way in the one-mile turf event but was never able to overtake front-running Bellsblade (see story above). Andover the Cash settled in behind the top two entering the stretch and stayed there to finish third.
     Lightmyfirebaby, already a graded stakes winner, moved her earnings past $300,000 with her $15,000 share of the purse. She's won $314,589 in 19 starts, with five wins, three seconds, and two thirds, including two stakes wins and two stakes placings.
     Andover the Cash, who recorded her second stakes placing, has earned $163,628 in 34 starts, with four wins, three seconds, and five thirds.
     They are among 46 $100,000-plus earners sired by Unusual Heat, California's leading sire of 2008 and the leading turf sire in North America as well.
     Both were bred in California, Lightmyfirebaby by David Abrams, Victor Johnson, Jack Nakkashian and Paul Wick and Andover the Cash by Abrams/Roberts, Nakkashian, P. Johnson and V. Johnson.
     Lightmyfirebaby is owned by the Richard J. O'Neill Trust, is trained by Barry Abrams, and was ridden by Frank Alvarado. Andover the Cash is owned by William DeBurgh, is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, and was ridden by Russell Baze.
     Unusual Heat, a multiple stakes-winning son of Nureyev, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--June 23.


Three Straight Thirds in Woodbine Stakes
     Deputy Commander's 3-year-old son Discreet Commander demonstrated his consistency Saturday by finishing third in a Woodbine stakes race for the third time in a row.
     The Kentucky-bred took third in the $105,000 Charlie Barley Stakes for his fourth stakes placing in his last five starts to bring his career earnings to $179,340 in 10 starts, all at Woodbine.
     After winning a maiden special weight race in his fifth start at 2, Discreet Commander became a stakes winner in his next outing, capturing the $127,000 Display Stakes by a nose. 
     Unplaced in his first start at 3, the $104,000 Wando Stakes, he came back with consecutive thirds in the Grade 3 $150,000 Marine Stakes, the $150,000 Victoria Park Stakes, and Saturday's Charlie Barley, the only one of the three on the turf.
     His record now stands at two wins, two seconds, and three thirds in 10 starts for earnings of $179,340.
     In the one-mile Charlie Barley, Discreet Commander made a mild bid entering the stretch but was never able to challenge the pair fighting for the lead in front of him.
     Bred by International Equities Holding, Inc., he's owned by D. Rowbotham, D. Lindskog, H. Mackinnon, E. Richer, and T. Boogmans and trained by Arthur Silvera. He was ridden by Constant Montpellier.
     Deputy Commander, sire of earners of more than $21,300,000, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 23.


Hollywood Park Winner Is Decarchy's 18th
     Decarchy added the 18th name to his growing list of winners Thursday when favored Princess Arjumand moved strongly through the stretch to break her maiden at Hollywood Park.
     Second or third in five of her previous six starts, Princess Arjumand went off as the solid favorite in the field of eight at seven furlongs on the synthetic track and, after racing near the back of the pack through the backstretch, made up four lengths in the stretch to move from third to a one-length victory.
     It was the seventh start for the 3-year-old filly and gave her a record of a win, a second, and three thirds at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park, good for earnings of $28,080.
     She is the 16th winner from Decarchy's first crop. He's had two others from his second crop, now 2-year-olds, one of them in Mexico. They've earned more than $750,000.
     Princess Arjumand's victory increased Decarchy's lead among California two-crop sires to $108,082 over second-place Stormy Jack, $482,520 to $374,438 in 2008 earnings. Capsized is third at $154,590.
     Bred in California by Milton Allan Policzer, she's owned by her breeder, Neil A. Haymes, and Owners Stable. She's trained by Doug O'Neill and was ridden by Tyler Baze.
     Decarchy, last year's champion California freshman sire, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 21.


Fast and Fluid Third in Rare Stakes Effort 
     Fast and Fluid has gone to the post 57 times in her six-year racing career, and every couple of years she runs in a stakes race--and does pretty well.
     Now seven years old, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Birdonthewire scored her second stakes placing Tuesday by finishing third in the $75,000 Golden Sylvia Handicap at Mountaineer Park.
     That performance followed two years in which she's bounced back and forth between allowance and higher-level claiming races after taking third in the $75,000 Ohio Valley Handicap at Mountaineer Park on May 30, 2006,
     Before that, she'd last tried added-money company on January 25, 2004, when she ran sixth in the $100,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes at the Fair Grounds.
     Her rare forays into stakes company have yielded those two thirds in $75,000 races to burnish a career in which she's earned $208,658, a record good enough to give her value as a broodmare when she someday reaches the end of her days as a racehorse.
     At a time when soundness is both rare and desirable, her 57 starts with five wins, 13 seconds, and 11 thirds provide unusual breeding credentials.
     In Tuesday's one-mile Golden Sylvia Handicap, Fast and Fluid was competitive to the stretch but was outrun by the two front-runners in the drive to the wire. She was much the best of the rest, finishing six lengths in front of the fourth-place horse.
     She was bred by Adena Springs, is owned by Bailey Racing Stable (Laura Bailey), is trained by Charles Bailey, and was ridden by Jesus Barria.
     Her sire, Birdonthewire, stands at Madera Thoroughbreds, Madera, Calif. A Grade 1 winner of $541,752, he is the sire of 21 stakes horses and earners of more than $9,000,000.--June 19.


Unusual Heat Is Unusual in Many Ways
     Unusual Heat is California's leading sire of 2008 and the leading turf sire in North America besides, but that's not all.
     More than a quarter--27.6 percent--of the 203 runners that he's sired in his eight crops have earned more than $100,000--56 of them.
     The latest of those is 4-year-old America's Friend, whose third-place finish in an allowance race Sunday at Hollywood Park won a purse of $7,956, enough to increase her career earnings to $100,248. She missed winning that race by two heads.
     Those 56 six-figure runners include nine over $200,000, another four over $300,000, another five over $400.000, and one other over $500,000. They've contributed to their sire's median earnings of more than $36,000 as well as his average earnings per starter of more than $72,000.
     It isn't as impressive as being first, but Unusual Heat is also this year's No. 4 sire in North America on synthetic surfaces.
     America's Friend has taken an unusual trip to her $100,000-plus earnings. She's won only once in 20 starts, a maiden special weight in February at Santa Anita in her fourth start at 4, but she's run second three times, and third seven times, competing on dirt, grass, and synthetics, all against the stiff competition on Southern California tracks.
     Bred in California by Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams, and Vincenzo Loverso, she's owned by B. Abrams or Loverso or M. Auerbach, LLC, et al, and trained by Barry Abrams.
     Unusual Heat stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--June 18.


Wind Storm Places in Third Straight Stake
     Wind Storm, who emerged from an eight-month layoff as a stakes horse, demonstrated again that she belongs at that level by taking second in Sunday's $55,000 Strawberry Morn Handicap at Hastings Racecourse.
     It was the He's Tops filly's third stakes placing in three starts since returning to the races on May 10. Before her layoff, she'd run seventh in her only venture into stakes company.
     She'd been successful at the next level down before her layoff, winning a maiden special weight and two allowance races in six starts. Since her return to competition, she's run third in the Brighouse Belles Stakes and the Senate Appointee Stakes and second in the Strawberry Morn.
     She's earned $57,909 with three wins, a second, and two thirds in nine career starts, never running for a claiming price. All her starts have been at the Vancouver track.
     For a time in Sunday's race it appeared that she might score her first victory. She took the lead on the final turn in the 1 1/16-mile race, but a late-closing Florida-bred blew past to win by 7 1/2 lengths.
     Wind Storm was bred in British Columbia by her owner, George Gilbert, and is trained by David Forster. She was ridden by Felipe Valdez.
     He's Tops, sire of 19 stakes horses, stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--June 17.


Sought After Son Debuts With Track Record
     Cross Fire's entry into the Thoroughbred racing world could hardly have been better.
     The 2-year-old son of Sought After, making his first career start, led from start to finish to win a maiden special weight race Sunday at Golden Gate Fields and break the track record while doing it.
     Cross Fire was the second starter from Sought After's third crop. Two days earlier at Golden Gate Fields, Control Seeker had run second in his first start.
     In his winning effort, Cross Fire covered four and a half furlongs in 51.32 seconds, breaking the old track record of 51.70 seconds. He hit the finish three lengths in front in the nine-horse race.
     Cross Fire was bred in California by Miraleste, Inc., is owned by Theresa and Edward DeNike, is trained by Lloyd Mason, and was ridden by David Lopez.
     Sought After, a son of Seeking the Gold, stands at Daehling Ranch, Elk Grove, Calif.--June 17.


