Bedford Falls scores first-crop double at Golden Gate

The California stallion Bedford Falls made a rousing start to 2013 on January 4, when both of his first-crop juvenile winners from 2012 — Beau Diablo and There Goes Donnie — returned to capture their respective 3-year-old debuts by more than seven combined lengths at Golden Gate Fields.

In a six-furlong dash carded as the second race on the program, Beau Diablo overcame an early pace duel to post his third consecutive victory at the Northern California track, crushing the field by a widening four lengths under jockey Dennis Carr in 1:11.07 as the 6-5 second wagering choice. One hour later, Carr returned in the fourth race aboard the front-running 2-1 favorite, There Goes Donnie, to capture a one-mile test by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:39.57.

Bred in Washington by Jill Heerensperger, Beau Diablo races for the partnership of trainer John Martin and co-owners Dennis Corti and Clay Sides. Produced by Slewdledo’s stakes-placed winner Asuraslew, the colt sold for $4,200 at the 2011 Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale and has compiled three wins, two seconds and a third from six starts for earnings of $31,560.

There Goes Donnie was produced by the winning Cee’s Tizzy mare Nora Ellen, and bred in California by Harris Farms. A maiden winner on dirt at Santa Anita Park last October, the gelding was saddled to victory on Golden Gate’s Tapeta Footings surface by trainer Jedd Josephson for owner Blahut Stables LLC. A $15,000 graduate of the 2011 Northern California Yearling Sale, he has earned $28,000 to date.

Beau Diablo graduates as second winner for Bedford Falls

On November 25, Bedford Falls became the only active California freshman sire of 2012 to boast 100% winners from starters when his first-crop colt Beau Diablo mastered a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race at Golden Gate Fields by nine widening lengths.

Sent postward as the 2-5 wagering favorite after placing in all three of his previous career starts at Golden Gate and Santa Anita Park, Beau Diablo veered upon exiting the starting gate but was promptly hustled to the front of the six-horse field by jockey Dennis Carr, who previously rode the 2-year-old colt to a local second-place effort on November 10. Despite his awkward start, the Vann Belvoir trainee quickly wrested control of the proceedings while racing along the rail in a three-way battle for the lead, and clicked through brisk fractions of :22.12, :46.01 and :58.29 for the opening five furlongs while increasing his advantage over his outmatched rivals at every pole. He reached the finish of the $8,000 maiden claiming race in 1:04.68 while gearing down, and afterward carried a jubilant Carr back to the winner’s circle.

Beau Diablo, a $4,200 graduate of the 2011 Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale, has earned $13,560 to date for Belvoir and co-owner Pay Dirt Racing. He is the second winner out of the broodmare Asuraslew, a stakes-placed winner by Slewdledo, and was bred in Washington by Jill Heerensperger.

First winner for Bedford Falls dominates at Santa Anita

The California-based freshman sire Bedford Falls was represented by his first winner on October 18, when his 2-year-old gelding There Goes Donnie dominated a one-mile race at Santa Anita Park by 3 1/2 lengths.

Saddled by trainer Mike Machowsky for owner Blahut Stables LLC, There Goes Donnie was engaged from the start of the $30,000 maiden claiming race, in which he was sent postward at odds of 6-1. After breaking first from the gate, he was hustled to the front by jockey Agapito Delgadillo, then battled for the lead on the backstretch with a pair of rivals to his inside. With only one contender remaining as the eight-horse field entered the final turn, the strapping gray gelding asserted his authority and increased his advantage over the runner-up with every stride to the wire, which he ultimately reached in 1:40.98.

There Goes Donnie was produced by the winning Cee’s Tizzy mare Nora Ellen, and bred in California by Harris Farms. He was purchased by Machowsky for $15,000 as the second-highest-priced colt at the 2011 Northern California Yearling Sale, and has earned $18,740 from five races as his sire’s first starter.

Welcome to our newest Showcase stallion: Bedford Falls!