CTFMA hosts Southern California Stallion Tour on January 14

Five Thoroughbred farms in the region between Los Angeles and San Diego will be featured on the 2012 Southern California Stallion Tour, sponsored by the California Thoroughbred Farm Managers Association (CTFMA) on Saturday, January 14.

With stops planned at Ballena Vista Farm, E.A. Ranches, Milky Way Farm, Special T Thoroughbreds and Vessels Stallion Farm, the “drive-yourself” tour will showcase many of the state’s most prominent sires, including Benchmark, Game Plan, Momentum, One Man Army and Tribal Rule, as well as some promising young stallions whose oldest foals have yet to race, including Council Member, Dixie Chatter, Drum Major, Idiot Proof, Spensive, Square Eddie and Sundarban.

The tour will begin at 8 a.m. at Vessels Stallion Farm in Bonsall. A boxed lunch, drinks and snacks will be provided by CTFMA. The cost to attend is $15 per person. Participation is open to all interested individuals; carpooling is encouraged. Reservations are required in advance.

For more information about the 2012 Southern California Stallion Tour, visit the CTFMA website or contact the CTFMA at CTFMA@yahoo.com. — January 12, 2012

Welcome to our newest Showcase stallion: Del Mar Show!

Thank you to owner Grant Truman and Rancho Temescal of Piru, California, for adding their stallion, Del Mar Show, to our Showcase!

The 14-year-old stallion is the only graded stakes-winning son of the Eclipse champion and influential sire Theatrical (Ire) standing in California. His dam is the multiple stakes winner and graded stakes producer Prankstress, by Foolish Pleasure. Two of his winning siblings are black-type producers: his half-sister Adel, a Grade 1-placed stakes winner, is the dam of the 2010 stakes winner Forestry Type; his full sister Nabla is the dam of the dual graded stakes winner Walkslikeaduck. His immediate family also boasts the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) winner Royal Delta, who sold for $8.5 million during the 2011 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

A classy, durable athlete who excelled on the turf, Del Mar Show won at least one race every year from the ages of 2 to 9, led by the Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap (G2) at Hialeah Park and the Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2) at Saratoga Race Course. He captured 13 of 47 races overall, including five graded stakes events, and retired with lifetime earnings of $1,032,400. Among his career accomplishments were 11 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.

Del Mar Show stands for a $1,500 fee at Rancho Temescal in Piru, California. His first foals are 3-year-olds of 2011.

Atticus runner caps Fairplex meet with first stakes victory

On September 25, Atticus Jack became the 13th lifetime stakes winner for his California-based sire, Atticus, when he wired the $75,000 Ralph M. Hinds Handicap on closing day of the 2011 Fairplex Park meet. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

The 5-year-old gelding indicated his readiness for a jump into stakes company with a half-length win in a one-mile allowance optional claiming race on the turf at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on August 28, followed by a bullet five-furlong work at Fairplex on September 20. Under veteran rider Agapito Delgadillo, he leaped immediately into action in the seven-horse Hinds and subsequently negotiated three turns of the tight bullring oval with ease, setting internal fractions of :24.44, :48.99, 1:13.21 and 1:38.09 as he controlled the pace comfortably alongside the rail.

After leading the field throughout, Atticus Jack successfully overcame a late challenge from the fast-closing Norvsky to secure his first career stakes victory by three-quarters of a length. His final time for the dirt test, which was conducted at about 1 1/8 miles, was 1:51.04. The win was worth $42,250 to his owners, Janet Lyons, Jeremy Peskoff and Wind River Stables, and $15.20 to those handicappers who had backed him for the top spot at odds of 6-1.