Bonfante's Win Boosts Earnings to $743,311
     Bonfante, a virtual money machine on the racetrack, took his owner-breeders to the bank again Saturday, capturing the $75,000 Oakland Stakes at Golden Gate Fields to increase his career earnings to $743,311.
     The victory for the 7-year-old son of Fruition was worth $45,000 for Frankfurt Stables and Eugene Tenbrink, who bred him in California and have been rewarded not only with purse money but with owner premiums and breeder awards as well.
     In the six-furlong Oakland, Bonfante broke sixth in the eight-horse field but moved up steadily, taking the lead soon after reaching the stretch and drawing away slowly to win by a length and a half.
     Bonfante has won or placed in 16 stakes races, with 10 wins, five seconds, and a third. Overall, he has 13 wins, six seconds, and three thirds in 33 starts at 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
     He's trained by Ron McAnally and was ridden in the Oakland by Frank Alvarado.
     Fruition, sire of earners of more than $2,600,000, stands at Oak Hill Farm, Paso Robles, Calif.--June 16.


Mistical Plan's Trip Yields a Grade 1 Placing
     Mistical Plan made another of her intermittent Eastern invasions Saturday and came away with the first Grade 1 placing of her brief career, a third-place finish in the $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park.
     For a time it appeared that the 4-year-old daughter of Game Plan might manage a significant upset in the 1 1/16-mile Phipps as she led the field from the start to the top of the stretch. But the 24.75-to-1 longshot yielded and had to settle for third, a comfortable 2 3/4 lengths ahead of the fourth-place finisher.
     Though she's a California-bred based in her home state, Mistical Plan has done well in all three of her Eastern invasions. At 2, she took second in the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs; at 3, she won the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks at the Fair Grounds; now, at 4, she's ventured even farther east for her Grade 1 placing in Saturday's race at Belmont Park.
     In California, Mistical Plan won the Cover Gal Stakes at 2 and at 3 took the Sunshine Millions Oaks and ran third in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes, all at Santa Anita.
     In only 13 starts at 2, 3, and 4, she's earned $546,250. Bred by Carol Anderson, she's owned by J. Paul Reddam, is trained by Doug O'Neill, and was ridden in the Phipps by Cornelio Velasquez.
     Game Plan, the sire of 29 stakes horses and earners of more than $9,400,000, stands at E. A. Ranches, Santa Ysabel, Calif.--June 16.


Still at Home, Thekatcamehome 2nd in Stake
     Thekatcamehome, a 5-year-old daughter of Sea of Secrets who's never left home, racked up her ninth stakes placing Saturday at Prairie Meadows, the only track at which she's raced in her four-year, 24-start career.
     The Iowa-bred's stretch drive fell short Saturday and she took second in the $70,000 Hawkeyes Handicap, duplicating her finish in the 2007 renewal of that event.
     With seven wins, six seconds, and four thirds in her 24 starts, Thekatcamehome has earned $258,168. She's won one stakes race and placed in eight others.
     In Saturday's race, she broke fifth in the six-horse field and moved up steadily, racing third at the top of the stretch. But her late drive wasn't strong enough for her to overtake the leader and she wound up two lengths back.
     Bred by J. D. Santen, she's owned by Maggi Moss and trained by Dick Clark. Glenn Corbett was her rider in the Hawkeyes.
     Sea of Secrets, a graded stakes-winning son of Storm Cat, is the sire of 23 stakes horses and earners of more than $9,900,000. He stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 16.


Freespool Son Rockets to 8 3/4-Length Win
     Unplaced in his first career start, Free Up Grade rocketed into the winner's circle in his second try, leading from wire to wire in a dominating 8 3/4-length victory Saturday at Los Alamitos.
     Free Up Grade's score gave Freespool his fifth new winner since May 5 and the seventh overall from his first crop to reach the races. They're now 3-year-olds and include stakes winner Joe's Cannon. He's had no starters yet from his second crop.
     The 4 1/2-length distance of Saturday's race was no challenge for Free Up Grade, who quickly took the lead, stretched it to five lengths at the top of the stretch, and pulled away even farther in the run to the finish, hitting the wire as "much the best," according to the official chart.
     Bred in California by Special T Thoroughbreds, Free Up Grade is owned by Carney, Smith, Sterling Stables or King Arthur Farm and trained by Doug O'Neill. He was ridden to victory by Ramon Guce.
     Freespool, a graded stakes-winning son of Geiger Counter, retired with earnings of $527,288. He stands at Special T Thoroughbreds, Temecula, Calif.--June 16.


Now Unusual Heat Has 45 Earners of $100,000
     He didn't get to the winner's circle, but Dr. Zaentz's share of the purse in an allowance race Friday at Hollywood Park was enough to make him Unusual Heat's 45th earner of more than $100,000.
     His third-place purse of $6,360 was enough to increase the 3-year-old's career earnings to $103,632 and enable him to join the lengthy list of Unusual Heat's six-figure earners--45 from only 203 starters.
     The winner of that race, Mr. Chairman, is poised to become the 46th runner on that list. The 5-year-old son of Unusual Heat earned $31,800 to increase his bankroll to $97,318 in just eight starts. He has three wins and three thirds and has been unplaced only once in his last seven starts.
     Both Dr. Zaentz and Mr. Chairman have placed in non-blacktype stakes races. Dr. Zaentz ran third in this year's Barretts Stakes at Hollywood Park; Mr. Chairman took third in the 2006 California Cup Starter Handicap at Santa Anita.
     Dr. Zaentz was bred and is owned by First Run Stables, is trained by Roger Stein, and was ridden by Tyler Baze. Mr. Chairman was bred by David Abrams and Tom Roberts, is owned by Great Friends Stable, is trained by Doug O'Neill, and was ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
     Both were bred in California.
     Unusual Heat, the 2008 leading turf sire in North America, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--June 16.


Capsized Filly a Winner in Her Second Start
     She didn't hurry in getting to the races, but Mistisized hurried to the finish line Friday at Golden Gate Fields, leading most of the way and reaching the wire just a nose in front.
     The 3-year-old daughter of Capsized didn't race for the first time until January, but she made her second start a success by taking the lead turning for home in the six-furlong event and held off a late challenge to prevail.
     In her first career start at Golden Gate Fields, she finished fourth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, but she returned to the races ready to win. Both of her starts have been in maiden special weight races.
     Mistisized has earned $25,740 for her owner-breeders, Jerry and Carol Anderson, and their partner in ownership, Gloria Buckridge, who trains the filly. Russell Baze was the winning rider.
     She's the ninth winner sired by Capsized, one of California's leading freshman sires of 2007 and among the state's second-crop leaders this year. The graded stakes winner of $489,593 stands at Eagle Oak Farm, Paso Robles, Calif.--June 15.


Decarchy's 17th Winner Widens His Sire Lead
     Decarchy's lead in the California second-crop sire race grew wider Thursday when his 3-year-old son Bala Rapida came from far back to break his maiden with a decisive win at Hollywood Park.
     His winner's purse increased to $468,620 the 2008 earnings of Decarchy's runners, well ahead of the $374,438 total of second-place Stormy Jack, who in turn is far ahead of the No. 3 sire, Capsized, with $131,190.
     Decarchy, last year's California freshman sire champion, is now the sire of 17 winners and two-year earnings of $757,863. His leading earner is Harlene, winner of the Cal National Snow Chief Stakes, the feature event of Hollywood Park's Gold Rush Days program. He's earned $185,537.
     In becoming Decarchy's 17th winner, Bala Rapida lagged early, racing ninth in the 12-horse field in the early going of the 1 1/16-mile race. He moved up to eighth entering the final turn and emerged in fourth place. Then he burst ahead to take the lead in the final sixteenth and wound up ahead by a comfortable 2 3/4 lengths under jockey Michael Baze.
     Unraced at 2, Bala Rapida increased his earnings to $18,836 in his sixth start of the year.
     Bred in California by Magali Ventures, LLC, he's owned by Jorge T. Landeros and trained by Jorge Gutierrez.
     Decarchy is a multiple graded stakes-winning earner of $703,862. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 14.


Lethal Heat Handles Two Turns in G2 Win
     Unusual Heat's brilliant 3-year-old daughter Lethal Heat filled in one of the few blanks in her race record Sunday with a victory in the $150,000 Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks--her fourth win in five career starts.
     Before Sunday's race at Hollywood Park, Lethal Heat had never raced farther than seven furlongs, but her victory in the Oaks at a mile and a sixteenth removed any doubt that she could handle two turns in top company.
     She was never far back, racing third in the six-horse field to the final turn, where she accelerated to take the lead entering the stretch and held on while under pressure to win by a head under jockey Rafael Bejarano.
     Unraced at 2, Lethal Heat won her first start at 3, a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita on March 1. She started twice more in that month, winning an allowance race and following with a victory in the Grade 3 Santa Paula Stakes at the same track.
     After winning those three races at 6 1/2 furlongs, she was asked to go seven furlongs and suffered her only loss, finishing third in the Grade 3 Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park, beaten five lengths after stumbling at the start. But she made up for that loss, running 3/16ths farther to capture the Oaks.
     She was bred in California by David Abrams, Madeline Auerbach, and Tom Roberts and is owned and trained by Barry Abrams.
     Her victory in the Oaks climaxed a fruitful weekend for 3-year-old daughters of Unusual Heat with Golden Doc A finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park, Bel Air Sizzle taking second in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap at Hollywood Park, and Lethal Heat capturing the Oaks.
     Unusual Heat, whose average earnings per starter are more than $71,000, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--June 10.


Elderly Beaulena Can Still Play the Game
     She's eight years old now, in the fifth year of her racing career, but Beaulena can still run races, as she showed Sunday with a second-place finish in the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Handicap at Emerald Downs.
     The daughter of Beau Genius was recording her seventh consecutive winning or placing performance in stakes races at the Washington track. She also was finishing on the board for the 18th time in the her last 19 starts.
     The Legislators was her 12th consecutive stakes appearance. In that stretch she's won two, with two seconds, five thirds, and two fourths, off the board just once, when she ran fifth.
     In 29 career starts, she's won six with eight seconds and seven thirds for earnings of $174,687.
     In Sunday's race, she lacked early speed, racing sixth in the seven-horse field into the turn in the 6 1/2-furlong event. She moved up to second, three lengths behind the leader, as they entered the stretch, and she carved the margin to a length and a quarter at the finish while reaching the wire four lengths ahead of the third-place horse.
     Bred in Kentucky by Jack, George, and Keith Lancaster, Beaulena is owned by Ernest D. and Roberta M. Sherman and trained by Blaine Wright. She was ridden by Gary Baze.
     She's one of 74 stakes horses sired by millionaire Beau Genius, who stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 10.


Discreet Commander Places in Another Stake
     Discreet Commander took his time learning how to run, but since breaking his maiden in his fifth attempt he's done well, indeed.
     The 3-year-old son of Deputy Commander took third Sunday in the $150,000 Victoria Park Stakes at Woodbine to increase his career earnings to $168,525 in nine starts.
     Since winning a maiden special weight race on November 2, Discreet Commander has won one stakes race and run third in two others, including the Grade 3 Marine Stakes. He's raced only at Woodbine and has been off the board only once in eight starts since running seventh in his career debut.
     In the Victoria Park, he raced third most of the way but was never able to challenge for the lead, winding up 4 1/4 lengths back of the winner.
     He was bred in Kentucky by International Equities Holding, Inc., and is owned by D. Rowbotham, D. Lindskog, H. Mackinnon, E. Richer, and T. Boogmans. He's trained by Arthur Silvera and was ridden by Constant Montpellier.
     Deputy Commander, California's 2008 leader in number of winners, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 10.


Bel Air Sizzle Continues Big 3-Year-Old Run
     Bel Air Sizzle continued her turnaround 3-year-old season at a high level Saturday when she finished second in the $175,000-added Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap at Hollywood Park.
     The Unusual Heat filly's late run fell three-quarters of a length short in the 1 1/8-mile Honeymoon, but her runner-up finish provided her third graded placing in her last five starts, a streak that included a victory in the ungraded Melair Stakes at Hollywood Park.
     After an unpromising 2-year-old season in which she was winless in three starts, Bel Air Sizzle has won four of her last seven starts and placed in graded stakes in the other three. Her career record now shows four wins, a second, two thirds, and earnings of $300,366.
     In the Honeymoon, she raced last in the field of six until she came out of the final turn. Then jockey Rafael Bejarano set her off in pursuit and she passed all except the wire-to-wire winner.
     She was bred in California by  by David Abrams, Vincenzo Loverso, and Madeline Auerbach and is owned by M. Auerbach, LLC, or Loverso or McCauley, et al. She's trained by Barry Abrams.
     Bel Air Sizzle is one of 10 earners of $300,000 or more sired by Unusual Heat, who stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif. He's California's leading sire of 2008.--June 9.


Swiss Yodeler's Stakes-Horse Total Rises to 31
     A journey two-thirds of the way across the United States to Canterbury Park enabled 5-year-old Switzerland to become Swiss Yodeler's 31st stakes horse with a second-place finish in Saturday's $50,000 Brooks Fields Stakes.
     Switzerland and favored Prospective Kiss hooked up in a two-horse battle on the turn for home in the one-mile event and battled to the wire with the Kentucky-bred finally pulling away to reach the finish three lengths in front.
     Those two left the rest of the six-horse field far behind, with Switzerland finishing 12 1/2 lengths in front of the third-place runner.
     Switzerland had never before left the West Coast to race. He made his first 13 starts at Emerald Downs, then moved steadily southward, starting 11 times at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields, then continued south to race nine times at Del Mar, Hollywood Park, and Santa Anita.
     The Brooks Fields was Switzerland's first blacktype placing in 32 starts. He won the California Cup Starter Sprint Handicap last November at Santa Anita, but although it was a stakes race, it didn't qualify for black type. Starter, maiden, and conditioned stakes races are excluded.
     Switzerland has won eight races in four seasons of racing and has earnings of $187,050. He was bred in California by David and Elaine Parks and is owned by Adam R. Lewis. He's trained by Keith Bennett and was ridden by Paul Nolan.
     Swiss Yodeler, sire of Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Thor's Echo, stands at Pepper Oaks Farm, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 9.


It's 44 Earners of $100,000 for Unusual Heat
     Late-blooming Rushen Heat withstood a late challenge to capture a $57,000 allowance race Thursday at Hollywood Park and become Unusual Heat's 44th earner of $100,000 or more.
     Winless in her first 12 starts at 3 and 4, Rushen Heat has finally found success with three wins in her last five outings to increase her career earnings to $128,088. She broke through with a maiden special weight victory last fall at Santa Anita and followed with an allowance win at Hollywood Park.
     After running 10th in her final start at 4, she returned to the races after a five-month layoff Thursday and topped a seven-horse allowance field at Hollywood Park to pocket a winner's purse of $44,460 and push her career earnings well into six figures.
     Her most recent victory didn't come easily. She took the lead soon after the start of the 1 1/16-mile race and held it all the way to the wire, surviving a challenge from a late closer to win by a nose.
     Bred by David Abrams, she's owned by her trainer, Barry Abrams, along with M. Auerbach, LLC, Chris Perez, Peter Joe, and Hal Wilson. She was ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr.
     From only 203 starters, Unusual Heat has sired 44 earners of $100,000 or more. He's California's leading sire of 2008 and also is the state's career Average Earnings Index leader at 2.09.
     Unusual Heat stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--June 7.


Muqtarib Welcomes a Stakes Winner in Chile
     Muqtarib's first and only Chilean crop now includes a stakes winner.
     El Siete Mete, already winner of two races this year at 2, became a stakes winner Tuesday when he captured the 1,300-meter--about 6 1/2 furlongs--Clasico Luis Rocanti Roasenda at Club Hipico de Concepcion in Hualpen.
     Winner of his first start by 12 1/2 lengths, El Siete Mete is the first member of his crop to capture three races. He's the second stakes horse from that crop, following Blue Shell, who's placed twice in Group 3 races.
     As they near the end of their first season of racing, 14 members of that crop have reached the winner's circle. Muqtarib shuttled to Chile for just one season in which he sired those runners.
     In the United States, Muqtarib has sired 66 winners, including stakes winner Whatsthenameman, who set a track record for two furlongs at Santa Anita before taking the Malcolm Anderson Stakes at Bay Meadows.
     Muqtarib, a Group 2 winning son of Gone West, stands at Victory Rose Thoroughbreds, Vacaville, Calif.--June 6.