Bred in California by Greg and Valorie Scherr, Atticus Jack has won six of 14 starts overall, and earned $238,240. The Brian Koriner trainee is the first foal out of Cremedelacramer, an unraced daughter of Avenue of Flags, and previously collected black type in 2008 with his third-place outing in the $125,000 California Breeders’ Champion Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Atticus Jack is one of four stakes winners from the inaugural California crop of Atticus, who has stood at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez since 2005. Now 19, the Grade 1-winning Nureyev stallion is credited with collective progeny earnings of more than $12.4 million from 11 crops of racing age. — September 25, 2011

Freshman sire Raise the Bluff notches second stakes horse

Less than three weeks after he became his sire’s third winner, the Raise the Bluff gelding He’s a Cruiser progressed into his sire’s second stakes horse when he placed in the $35,000 Dennis Dodge Stakes at Emerald Downs on September 18. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

The 2-year-old gelding entered the 6 1/2-furlong test on the heels of a masterful, 5 1/4-length win he recorded against $12,500 maiden claiming company at the Washington track on September 2. Paired again with his rider from that start, Leslie Mawing, he made the transition into stakes competition with just one four-furlong work between the two races.

Installed by handicappers at odds of 7-1 as the third wagering choice in the six-horse Dennis Dodge field, He’s a Cruiser encountered a sloppy track for the first time in his three-race career. He ran evenly throughout, translating his early running position in fourth into a third-place finish in the final yards, where he passed the tiring 7-10 favorite, pacesetter Harbor Wind, by a half-length. The race was won by the 10-1 longshot Brady’s Kat, who made a mad rush from last under Javier Matias to overtake Gold Surge for a head victory, five lengths in front of He’s a Cruiser.

The Washington-bred runner is trained by Vince Gibson for owners Pamela Gibson and Maureen Hallett, the former of whom bred the youngster in partnership with his conditioner. He is the third starter and winner out of Designer’s Gold, a stakes-placed winner by Stolen Gold, and he has banked $9,247 to date.

Raise the Bluff is a three-time stakes winner who ran second in the 2007 Longacres Mile Handicap (G3), and who currently ranks highest by progeny earnings among all Washington-based stallions with first-crop 2-year-olds of 2011. The 8-year-old Pine Bluff sire resides at El Dorado Farms in Enumclaw. — September 18, 2011

Atticus gelding reclaims glory in inaugural Golden State Cup

It was a long wait between drinks of water, but the Atticus gelding Lucky Primo proved that his well of talent still runs deep in his June 23 victory in Hollywood Park’s Golden State Cup Stakes. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

Facing four other runners in the inaugural edition of the one-mile turf race, which was restricted to starters who were either bred or sired in California, Lucky Primo converted a battle for the lead at the beginning into a solo triumph at the end of the $71,800 contest. Although he was tabbed as an 8-1 outsider by handicappers, the 5-year-old gelding was engaged from the start under jockey Tyler Baze, who placed his mount in an early, yet controlled, speed duel with the stakes-winning filly Logical Single.

After breaking eagerly from the gate and jumping to a slight lead through the opening quarter-mile, Lucky Primo tucked along the rail and allowed Logical Single to pass him by a length on the backstretch. The twosome separated themselves from the pack by a dozen lengths before entering the final turn, at which point Baze uncorked his mount for a strong finish. With no competition remaining after Logical Single dropped back, Lucky Primo held on for a 2 1/2-length win in 1:34.49 despite tiring late.

His fourth trip to the winner’s circle from 11 lifetime starts marked his first return to stakes company since he captured the restricted, $125,000 California Cup Juvenile Stakes on the former Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita Park in October 2008. The $236,632-earner, who is trained by Joshua Litt for owners JBK Stable and Jason Litt, is the first foal out of Personal Flag’s winning daughter Live Free Or Die and was bred in California by the Litts and Dennis O’Neill.

Lucky Primo is one of 11 black-type winners by the world record-setting turf miler Atticus, a resident of Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, California. The 19-year-old Nureyev stallion has cumulative progeny earnings of more than $12 million from 11 crops of racing age. — June 23, 2011

Welcome to our newest Showcase stallion: Sundarban!

Thank you to Milky Way Farm of Temecula, California, for adding their stallion, Sundarban, to our Showcase!