Bluesbdancing Recovers With Stakes Placing
     Bluesbdancing broke out of a slump and became Golden Gear's third $400,000-plus earner with a third-place finish Sunday in the $50,000-added Your Ladyship Stakes at Arlington Park.
     The 6-year-old earned $5,764 to increase her career earnings to $405,302 from $399,538 as she ended a dry spell in which she'd been unplaced in four races since last October.
     That was the longest she had gone without placing through a 27-race career that has spanned five seasons. She's won six stakes races and placed in seven others, including an earlier renewal of the Ladyship two years ago.
     Among Golden Gear's 20 stakes horses she ranks behind champion Ginger Gold ($1,065,448) and Mr. John ($428,977) in earnings. He's sired 23 earners of $100,000 or more.
     For most of the seven-furlong Ladyship, Bluesbdancing appeared to be poised for her seventh stakes victory as she raced second, pressing the front-runner, but she weakened late in the stretch and had to settle for third place.
     Bluesbdancing, bred in Illinois by Barry Golden, is owned by Bob and Nancy Bartels and trained by Terrel Gore. She was ridden by Rene Douglas.
     Golden Gear, a multiple graded stakes winner of $634,009, stands at Fleming Thoroughbred Farm, Willcox, Ariz.--June 3.


Decarchy's Second Crop Producing Winners
     Decarchy, last year's champion California freshman sire, welcomed the second winner from his second crop Sunday when Start Allover profited from a disqualification to capture a maiden special weight race at Yavapai Downs.
     Start Allover, an Arizona-bred, had finished third at Turf Paradise a month earlier in her only other start.
     The first winner from Decarchy's second crop was recorded earlier this spring in Mexico.
     Start Allover finished well after being forced to steady on the turn but ended 4 1/2 lengths behind the leader. But that leader was disqualified for interfering with Start Allover on the turn and the Decarchy daughter wound up in the winner's circle.
     She was bred in Arizona by Ted and Melissa Ford, Bill Garrettson, and John Sinks and is owned by Melissa Ford. Her trainer is Tom Bartol and her rider was Kristina Kenney.
     From his first crop, Decarchy now has 14 winners, including stakes winners Harlene ($185,537) and Timehascometoday ($73,998). They've earned more than $740,000.
     Decarchy, a multiple graded stakes winner of $703,862, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 3.


Sea of Secrets Chalks Up 23rd Stakes Horse
     Sea of Secrets added another stakes horse--a graded one--to his sire record Saturday when Secret Gypsy scored a third-place finish in the $100,000-added Dogwood Stakes, a Grade 3 event at Churchill Downs.
     On the same afternoon, Thekatcamehome made it two stakes placings for daughters of Sea of Secrets by taking third in the $50,000 Wild Rose Stakes at Prairie Meadows.
     The added-money success was nothing new for Thekatcamehome, who already had won one stakes race and placed in six others, but it was new territory for Secret Gypsy, who's her sire's 23rd stakes horse.
      Secret Gypsy was making only her third career start. She won a maiden special weight race in her career debut last summer at Saratoga and didn't make her second start until four weeks ago, when she jumped up to graded company in the La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs.
     She finished fifth in that Grade 3 race, but she made up for it in Saturday's event, demonstrating that she was able to make the jump from a maiden win to graded races with no intermediate stops. She's earned $52,943 in three starts.
     Stakes competition was nothing new to Thekatcamehome, who's run in added-money races in 13 of her 23 career starts. With seven wins, five seconds, and four thirds, she's earned $244,168. She's been off the board only twice in those 23 starts, never running in a claiming race.
     Secret Gypsy, bred in Kentucky by Norman Cheng, is owned by Richland Hills Stable and John Kuehl, is trained by Ronny Werner, and was ridden by Elvis Trujillo.
     Thekatcamehome, bred in Iowa by J. D. Santen, is owned by Maggi Moss, is trained by Dick Clark, and was ridden by Glenn Corbett.
     Sea of Secrets, a graded stakes-winning son of Storm Cat, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--June 2.


Close, But Enumclaw Girl Suffers First Loss
     Enumclaw Girl made a gritty effort to remain undefeated Saturday at Emerald Downs, but she missed by a neck and had to settle for a second-place finish in the $60,000-added Federal Way Handicap.
     That narrow defeat left the 3-year-old daughter of Katowice with two wins and a second in three starts good for earnings of $47,180. She won a maiden special weight race last September, took the winter off, and returned on May 10 with a victory in the $50,000 U. S. Bank Stakes, both wins at Emerald Downs.
     In Saturday's race at 6 1/2 furlongs, she raced fifth in the field of eight in the early running but soon accelerated and had moved into a narrow lead at the three-sixteenths pole. From there on, she engaged in a stern battle with Kentucky-bred Startjumpin Marnie, finally yielding by a neck.
     Bred in Washington by John and Doris Konecny, she's owned by Doris Konecny and trained by Rosie Simkins. She was ridden by Gallyn Mitchell.
     Enumclaw Girl is one of 30 stakes horses sired by Katowice, 16 of them stakes winners. The son of Seattle Slew stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--June 2.


Three Stakes Successes, Spaced Far Apart
     Snowdrop has won one stakes race and placed in two others, and she's spaced them about as far apart as possible in a career that is still early in its third season.
     The 5-year-old daughter of Beau Genius took second in the $50,000 Fern Sawyer Handicap Saturday at Ruidoso Downs in her first stakes success since winning the Alameda County Handicap at Pleasanton at 4, almost a year ago, on July 4.
     That victory came a little more than a year after she'd earned her first black type with a second-place finish in the Sweepida Handicap at Stockton on June 24 of her 3-year-old season.
     She barely missed scoring her second stakes victory Saturday, closing inexorably in the stretch but falling just a nose short at the end of a two-horse duel that began at the start of the 7 1/2-furlong race.
     In 23 career starts, she has four wins, three seconds, and six thirds with earnings of $171,840. She's a member of Beau Genius's second California crop. 
     Snowdrop was bred by David and Mary Ann Sawyer and is owned by Double Eagle Ranch (Mark Allen, et al). She's trained by Bennie Woolley, Jr., and was ridden by Alfredo Juarez, Jr.
     Beau Genius, a Grade 1 winner and earner of $1,055,600, is the sire of earners of more than $31,400. He stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif--June 2.


Vacation a Good Move for He's Tops Filly
     A seven-month winter vacation was just what Wind Storm needed.
     Since returning to action last month, the 4-year-old daughter of He's Tops has started twice and collected her first two stakes placings, the latest in Saturday's $50,000 Senate Appointee Stakes at Hastings Racecourse.
     Unraced at 2, she started six times last year at 3 and had a successful season with three wins--two allowances and a maiden special weight race--in six starts, but her only stakes start produced a seventh-place finish.
     This year she's seen nothing but stakes races and has placed in each, increasing her earnings to $46,089 in eight career starts with three wins and a pair of thirds.
     She threatened mildly in Saturday's race but was never able to muster the effort required to move up from her eventual third-place finish. She ran fourth in the field of seven to the stretch, then moved up to third but could advance no farther, finishing two lengths behind the winner and a length and a half back of the second horse.
     She was bred in British Columbia by her owner, George Gilbert, and has made all of her starts at the Vancouver track. She's trained by David Forster and was ridden by Felipe Valdez.
     He's Tops, last year's leading Washington juvenile sire, stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--June 2.


Charlie's Trio Is Freespool's Sixth Winner
     Unsuccessful in her first four starts, Charlie's Trio finally got the idea and pulled away to a comfortable victory Saturday at Les Bois Park to become the sixth winner sired by Geiger Counter's speedy son Freespool.
     The California-bred 3-year-old took the lead after the first quarter of the four-furlong race and pulled away slowly but steadily to win by a length and a quarter in the 10-horse race.
     Unplaced in her first two starts at Les Bois Park and at Santa Anita and Bay Meadows before that, Charlie's Trio was due for a win, and she got it.
     Owned by Wasted Wages LLC and trained by Brandon Porter, she was bred by Special T Thoroughbreds. Jerry Remer was the winning rider.
     Charlie's Trio wasn't the only successful Freespool offspring in action Saturday at Les Bois Park.
     Joe's Cannon, who became a Freespool stakes winner last year at 2, was a close-up second in Saturday's non-blacktype ITA Sophomore Stakes, surrendering a lead near the finish to miss by a head.
     Bred in Idaho by Billingsley Creek Ranch, he's owned by N F S Stables and trained by Dru Hall. He was ridden by Cameron Colledge.
     In five career starts, he's won three times and finished second once for earnings of $35,580.
     Freespool, a graded stakes winner of $527,288, stands at Special T Thoroughbreds, Temecula,Calif.--June 2.