The 5-year-old stallion, who sold for $1.7 million during the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, retired to stud this year with exceptional pedigree credentials as one of the few sons of leading sire A.P. Indy in California.

His dam, a winning daughter of the leading sire Storm Cat, is a full sister to the Group 3 winner and emerging international sire Hurricane Cat, while his second, third and fourth dams — 1994 Eclipse Champion Older Female Sky Beauty, multiple Grade 1 winner Maplejinsky and 1982 Eclipse Champion Sprinter Gold Beauty — are established matriarchs. Other notable family members include the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Pleasant Home and multiple Grade 1 winner Pine Island, as well as several sires, including the multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Tale of Ekati, 1990 England Horse of the Year Dayjur and Grade 2 winner The Prime Minister.

A solid performer, he won four races at three different tracks, all at distances of one mile or more, and concluded his career with earnings of $103,340.

Sundarban is standing his introductory season in 2011 at Milky Way Farm in Temecula, California. His first foals will arrive in 2012.

Click here to visit Sundarban’s new, custom-built Showcase website! — June 20, 2011

Good Journey colt ships in, steals $200,000 Lone Star Derby

A change of scenery — and surface — was all it took for the Good Journey colt Thirtyfirststreet to recapture his winning ways on May 30 as the game victor of Lone Star Park’s $200,000 Lone Star Derby. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

The California-bred runner shipped to Texas from his Hollywood Park base in Southern California to take on eight rival 3-year-olds in the 1 1/16-mile race, which was conducted on turf for the first time in its 15-year history. The contest also marked Thirtyfirststreet’s grass debut, a factor which likely contributed to his 21-1 odds. But when the starting gates opened, the handicappers’ opinions no longer mattered.

Ridden confidently by jockey Chris Landeros, Thirtyfirststreet took advantage of a tepid pace while staying within a length of the front-running Aces N Kings through the opening half-mile, which was clocked in :49.43, then successfully launched his bid for the lead on the outside of that contender in the final turn. The Doug O’Neill trainee was next approached by the fast-closing Close Ally, but he had enough left in the tank after a stretch-long battle to post a neck victory in 1:42.55. Finishing third, 2 3/4 lengths behind Close Ally, was 2011 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G3) winner Derby Kitten.

Thirtyfirststreet, the winner of Santa Anita Park’s 2010 California Breeders’ Champion Stakes on dirt and a Hollywood Park maiden special weight race on Cushion Track, added $113,000 to his coffers to push his seven-race earnings to $241,400. Produced by the winning Sky Classic mare Avian, he was bred by O’Neill and Mark Gorman, the latter of whom currently owns the colt in partnership with Kevin Bogart and Neil Haymes.

He is the chief earner from the first North American crop of Good Journey, a 15-year-old Nureyev stallion who stands at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, California. The 2002 Atto Mile Stakes (G1) winner out of the European champion Chimes of Freedom has international progeny earnings of more than $3 million to date. — May 30, 2011

One Man Army speedster hits traffic in Los Angeles (G3)

In his third race of the season, the One Man Army runner M One Rifle continued to make noise in the Southern California sprint division with a placing in Hollywood Park’s $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap (G3) on May 30. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

Although it lasted less than 69 seconds, the six-furlong race brimmed with drama. The half-length winner, Amazombie, was stripped of his trophy when stewards determined he had interfered with M One Rifle and the original second-place finisher, Camp Victory, in the stretch. The disqualification of Amazombie and jockey Mike Smith from first to third elevated M One Rifle and his rider, Chantal Sutherland, to second behind the appointed winner, Camp Victory.

M One Rifle entered the 59th edition of the Los Angeles on the heels of his track record-setting victory in Hollywood’s five-furlong Cool Frenchy Stakes on May 7. After maintaining a steady pace in third through the early going, he drifted out in the turn under left-handed urging from Sutherland and appeared full of run, but was bumped by the fast-closing Amazombie from his inside when both horses aimed for the same gap at the eighth pole. In the end, the 3-1 wagering choice received a $20,000 consolation prize to bring his lifetime earnings to $491,002.