Decarchy Son Triumphant for the Third Time
     De Car Guy became Decarchy's third three-time winner and added to his sire's competitive standing by coming strong in the stretch to win by a head Friday at Hollywood Park.
     His $26,540 winning purse increased Decarchy's lead in the California second-crop sire race to $426,463 to $367,990 over second-place Stormy Jack. Decarchy was the state's leading freshman sire of 2007.
     It was De Car Guy's second win of the year and the third in an eight-race career in which he's earned $64,100 for owner-breeders Mike Burns and Dan Sisemore. The 3-year-old California-bred is trained by Robert Hess, Jr.
     In Friday's six-furlong race, De Car Guy broke last in the field of six and remained there to mid-stretch, where jockey Mike Smith sent him into a powerful late run that took him to victory.
     Six of Decarchy's 15 winners have returned to beat winners, one with four wins, two with three wins, and three with two wins. He's the sire of two stakes winners, Harlene ($185,537), who captured the featured Cal National Snow Chief Stakes at Hollywood Park's Gold Rush Day, and Timehascometoday ($73,998).
     Decarchy, a Grade 1 winner of $703,862, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 1.


Redattore Son Is a Group 2 Winner in Brazil
     Redattore (Brz)'s impressive sire debut in his native Brazil gained added luster Sunday when his son Estrela Do Oriente captured the Group 2 Grande Premio Conde de Herzeberg at the Gavea racecourse in Rio de Janeiro.
     Estrela do Oriente posted his third victory in five starts with a half-length triumph in the $47,559 event for 2-year-olds at 1,500 meters--about 7 1/2 furlongs--on the turf.
     He is one of seven winners from the single crop sired by Redattore (Brz) in Brazil before his export to the United States, where he now stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga. His first American foals reached racing age this year. His only starter from that crop, Sherry's Reddy, has placed.
     In addition to his win on Sunday, Estrela Do Oriente has won the Jose Calmon, an ungraded stakes race, and run third in the Group 3 Grande Premio Mario de Azevedo Ribeiro, both at Gavea. He has three wins, a second, and a third in five starts.
     Redattore (Brz)'s other winners include stakes winner Al Arab and stakes-placed Grande Crack.
     Redattore (Brz) won three group races at 3 and 4 in Brazil and seven graded races in the U. S., including the Grade 1 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar and the Grade 1 Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile Handicap at Hollywood Park.
     He retired with earnings of $1,799,883 in Brazil and the U. S.--May 29.


Wasserman's Late Run Takes Emerald Stake
     Six-year-old Wasserman provided additional evidence that he's as good as ever by mounting a powerful stretch run to capture the $50,000 Fox Sports Network Handicap Monday at Emerald Downs.
     In the 34th start of a career that's now in its fourth season, the durable son of Cahill Road charged from fifth place in the stretch to win by a head in the 6 1/2-furlong Memorial Day feature.
     It was Wasserman's third start since returning from a winter layoff; it followed an allowance win and a fourth-place finish in the Seattle Handicap earlier this month. Over his long career, he's won two stakes races and placed in six others, including the Grade 3 Longacres Mile.
     Overall, he's racked up six wins, eight seconds, and five thirds for earnings of $239,470. Since midway in his 4-year-old season, he's been off the board just once in 14 starts.
     The victory was a triple triumph for Howard Belvoir, who's the Washington- bred's breeder, owner, and trainer. Wasserman's rider in Monday's race was Jennifer Whitaker.
     Grade 1 stakes winner Cahill Road, sire of 46 stakes horses and earners of more than $17,900,000, stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--May 28.


Pass the Heat Places in Grade 3 Stakes Race
     Late-blooming Pass the Heat continued his move up the class ladder Monday at Golden Gate Fields with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Berkeley Stakes, a $150,000 feature of the track's spring meeting.
     The 5-year-old son of Unusual Heat didn't make his first start until May of his 4-year-old season, winning a maiden $20,000 claiming race at Golden Gate Fields. But after that he steadily moved up in class, winning three of four allowance starts and then capturing the Bulldog Stakes at Fresno last summer.
     He added a stakes placing early this year, taking third in the $55,000-added March Madness Handicap at Bay Meadows and followed with his fourth allowance victory. That set the stage for his first try at the graded stakes level, and he came away with his first placing in that company.
     Pass the Heat had a troubled trip in the 1 1/16-mile Berkeley, taking the final turn two wide, drifting out in midstretch, and being bumped by the runner-up horse at the sixteenth pole, finally finishing four lengths behind the winner. 
     Bred and owned by Joseph P. Morey, Jr., Pass the Heat is trained by William J. Morey, Jr. and was ridden by Kyle Kaenel. He's a California-bred.
     Pass the Heat is the 11th graded stakes horse sired by Unusual Heat, who stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--May 28.


Lit de Justice Gets His 32nd Stakes Horse
     Joni's Justice, a 5-year-old son of Lit de Justice, burnished a record of sterling consistency Monday with the first stakes placing of his career, a third-place in the $50,000 Honor the Hero Express Stakes at Canterbury Park.
     In 11 starts over three seasons, Joni's Justice has finished off the board just once, at 3 in his only other stakes start. He made up for that Monday in his second stakes effort. Overall, he's collected three wins, three seconds, two thirds, and two fourths in those 11 starts, good for earnings of $56,493.
    He's the 32nd stakes horse sired by champion sprinter Lit de Justice.
    In the five-furlong Honor the Hero on the turf, Joni's Justice broke last in the field of six and could never make up the resulting deficit, but he did move steadily to gain the third spot with a length and three-quarters to spare over the fourth horse.
     Bred in Minnesota by Barry Butzow, he's owned by Barry and Joni Butzow and trained by McLean Robertson. He was ridden Monday by McLean Robertson.
     Lit de Justice, sire of earners of more than $16,900,000, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--May 28.


Improving Vinny V. Is Matty G's 10th SW
     Vinny V., finding life as a 3-year-old a lot better than it was at 2, became Matty G's 10th stakes winner with an easy victory Sunday in the Inaugural Handicap at Arapahoe Park.
     After finishing off the board in four of his five starts at 2, the Kentucky-bred colt has won twice and finished second twice in four starts at 3. He's won an allowance race at Sunland Park in addition to his stakes win on Sunday and finished second twice in allowance company at the New Mexico track.
     After breaking his maiden at Turfway Park in his second start last September, Vinny V. found rough going, finishing the year by finishing eighth in a stakes race at Presque Isle Downs, 10th in an allowance race at Keeneland, and seventh in an allowance race at Turfway Park.
     Moved to a different part of the country, he's thrived, earning $47,056 in his four 2008 starts. His career earnings now total $61,411.
     In Sunday's six-furlong race, he broke second but soon took the lead and drew off steadily under jockey Travis Wales to win by a comfortable 3 1/2 lengths.
     Bred in Kentucky by Marian B. Davis, he's owned by Harry Veruchi and trained by Jon Arnett.
     Matty G, Washington's champion sire of 2006 and 2007 and this year's leader as well, stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--May 27.


Swiss Yodeler Filly Displays Early Quality
     Atka is no longer undefeated, but nevertheless is Swiss Yodeler's 30th stakes horse and already identified as a leader among California 2-year-olds of 2008.
     The homebred filly finished between two Eastern-breds in taking second in the $75,000-added Cinderella Stakes, the first added-money race of the season for juveniles.
     After a rapid move in the stretch, Atka reached the finish line 3 3/4 lengths behind the Kentucky-bred winner and a half-length ahead of a third-place Florida-bred runner.
     Atka, a 3 1/2-length winner in her career debut, a maiden special weight race at Hollywood Park on April 30, tasted defeat for the first time, but she nevertheless became the first California-bred stakes horse of her crop.
     She broke slowly in the 5 1/2-furlong race, seventh in the eight-horse field, then moved up to fifth entering the stretch. She overtook all her rivals except one.
     Atka is a Harrington product all the way--bred by Dr. Mikel C. and Patricia O. Harrington, owned by Mike Harrington, and trained by Mike Harrington. She's earned $57,605 for the Harringtons in her two starts. She was ridden in the Cinderella by a non-Harrington, jockey Jon Court.
     Swiss Yodeler, trained by Mike Harrington, won or placed in 10 graded stakes races while earning $761,442. The sire of earners of more than $16,300,000, he stands at Pepper Oaks Farm, Santa Ynez, Calif.--May 27.


Huge Field, But Freespool Filly Wins Anyway
     After two close-up second-place finishes, Perfect Cast was ready to break her maiden in her next start, but she wound up facing one of the largest fields seen in California in recent years.
     Nevertheless, bettors sent her off as the favorite in a field of 14 Friday at Hollywood Park, and she rewarded them by avoiding traffic by racing near the front from the start and pulling ahead in the stretch for her first career victory.
     The 3-year-old daughter of Freespool broke second, forcing the pace under jockey Michael Baze until her front-running rival weakened and allowed her to take the lead entering the stretch. She remained there to the end of the six-furlong race, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of a late challenger.
     Perfect Cast had placed in four of her previous six starts, finishing second in the most recent two by margins of a head and a half-length. After seven starts, her record shows one win, three seconds, and a third for earnings of $22,280.
     Bred in California by Desperado Stables, Inc., she's owned by Janet Hollendorfer and George Todaro and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.
     Perfect Cast is the fifth winner from the first crop of Freespool, a graded stakes winner of $527,288. He stands at Special T Thoroughbreds, Temecula, Calif.--May 25.