Bred in California by Ed Bernstein, Brian Greenspun, Bruce Headley and Irwin Molasky and produced by the winning Bertrando mare Leanessa, M One Rifle is campaigned by Bernstein, Greenspun and Headley, et al. He has won five of 14 starts as a Headley trainee, topped by the 2009 Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

The 5-year-old gelding is the leading offspring of One Man Army, a 17-year-old Roman Diplomat stallion who stands at Milky Way Farm in Temecula, California. — May 30, 2011

Acclamation, by Unusual Heat, repeats G2 Jim Murray romp

Nearly one year after he stole Hollywood Park’s Grade 2 Jim Murray Handicap with a front-running effort at odds of 14-1, the Unusual Heat horse Acclamation returned to the scene of the crime to snatch a second consecutive edition of the turf marathon on May 14, this time as the heavy favorite. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

The California-bred runner, now 5, showed no signs of rust in the 1 1/2-mile race, which was valued at $150,000. In the capable hands of leading Hollywood rider Joel Rosario, who was on board the Donald Warren trainee for the first time since November 2008, he recorded a near-identical margin of victory — an insurmountable seven lengths, compared to 7 1/2 lengths last year, while improving his final time on the Inglewood turf course by almost a full second, from 2:26.59 in 2010 to 2:25.63 in 2011.

Unlike last year, Acclamation employed a stalking approach, tracking as much as six lengths behind the speedy All Saint through the first mile of the five-horse affair. When finally asked for run by Rosario in the last turn, the 7-5 chalk lengthened his stride and set down for a resolute drive to the wire, inhaling the tiring pacesetter as his only obstacle and cruising to an unfettered win in a hand ride.

As the first stakes winner out of the unraced Silveyville mare Winning in Style, Acclamation has won five of 24 career starts, topped by Hollywood’s grassy 2010 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (G1). The $608,048-earner was bred by Old English Rancho, and races for owners Peter and Mary Hilvers and E.W. and Judy Johnston.

He is the first graded stakes winner of 2011 for California’s leading sire, Unusual Heat. The 21-year-old Nureyev stallion stands at Harris Farms in Coalinga, and has total progeny earnings of more than $28 million. — May 14, 2011

One Man Army stakes winner sets Hollywood sprint record

Grade 1 winner M One Rifle, the leading lifetime earner for the California stallion One Man Army, added an exclamation point to his recent return to racing with a track record-setting performance in Hollywood Park’s $91,010 Cool Frenchy Stakes on May 7. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

The 2009 Malibu Stakes (G1) winner, who returned from a nearly nine-month absence to post a fourth-place finish in Santa Anita Park’s 6 1/2-furlong Potrero Grande Stakes (G2) on April 3, recaptured his winning ways with a game, half-length score in the inaugural running of the five-furlong Cool Frenchy. Among the five rivals he vanquished under jockey Chantal Sutherland were two prominent fellow California-breds: 2009 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Dancing in Silks and Grade 1 winner Cost of Freedom.

Sharing the lowest weight assignment of 118 pounds, M One Rifle stalked the early pacesetters from fourth, accelerated through the turn and engaged the front-running Cost of Freedom from the outside in a spirited stretch drive. The 5-year-old gelding secured his victory over the 1-2 favorite in a final time of :55.98, a blistering mark which lowered Hollywood Park’s record for the distance on Cushion Track and resulted in a robust Beyer Speed Figure assignment of 114.

M One Rifle was produced by Bertrando’s multiple winner Leanessa, and bred by Ed Bernstein, Brian Greenspun, Bruce Headley and Irwin Molasky. He has amassed a career record of five wins and five placings from 13 starts and total earnings of $471,002 while trained by Headley for a partnership that includes his breeders.

His sire is One Man Army, a 17-year-old son of Roman Diplomat who holds court at Milky Way Farm in Temecula. The stakes-placed winner is represented by eight stakes horses and cumulative progeny earnings of more than $2 million from six limited crops to race. — May 7, 2011

Fullbridled scores another winner from his initial crop

On May 5, the inaugural crop of runners sired by the California stallion Fullbridled yielded its second winner, when the third-time starter Full Deputy defeated a Hollywood Park field which included several of his elders.

The 3-year-old colt, who is based at the Inglewood track with trainer Leonard Powell, was paired for the first time with jockey Joe Talamo for the 1 1/16-mile maiden race. The new partnership worked to perfection, resulting in a late-closing victory against seven rivals, four of whom were foaled the year before Full Deputy.

After breaking alertly from the outside post, the duo moved inward for a space-saving trip behind all but one of the other contenders. Talamo steadily positioned his mount closer to the vanguard in the backstretch, then finally asked the youngster for his best effort as they exited the final turn. When the rallying pair suddenly found themselves trapped in midstretch after a hole between two early runners closed up, Talamo quickly changed plans and moved the colt out three-wide for running room. Under his rider’s right-handed urging, Full Deputy passed all remaining challengers and ultimately reached the wire in 1:45.95 for a 1 1/4-length win at odds of 3.70-1.

Full Deputy was bred in California by Barbara Kelly, and has earned $20,580 while racing for Barbara Kelly Living Trust. Produced by Silver Deputy’s multiple winner Golden Sliver, he ran third and fourth in a pair of dirt sprints at Santa Anita Park earlier this year before finding Hollywood’s Cushion Track surface and a longer distance to his liking. He was not claimed from his maiden win, despite running for a $40,000 tag.

Fullbridled, 10, is a stakes-placed winner by Unbridled’s Song who stands at Dignitary Downs in Anza. His first foals are sophomores of 2011. — May 5, 2011

Washington sire Polish Miner achieves first stakes winner

The Washington-based stallion Polish Miner was flattered by his first stakes winner on April 2, when his second-crop daughter D Day turned in a professional victory in the $50,000 Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

In the capable hands of Jeremy Rose, a former leading jockey at the Maryland racetrack, D Day returned from a four-month layoff to post a handy, unchallenged score in the 1 1/16-mile test. Rose allowed the 6-year-old mare to settle into a cozy running position along the rail in fourth behind the early pacesetters, then asked his 2-1 mount for run in the final turn.

D Day eagerly responded to her rider’s request by moving out to the center of the track and passing the two horses who remained in front of her with ease. She continued unfettered to the wire, which she reached in 1:47.08 while posting a 4 3/4-length win over six rivals in her Pimlico debut.

The fourth foal out of the multiple winner Hill Keys, by Ten Keys, was bred in Maryland by Daniel Hall, and is currently trained by her owner, Samuel Cronk. Her breakthrough effort in the restricted Shine Again improved her overall record to five wins and eight placings from 22 starts and earnings of $160,066.

She is one of seven stakes horses for Polish Miner, a multiple graded stakes-placed winner who stands at St. Hilaire Thoroughbreds in Yakima. The 14-year-old Danzig sire has cumulative progeny earnings of more than $3.9 million to date, and will be represented by his first crop of Washington-bred 2-year-olds this year. — April 2, 2011

First winner for Fullbridled sets Santa Anita track record

The California-based stallion Fullbridled achieved his first winner as a sire in an auspicious manner on February 19, when his 3-year-old gelding Klassy Saint broke his maiden in a blistering, track record-setting performance at Santa Anita Park.

Making just his second career start in a field of seven non-winners, the California-bred runner outclassed his rivals with a facile, 4 1/4-length victory over a wet-fast strip that had been sealed due to intermittent rain showers. Klassy Saint relished the going as the 9-10 favorite in the five-furlong test, and returned a $13,800 winner’s check to owners Steve Burnett, Chad Calvert and Ronald Holguin while competing in open company at the $30,000 claiming level.