Beaulena Makes It 7 Stakes Placings in a Row
     Consistent old Beaulena returned to the races Sunday after a six-month layoff and picked up right where she left off.
     The 8-year-old daughter of Beau Genius chalked up her seventh consecutive stakes placing in her first start since last November when she finished second Sunday in the $50,000 Hastings Park Handicap at Emerald Downs.
     It was her 28th start in a lengthy career in which she's finished off the board only four times--and only once in 18 starts since late in 2004. In that 18-race stretch that began in the final month of her 4-year-old season, she's won two stakes and placed in six others.
     For a major part of the six-furlong Hastings Park her streak appeared to be in serious jeopardy as she started last in the field of eight and stayed there all the way to the stretch. Then jockey Gary Baze set her in pursuit of the leaders, and she passed all but one.
     Beaulena was bred in Kentucky by Jack, George, and Keith Lancaster, is owned by Ernest D. and Robert M. Sherman, and is trained by Blaine Wright.
     Her sire, Grade 1-winning millionaire Beau Genius, is represented by 76 stakes horses. He stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--May 20.


One Streak Broken But Another Continues
     Reba Is Tops's three-race winning string was snapped but her other streak continued Sunday when she captured third place in the $50,000 Hastings Park Handicap at Emerald Downs.
     The 4-year-old daughter of He's Tops had won three straight--allowance and two stakes--going into Sunday's race, and that string of successes ended. At the same time, she stretched to eight the number of consecutive races in which she's either won or placed.
     Her career record consists of two streaks, before and after her fifth start last September. In that allowance race, she finished sixth, the only time in 13 starts that she's failed to win or place. Before that race, she'd finished first three times and third once. After that race, she started her current eight-race streak in which she's had five wins, a second, and two thirds.
     In all, she has eight wins, a second, and three thirds in 13 starts for earnings of $156,165.
     In Sunday's six-furlong race, Reba Is Tops broke slowly and was seventh in the field of eight going into the turn, around which she swung wide. By the time the field straightened into the stretch, she'd lost all chance of winning but persevered and got up to finish third.
     Bred in Washington by C. E. "Rich" and Ann Richardson, she's owned by Victory Four Stables and trained by Bud Klokstad. Her rider in Sunday's race was Gallyn Mitchell.
     He's Tops, sire of 19 stakes horses, stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--May 20.


Discreet Commander Gets a Graded Placing
     Already a stakes winner, Discreet Commander became Deputy Commander's 16th graded stakes runner with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 $150,000 Marine Stakes Saturday at Woodbine.
     The Marine's 1 1/16 miles appeared to be just the right distance for Discreet Commander, who scored two wins in a row at that route at the end of the 2007 season, the second of them in the $125,000 Display Stakes at Woodbine.
     But in the Marine he found that distance a little too far as he led from the start to midstretch and then yielded to two late finishers, settling for third place, 5 3/4 lengths behind the winner but still 4 1/4 lengths in front of the fourth-place horse.
     Only a 3-year-old, Discreet Commander is constructing a successful racing career with earnings of $152,338 in eight starts. He's won two with two seconds and a third. After breaking his maiden in his fifth start, he's run only in stakes races, winning one and placing in another--the Marine--in three tries.
     He was bred in Kentucky but has raced only at Woodbine, never in a claiming race.
     Bred by International Equities Holding, Inc., he's owned by D. Rowbotham, D. Lindskog, H. Mackinnon, E. Richer, and T. Boogsman and trained by Arthur Silvera. His rider in the Marine was Constant Montpellier.
     Deputy Commander is the sire of 16 stakes winners in the United States and Canada, one in Japan, and one in Mexico, as well as champions in Saudi Arabia and Jamaica. He stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--May 19.


Unbeaten Filly Boosts Decarchy's Sire Lead
     Remaining undefeated with her second career victory, Stroppy scored a stretch-running win Friday at Hollywood Park, enabling Decarchy to extend his narrow lead in California's second-crop sire race.
     Her $18,000 purse increased Decarchy's margin over second-place Stormy Jack from $5,999 to $23,999. Decarchy's runners have earned $390,729, Stormy Jack's $366,730.
     Decarchy, whose first foals are now 3-year-olds, has combined 2007 and 2008 earnings of $696,020. He was last year's champion California freshman sire.
     Stroppy launched her career on January 26 with a half-length win at Santa Anita. In her second start on Friday, she stalked the from-the-gate leader through the stretch, moving in front inside the sixteenth pole and drawing away to win by a length and a quarter after seven furlongs.
     Her two victories have yielded earnings of $31,200 for breeder J. Paul Reddam and his owner partners, John Fuller and Lee Kovel. Craig Dollase is the California-bred's trainer; Michael Baze was Friday's winning rider.
     Decarchy is the sire of 14 winners, including two stakes winners. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--May 18.
     .

A Little Too Far for Deputy Commander Son
     After winning three times at ever-increasing distances, No Reply found a route that was a little too far and had to settle for third place in the $75,000-added Fit to Fight Stakes at a mile and a half Thursday at Belmont Park.
     The 4-year-old son of Deputy Commander had won three races--one each year over his three-year career--and each was at a longer distance than the one before, all at Aqueduct. At 2, he won a maiden special weight race at one mile. At 3, he won an allowance race at a mile and 70 yards. At 4 this year, he won an allowance race at a mile and an eighth.
     That was in his last start preceding the Fit to Fight, and it earned him the favorite's role, but the extra three furlongs were more that he was ready for. He challenged the front-runner into the final turn and was running second only a length and a half back at the quarter pole. Then he weakened and lost the runner-up spot, finishing 9 1/4 lengths back but still finishing seven and a half lengths in front of the fourth-place horse. 
     The race gave him his second stakes placing; last year he was second in the  Ocala Breeders' Sale Championship Stakes at the Ocala Training Center.
     No Reply has earned $165,729 in 14 starts, with three wins, four seconds, three thirds, and two fourths--off the board only twice while never running in a claiming race.
     Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones, he's owned by the Darley Stable and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. He was ridden in the Fit to Fight by Alan Garcia.
     Deputy Commander, sire of earners of more than $20,800,000, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--May 17.


Stealth Attack: Two Stakes Wins in a Row
     Stealth Attack, who'd never won a stakes race before this month, now has captured two in a row on consecutive Sundays at two different tracks.
     The 5-year-old son of Flying With Eagles took the Queen's Handicap Sunday at Walla Walla to accompany his victory in the Au Revoir Handicap at Sun Downs on the preceding Sunday.
     The Queen's distance was a half-mile farther than that of the seven-furlong Au Revoir, but Stealth Attack was untroubled, moving strongly in the stretch to win the 1 1/8-mile event by a length and a quarter to increase his career earnings to $80,009.
     The Walla Walla track is proving to be a welcoming environment for sons of El Dorado Farms stallions, with Stealth Attack's victory concluding a weekend that began with a Saturday win by Freedee, a son of Liberty Gold.
     Stealth Attack, bred in Washington by Mr. and Mrs. David Heerensperger, is owned by Tim Gilmour and trained by Jerry Holifield. Nikeela Black was the rider of both weekend stakes winners.
     Flying With Eagles, sire of a stakes-winning son of Skywalker, stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--May 13.


Lethal Heat Takes First Loss and a G3 Placing
     Lethal Heat suffered her first defeat but she nevertheless burnished her racing credentials with a third-place finish in the $100,000-added Grade 3 Railbird Stakes Sunday at Hollywood Park.
     Unraced at 2, the Unusual Heat filly began her career this year at 3 with three straight victories at Santa Anita, climaxed by a win in the Grade 3 Santa Paula Stakes. Her fourth race broke that winning streak but gave her a graded placing to go with her earlier graded win and increased her career earnings to $459,467.
     Lethal Heat had excuses for her first loss. She stumbled at the start and raced wide between horses on the turn for home in the seven-furlong race. She never was able to threaten the leaders, but she recovered well enough to save third place in the field of eight.
     She was bred in California by David Abrams, Madeline Auerbach, and Tom Roberts and is owned by Abrams or M. Auerbach, LLC, or McCauley. She's trained by Barry Abrams and was ridden in the Railbird by Rafael Bejarano,.
     Lethal Heat is one of 10 graded stakes horses sired by Unusual Heat, California's leading sire of 2008. He stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--May 13.
 