He was asked for run early by jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who quickly moved his mount into second behind the speedy pacesetter and second wagering choice, Cabo San Lucas. After tracking the swift early splits of :21.34 for the opening quarter-mile and :44.45 at the half-mile point, Valenzuela maneuvered Klassy Saint outside the tiring front-runner and quickly turned the race into a one-horse affair. The Robert Troeger trainee reached the wire under a vigorous hand ride and stopped the clock in an eye-popping final time of :56.73, shaving more than a full second off the track’s previous mark of :57.78 for the distance, which had stood since 1996.

Klassy Saint is the first winner out of the Saint Ballado mare Klassy Katlyn. The $15,420-earner was bred by Barbara Kelly, who campaigned his sire.

Ten-year-old Fullbridled is a dual winner by Unbridled’s Song who ran second in Lone Star Park’s $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup Handicap in 2005. He currently stands at Dignitary Downs in Anza, and is represented by his initial crop of 3-year-olds this year. — February 19, 2011

Decarchy’s chief earner returns to races with stakes placing

In her first start since a March 2010 allowance victory at Santa Anita Park, the Decarchy runner Quisisana returned to the same locale for her 6-year-old debut on January 7 and finished a solid third in the $81,150 Kalookan Queen Handicap. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

The California-bred mare won both of her outings on the formerly installed Pro-Ride synthetic surface during Santa Anita’s 2009-2010 winter/spring meet, including the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint Stakes, in which she defeated the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner and likely Eclipse Champion Female Sprinter, Dubai Majesty. But the Kalookan Queen, conducted at 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita’s new natural surface, marked her first time on dirt in her 12-race career.

Paired with her regular rider, Rafael Bejarano, and sent postward as the 7-5 second wagering choice in the field of five distaffers, Quisisana maintained a steady pace throughout the race. The 122-pound highweight broke third from the gate and kept the same momentum all the way to the wire, which she ultimately reached behind a pair of contenders from the red-hot Bob Baffert barn. She concluded the test 2 1/4 lengths behind the front-running favorite, Mother Ruth.

Quisisana is trained by Mike Puype for Ran Jan Racing Inc. The six-time winner, who was bred by Todd Gerbovaz and produced by Distinctive Cat’s unraced daughter Mink Kiss, has banked $329,158 overall.

She is the highest earner for her California-based sire, Decarchy, a Grade 2-winning resident of Magali Farms in Santa Ynez. From four crops to race, the 14-year-old Distant View stallion counts eight stakes horses among his earners of more than $3.9 million. — January 7, 2011

Thirtyfirststreet scores first U.S. stakes win for Good Journey

Thirtyfirststreet, a 2-year-old colt from the first North American crop of the shuttle stallion Good Journey, became his sire’s first stakes winner in the United States on December 26, when he captured the $100,000 California Breeders’ Champion Stakes on opening day of the 2010-2011 winter/spring meet at Santa Anita Park. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

A maiden special weight winner on Cushion Track in his second start at Hollywood Park in November, the California-bred youngster was paired with returning jockey Rafael Bejarano for his first stakes engagement and initial try on dirt. The restricted event, which lists multiple Grade 1 winners General Challenge, Snow Chief and Ancient Title among its notable graduates, attracted eight runners for its 71st renewal.

Thirtyfirststreet was installed as the 5-1 third wagering choice, and exhibited a professional flair with his late run toward victory. He was kept in reserve along the rail while racing near the back of the pack early, moved out three-wide into the stretch, then successfully weaved through traffic to find the rail again in the final yards of the seven-furlong test, outkicking the 4-5 favorite, Arresting Officer, for a half-length win in 1:22.20.

The third foal out of the winning Sky Classic mare Avian pushed his three-race bankroll to $90,400 for trainer Doug O’Neill and owners Kevin Bogart of Sterling Stable, Mark Gorman and Neil Haymes. He was bred in partnership by O’Neill and Gorman.