Katowice Fillies 1-2 in Emerald Downs Stake
     Enumclaw Girl remained undefeated and No Constraints resumed a successful career as both celebrated their return to the races by providing Katowice with a 1-2 finish in the $50,000 U. S. Bank Stakes Saturday at Emerald Downs.
     Enumclaw Girl overtook front-running No Constraints with a furlong to go and the pair of Katowice sophomores hit the finish line in that order with 2 1/2 lengths separating them after six furlongs..
     It was Enumclaw Girl's second win in as many starts and No Constraints's third stakes win or placing in six outings. It was the first start for each after resting since last September.
     Both closed their 2-year-old seasons with victories at Emerald Downs, Enumclaw Girl in a maiden special weight race and No Constraints with a 5 1/4-length triumph in the Diane Kem Stakes.
     With two wins in two starts, Enumclaw Girl has earned $37,180 for her owner, Doris Konecny, who bred her in partnership with John Konecny. She's trained by Rosie Simkins and was ridden Saturday by Gallyn Mitchell.
     No Constraints has earned $65,775 for her owner-breeder Dunn Bar Ranch LLC. She's trained by Tim McCanna and was ridden in the U. S. Bank by Ricky Frazier. She's started six times with three wins, including two stakes races, and one second.
     Both are Washington-breds.
     They are among 30 stakes horses sired by Katowice, a son of Danzig who stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--May 12.


Liberty Gold Son's Late Run Nets Stakes Win
     Freedee scored his second victory in a row and his first stakes win by moving strongly late in the stretch to triumph Saturday in the Thoroughbred Speed Handicap at Walla Walla.
     The 5-year-old son of Liberty Gold raced in the middle of the seven-horse field to the stretch, where he moved between horses and overtook the front runner in the final sixteenth to win the 4 1/2-furlong sprint by a length.
     His victory followed a 3 1/4-length allowance win at Sun Downs. In three starts following his return from a seven-month layoff, he's won twice and run fourth once, in a stakes race. In 16 career starts, he's won five races with a second and two thirds. 
     Bred in Washington by Dorothy Ann Burrell, he's owned by Samantha Lebret and trained by Tracy Lebret. He was ridden Saturday by Nikeela Black.
     Freedee is the third added-money winner sired by Liberty Gold, a graded stakes winner with earnings of $598,963. He stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--May 12.


Bel Air Sizzle Places in Another Graded Stake
     Bel Air Sizzle's productive 3-year-old season continued at a high level Saturday when she closed fast to take third in the $100,000-added Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Hollywood Park.
     After a dull 2-year-old season in which she was unplaced in three starts and earned only $3,500, the Unusual Heat filly has won four of her seven starts and finished third in two others, both in Grade 3 stakes races. She's earned $269,616 this year.
     She switched to the turf to begin her sophomore season and hasn't been off the board in seven races, winning or placing in all of her last six starts. Both of her wins have come in allowance races, one of them only three days before she doubled back to take the $200,000 Melair Stakes at Hollywood Park.
     In the one-mile Senorita, she broke last in the field of eight horses and remained there through the final turn, then she accelerated under the guidance of jockey Clinton Potts and passed all but the two leaders.
     Her career record now shows 10 starts, four wins, two thirds, two fourths, and earnings of $273,116.
     Bel Air Sizzle was bred in California by David Abrams, Vincenzo Loverso, and Madeline Auerbach and is owned by M. Auerbach, LLC; Abrams, Loverso, Ron McCauley, Wilson, et al. She's trained by Barry Abrams.
     Unusual Heat, California's leading sire of 2008, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--May 12.


He's Tops Welcomes His 19th Stakes Horse
     Wind Storm weakened in the stretch and had to settle for third place in the $50,000 Brighouse Belles Stakes at Hastings Racecourse, but she nevertheless was good enough to become He's Tops's 19th stakes horse.
     The 4-year-old filly raced in second place, pressing the leader around the turn and into the stretch, but she wasn't able to sustain her challenge and wound up in third place but nevertheless was able to hold off her other rivals and came home with her first black type finish.
     In seven career starts, she's won three times and finished third once while competing exclusively in allowance and stakes races. Her earnings now total $39,952.
     She was bred in Washington by her owner, George Gilbert, is trained by David Forster, and was ridden by Richard Hamel.
     He's Tops, a son of leading sire Seattle Slew, stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--May 12.


Stealth Attack Closes Late, Wins First Stake
     Already stakes-placed, Stealth Attack went for his first stakes victory Sunday in the Au Revoir Handicap at Sun Downs and got the job done in the final strides of the seven-furlong race.
     The 5-year-old son of Flying With Eagles raced fourth in the field of 10 all the way through the turn for home before moving up to third entering the stretch. At that point he had made up little ground on the leaders, but he closed steadily as they weakened and after making up four lengths in the stretch got to the wire a head in front.
     Stealth Attack got his first stakes placing by running second in a Portland Meadows Invitational Handicap in January, but he was unplaced in two more stakes efforts, first at the Portland track and then at Sun Downs. But he got that stakes win in Sunday's race.
     He was bred in Washington by Mr. and Mrs. David Heerensperger, is owned by Jim Gilmour, and is trained by Jerry Holifield. His rider in the Au Revoir was Troy Stillwell.
     Stealth Attack is the second stakes winner sired by Flying With Eagles, a stakes-winning, Grade 2-placed son of Skywalker. He stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--May 6.


Freespool Collects Second Winner in 2 Days
     With a second and two thirds in five starts, Star Spool was sitting on a win, and he got it Sunday at Los Alamitos, leading from start to finish to prevail by a widening 3 3/4 lengths.
     The 3-year-old was Freespool's second winner in two days, both at Los Alamitos and both at 4 1/2 furlongs. He was the fourth winner from the first crop of the graded stakes-winning son of Geiger Counter.
     In his winning effort, Star Spool bolted out of the gate first in the six-horse field and never looked back, steadily lengthening his lead to the final 3 3/4 lengths under jockey Ramon Guce.
     Star Spool was bred in California by Special T Thoroughbreds, is owned by the Lester Family Racing Stable, and is trained by Jesus Nunez.
     Freespool, best remembered for his blazing fractional times in almost every one of his 25 career starts, won the Grade 3 El Conejo Handicap at Santa Anita twice, the Oakland Handicap at Bay Meadows, the Pirate's Bounty Handicap at Del Mar, and the Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap at Turf Paradise.
     Freespool stands at Special T Thoroughbreds, Temecula, Calif.--May 6.


Golden Gear Adds 23rd $100,000-Plus Earner
     Salty Attraction returned to the scene of his greatest glory Saturday and emerged as Golden Gear's 23rd earner of $100,000 or more.
     It was a personal triumph for the 6-year-old Kentucky-bred as he scored his second consecutive victory in the $25,000 Al Swihart Memorial Stakes at Fonner Park.
     A year ago, Salty Attraction became a stakes winner for the first time with a dominating 10-length victory in the Swihart. This time around, his victory margin was only five lengths, but the official chart noted that he was "much the best" in the 6 1/2-furlong event.
     The win, his seventh in 25 starts, increased Salty Attraction's career earnings to $109,305. He's finished second seven times and third three times. Those finishes include four stakes placings in addition to his two stakes wins. He's one of 20 stakes horses sired by Golden Gear.
     Bred by his owner, Robert D. Kirby, Salty Attraction is trained by Mike Kirby. He was ridden in Saturday's race by Larren Delorme.
     Golden Gear, a multiple graded stakes winner of $634,009, stands at Fleming Thoroughbred Farm, Willcox, Ariz.--May 5.


Vacation Over, Ben's Reflection Back at Work
     Picking up right where he left off before a six-month vacation, veteran Ben's Reflection launched his 8-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in Saturday's $50,000 Babst/Palacios Memorial Handicap at Beulah Park.
     That result extended a remarkable record of consistency that has extended from the Cahill Road gelding's victorious debut in early May of 2005 through five seasons and into a sixth. Through those years he's started 32 times without ever finishing off the board.
     In those 32 races, he's recorded 16 wins, eight seconds, five thirds, and three fourths for earnings of $357,303. He's never run for a claiming price, winning a maiden special weight race by 11 lengths in his career debut, and in the following years winning five stakes, two handicaps, and eight allowance races in addition to placing in seven other stakes.
     Off since early October, Ben's Reflection returned to the races with a sturdy effort that saw him swing four wide into the stretch and close on the leaders before hitting the wire after six furlongs, beaten only 2 1/2 lengths.
     The veteran was bred in Ohio by Thomas M. McCann and is owned by M. Y. Stables, Inc. He's trained by Michael Nance and was ridden Saturday by Luis Martinez, Jr.
     Ben's Reflection is one of 46 stakes horses sired by Cahill Road, who stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--May 5.