He is the third black-type winner for the Magali Farms sire Good Journey, a 14-year-old son of Nureyev who shuttles between the California nursery and Australia for dual-hemisphere duties. The 2002 Atto Mile Stakes (G1) winner out of the European champion Chimes of Freedom has international progeny earnings in excess of $2.5 million overall. — December 26, 2010

Good Journey goes Hollywood with U.S. maiden winner

Thirtyfirststreet, a 2-year-old colt from the first North American crop of the shuttle stallion Good Journey, became his sire’s first winner in Southern California on November 20, when he cruised to an easy victory in a maiden special weight race at Hollywood Park.

The youngster was sent postward as the 3-5 wagering favorite for his second career start, which came five weeks after he ran second in his racing debut at the Inglewood track. Kept at the same 6 1/2-furlong distance as his earlier try and accompanied again by returning rider Rafael Bejarano, he broke alertly from the outside stall and stalked the pace from fourth throughout the early stages of the eight-horse race, then moved three-wide into the stretch and responded to left-handed urging with a late rush that ultimately granted him the lead. Despite drifting in, he reached the wire first with a 1 1/2-length win margin in a final time of 1:17.06.

He collected $22,800 for overcoming his fellow California-breds, elevating his overall bankroll to $30,400.

Thirtyfirststreet is trained by Doug O’Neill, who bred him in partnership with Mark Gorman. He is the third foal and winner out of Sky Classic’s six-time winner Avian, and is currently campaigned by Gorman and Sterling Stable.

Good Journey initiated his stallion career in Australia in 2003, and counts a Group 1 winner and dual Group 2 winner among his Southern Hemisphere offspring. The 14-year-old Grade 1 winner by Nureyev stands at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, California during the annual Northern Hemisphere breeding seasons, and has more than $2.5 million in international progeny earnings to date. — November 20, 2010

Welcome to our newest Showcase stallion: Mr. Broad Blade!

Thank you to Magali Farms of Santa Ynez, California, for adding their stallion, Mr. Broad Blade, to our Showcase!

The 14-year-old son of 1987 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner and leading sire Broad Brush was produced by the Grade 3 winner Miss High Blade, and was never off the board in his 12 lifetime starts in California. He earned $191,724 from the ages of 2 to 4, and scored his biggest victory in the $100,000 Ascot Handicap at Bay Meadows Race Course. He also placed in Santa Anita Park’s 2000 San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2).

From seven limited crops of racing age, he has accrued total progeny earnings of more than $730,000 and average earnings per starter of more than $26,000. He is represented by three black-type horses, including the Golden Gate Fields stakes winner Bellsblade. His chief earner is Justdontcallmejeri, a multiple winner who ran third in Florida’s 2009 Tampa Bay Derby (G3), defeating subsequent Grade 1 winners General Quarters and Warrior’s Reward.

Mr. Broad Blade stands for a $1,500 fee at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, California.

Click here to visit Mr. Broad Blade’s new, custom-built Showcase website! — November 16, 2010

Unusual Suspect tallies third G1 win of 2010 for Unusual Heat

With his narrow score in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G1) at Hollywood Park on November 13, the veteran campaigner Unusual Suspect set a number of precedents: he surpassed the $1 million mark in lifetime earnings while capturing his first victory in more than 15 months and his most prestigious win to date, and also became the third Grade 1 winner of 2010 for his sire, Unusual Heat, who earlier this year was represented at the utmost racing level by his sons Acclamation and The Usual Q.T. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

The sturdy, six-year-old horse is a regular participant in black-type events in Southern California, and has made 19 consecutive stakes appearances since June 2009. He was paired with jockey Corey Nakatani for his 55th career start in the Hollywood Turf Cup, and faced seven rivals at odds of 10-1 in the 1 1/2-mile grass marathon.

Unusual Suspect was kept in mid-pack and off the rail throughout, with front-running Temple City never more than five lengths ahead during the early stages, which were clocked at a pedestrian tempo. Nakatani and his mount moved up gradually in the backstretch, then doggedly wore down the pacesetter in the final stages for a hard-earned, head victory in a final time of 2:25.83.