Byjohn Is  Capsized's Third Multiple Winner
     Moving from last to first in the final stages of the race, Byjohn became Capsized's third multiple winner with a comeback victory Saturday at Hollywood Park.
     The 3-year-old California-bred was eighth in a field of eight after the first half-mile of the 6 1/2-furlong event, but then he swung five wide into the stretch and mounted a drive that carried him to the lead and to victory.
     It was Byjohn's second win and his first after six unsuccessful efforts after he broke his maiden in his career debut last September at Fairplex Park. His record now shows two wins and a second in eight starts good for earnings of $38,722.
     Bred by Gary Kazanjian, he's owned by Big Phil's Posse and trained by Robert Hess, Jr. He was ridden Saturday by Joe Rosario.
     He joins three-time winner Maxie's Night Cap and double winner Nitro Active as Capsized runners who've reached the winner's circle after breaking their maidens.
     They are among eight winners from the first crop of the graded stakes-winning son of Summer Squall. He was California's third-leading freshman sire of 2007 and holds the same position this year in the second-crop race.
     Capsized, earner of $489,593, stands at Eagle Oak Ranch, Paso Robles, Calif.--May 5.


Change of Venue Pays Off for Freespool Filly
     After four unsuccessful efforts at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita, Saundree moved to a more welcoming environment Saturday and had no trouble breezing to a wire-to-wire victory to become the third winner from Freespool's first crop to reach the races.
     The 3-year-old filly, the odds-on favorite in the field of eight, put away an early rival and pulled away to win by 3 1/4 lengths in the 4 1/2-furlong race.
     She joins stakes winner Joe's Cannon and Hawkers Gate as winning runners by the speedy son of Geiger Counter.
     Saundree, bred in California by Special T Thoroughbreds, is owned by Gary Kazanjian and trained by Jorge Periban. Her winning rider was Baltazar Contreras.
     Freespool won five stakes races and placed in three others at 5 1/2 and 6 furlongs, winning three times at six furlongs in 1:08 and change. In 25 starts, he registered quarters under 22 seconds 19 times and 11 times was clocked under 44 seconds for a half-mile.
     A graded stakes winner of $527,288, he stands at Special T Thoroughbreds, Temecula, Calif.--May 5.


Atticus Kristy Adds New Page to Long Story
     Seven-year-old Atticus Kristy added another page to his remarkable racing history Friday when he finished third in the $100,000 Aegon Turf Sprint Stakes at Churchill Downs, a Grade 3 event.
     That increased to $589,492 the career earnings of the gelded son of Atticus, but that's just part of his story, a tale of durability and a long climb up the quality ladder.
     Once third in two starts at 2, he showed promise at 3 with three wins in his first four starts--maiden special weight and allowances--but couldn't find the winner's circle again until midway through his 4-year-old season. He had slipped into the claiming ranks before he could score his second victory--for a $40,000 price, in his 16th career start.
     He made it three wins in a row, for $50,000 claiming and in an allowance, and never again saw a claiming race. He took another allowance race in his next start, then embarked on a challenging new career as a stakes-class horse.
     From that time, almost three years ago, he's run in two allowance races, one handicap--and 24 stakes races. The 27th race of that lengthy string was Friday's Egon Turf Sprint, the 12th added-money race in which he's won or placed.
     It was the second time that he'd run third in the Egon. Those races are two of six graded events in which he's won or placed.
     Now, still going strong in his sixth season of racing, his record looks like this: 45 starts, 10 wins, eight seconds, 11 thirds, and earnings of $589,492.
     He finished only two lengths back of the winner in Friday's race, but after entering the stretch in fifth place he had to close fast to gain third.
     Atticus Kristy is owned by Centaur Farms, Inc., and Dan Lynch. He was bred in Kentucky by Centaur Farms, Inc.
     Atticus, a world-record setter at one mile and sire of 18 stakes horses, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--May 4.


Decarchy Takes State Second-Crop Sire Lead

     Decarchy, California's leading freshman sire of 2007, forged into the lead in the 2008 sophomore sire race Thursday when Kiss My Crown won a three-horse stretch duel at Hollywood Park for his fourth career victory.
     Before that race, Decarchy had trailed Stormy Jack by just $583 in the second-year competition, but Kiss My Crown's $21,600 purse increased those 2008 earnings to $386,331 to his rival's $365,314.
     That lead may be brief, however, depending upon the performance of Stormy Jack's star performer, Bob Black Jack, in Saturday's $2,000,000 Kentucky Derby.
     Kiss My Crown prevailed in Thursday's race at 1 1/16 miles by pulling ahead in the final yards of a three-horse battle that began at the start and continued through the entire 1 1/16-mile race. 
     He wound up just a length in front of the second-place finisher after both overtook the early leader late in the stretch run, booted home by jockey Alex Solis..
     The victory was the fourth in only six career starts for Kiss My Crown, whose record now shows four wins and a second for earnings of $78,800.
     Bred in California by Magali Ventures, LLC, he's owned by K. K. Sangara and trained by Rafael Becerra.
     Decarchy, who stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif., has sired 14 winners and runners with two-year earnings of $672,347.--May 3.


Showcase Sires Sparkle in Gold Rush Races
     Sunday's ninth annual California-bred Gold Rush Days program at Hollywood Park was a festive occasion for Showcase stallions, whose runners accounted for four firsts, three seconds, and five thirds on the 10-race card.
     Here are the successful horses in the six blacktype races, followed by those who won or placed in the four non-blacktype races.
     For the blacktype races, the report shows the horse's name, sex, age, the race and its value, breeder, owner, trainer, and lifetime race record (starts-1st-2nd-3rd-earnings).
     Sires are listed in alphabetical order.

BEAU GENIUS

     One Chin Again, g, 3, 3rd $250,000 Cal National Snow Chief Stakes. Breeder: J. Paul Reddam. Owner: John Fuller, Lee Kovel, and J. Paul Reddam. Trainer: Doug O'Neill. Race record: 6-0-2-2-$55,000.

DECARCHY

     Harlene, g, 3, 1st $250,000 Cal National Snow Chief Stakes. Breeder: Magali Ventures, LLC. Owner: Claimboxdotcom, Royce S. Jaime Racing Stable, Inc., and W C Racing. Trainer: Doug O'Neill. Race record: 7-1-0-4-$183,560.

LIT DE JUSTICE

     Gambler's Justice, f, 3, 3rd $200,000 Melair Stakes. Breeder: Suarez Racing, Inc. Owner: Craig, Halo Farms, and Magerman. Trainer: William Spawr. Race record: 6-2-1-1-$95,320.

SWISS YODELER

     Swiss Current, f, 4, 3rd $150,000 Fran's Valentine Stakes. Owner-breeder: Tailwind Racing, Inc. Trainer: Doug O'Neill. Race record: 21-3-5-4-$264,966.

UNUSUAL HEAT

     Bel Air  Sizzle, f, 3, 1st $200,000 Melair Stakes. Breeder: Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams, and Vincenzo Loverso. Owner: M. Auerbach, LLC or Loverso or McCauley, et al. Trainer: Barry Abrams. Race record: 9-4-0-1-$259,940.
     Spenditallbaby, f, 4, 1st $150,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes. Breeder: Abrams/Roberts, Nakkashian, P. Johnson, and V. Johnson. Owner: Mark Fiorito, Peggy Johnson, Tom R. Roberts, et al. Trainer: Barry Abrams. Race record: 21-5-4-3-$417,730.
     Medzendeekron, g, 5, 3rd $250,000 Tiznow Stakes. Owner-breeders: David Abrams, Hagop Nakkashian, and Tom Roberts. Trainer: Barry Abrams. Race record: 13-3-1-3-$199,252.

     Runners who won or placed in the non-blacktype races were as follows:
     $70,000 Barretts Stakes: 1st--Bestdressed (Lit de Justice), 2nd--Swiss Ski (Swiss Yodeler), 3rd--Dr. Zaentz (Unusual Heat).
     $60,000 NTRA Stakes: 2nd--Major Smoke (Birdonthewire). 
     $60,000 Magali Farms Stakes: 2nd--Hot Little Bug (Unusual Heat), 3rd--Just N Excess (Lit de Justice).
     The Magali Farms Stakes was a maiden race. The others were conditioned, with eligibility based on earnings. Those restrictions disqualify races from black type.--April 29.
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