Trainer Barry Abrams, who co-owns the nine-time winner and six-time stakes winner with his wife, Dyan, and his brother, breeder David Abrams, indicated that Unusual Suspect might be sent to Australia for distance races and a possible stallion career in the future. The California-bred runner and $1,035,547-earner is the third stakes-caliber offspring of 2007/2008 California Broodmare of the Year Penpont (NZ), the Crested Wave winner who also produced the 2008 Grade 1-winning filly Golden Doc A.

Boosted by his recent trio of Grade 1 winners, Unusual Heat has attained 2010 progeny earnings of more than $4.1 million and overall progeny earnings of more than $27.2 million from 10 crops to race. The 20-year-old Nureyev stallion ranks as the top sire in California, and holds court at Harris Farms in Coalinga. — November 13, 2010

Unusual Heat’s top runner places in G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile

When it comes to the elite levels of Thoroughbred racing, there is no shame in running third — especially when the first- and second-place finishers are a history-making winner and a reigning dual Eclipse Award champion. Such was the case on November 6, when California-bred The Usual Q.T., the top lifetime earner for leading Golden State stallion Unusual Heat, lined up at Churchill Downs to take on the world’s best turf milers in the 27th edition of the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

The 4-year-old gelding, whose five stakes victories include Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s 2010 Eddie Read Stakes (G1) and Hollywood Park’s 2009 Hollywood Derby (G1), was ignored at odds of 22-1 in the stiff, $1,818,000 test, which attracted a world-class field of 11, led by the 2008 and 2009 race winner, Goldikova (Ire). Under regular rider Victor Espinoza, The Usual Q.T. proved he belonged with a game, mid-pack effort.

Although the James Cassidy trainee was rank early, he eventually settled into stride along the hedge and maintained a forward running position in fifth, with the mare Goldikova in close pursuit on his outside. With a quarter-mile left to go, he advanced to third and held his course as that rival and the 2009 Eclipse Champion Older Male and Champion Male Turf Horse, Gio Ponti, swept past him in their furious late rush to the wire. Goldikova powered to a clear, 1 3/4-length victory in 1:35.16, becoming the first three-time winner of any Breeders’ Cup race, while Gio Ponti picked up the pieces for second, just a neck in front of The Usual Q.T.

A $1,411,320-earner, The Usual Q.T. has compiled an overall record of eight wins, five seconds and one third from 18 starts for owners Don Van Racing Inc., Michael Nentwig, George Saadeh and Jeffrey Byer. He is the first foal out of the four-time winner Lunge, by Western Fame, and was bred by Carlee Van Kempen.

His bankroll is best among all runners from the 10 crops of racing age sired by Unusual Heat, a resident of Harris Farms in Coalinga, California. The 20-year-old Nureyev stallion has overall progeny earnings of more than $27 million, and 51 stakes horses to his credit. — November 6, 2010

Welcome to our newest Showcase stallion: Roi Charmant!

Thank you to owner B & B Zietz Stables and Magali Farms of Santa Ynez, California, for adding their stallion, Roi Charmant, to our Showcase!

A durable winner from the ages of 2 to 8 on the dirt, turf and synthetic surfaces of Southern California, Roi Charmant was an elite performer who utilized his blazing speed to compete in some of the region’s top events for sprinters. He won or placed in 18 of his 27 career starts for lifetime earnings of $337,678, and regularly recorded triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures while doing most of his running on the front end. He placed in four stakes races, including Santa Anita Park’s Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) and San Miguel Stakes (G3), defeated crack sprinters such as the Grade 1 winners Greg’s Gold and Siren Lure and concluded his career with a perfect four-race season in 2009 before he retired to stand in California.

As a son of Grade 2 winner Evansville Slew out of the winning Seattle Dancer mare Cantina, he represents the prolific Seattle Slew sire line. The 2010 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) winner, Kinsale King, is one of several notable runners in his immediate family.

Roi Charmant stands for a $1,500 fee at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, California, with special consideration to approved mares. His first foals will arrive in 2011.

Click here to visit Roi Charmant’s new, custom-built Showcase website! — November 4, 2010