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Updates From the Past--2008

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.


Secret Kin Returns to Form With Stakes Win
     Returning to her winning ways following an eight-month layoff, Secret Kin scored a comfortable victory Saturday in the $100,000-added Governor's Lady Handicap at Hawthorne.
     It was the second start for the 4-year-old daughter of Sea of Secrets following a layoff that began last July. That layoff followed her second-place finish in the $85,000-added Purple Violet Stakes at Arlington Park that ended a string of four straight victories.
     With Saturday's easy 4 1/4-length triumph, Secret Kin's career record shows five wins, a second, and a third in nine career starts good for earnings of $189,552.
     After racing in midpack in the early stages of the six-furlong race, she took charge entering the stretch and pulled away steadily to dominate the field of 10 under jockey Eduardo Perez.
     It was her second stakes victory, following her win in the Lady Hallie Stakes almost exactly a year ago, also at Hawthorne and also by 4 1/4 lengths.
     Bred in Illinois by her owner, Team Block, she's trained by Chris Block.
     Sea of Secrets, sire of 22 stakes horses, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--April 28.


Durable Swiss Yodeler Mare Gets Black Type 
     Pop the Latch waited a while before becoming a certified blacktype runner, but she finally reached that level Saturday at Turf Paradise at the age of 7 in her 62nd career start.
     Although she'd won one non-qualifying stakes race and placed in another, it wasn't until she finished second in Saturday's $50,000 Ann Ownes Distaff Handicap at the Arizona track that she broke through to earn black type for the first time.
     (For an explanation of blacktype qualifying rules, click here.)
     In a long career that began in November, 2003, the daughter of Swiss Yodeler has raced six seasons and earned $134,220. She posted 13 wins, 11 seconds, and eight thirds over that period.
     After the opening quarter of the six-furlong Ann Ownes, there was little doubt that Pop the Latch was going to reach her elusive goal. She broke fifth in the seven-horse field but soon pulled up to draw to within a head of the leader and kept a comfortable hold on the second-place spot to the finish.She wound up a length and three quarters back of the winner and a length and a half ahead of the third-place horse.
     Bred in Arizona by Triple AAA Ranch, she's owned and trained by Doug Oliver and was ridden in the Ann Ownes by Juan Rivera.
     Swiss Yodeler, sire of 29 blacktype runners, stands at Pepper Oaks Farm, Santa Ynez, Calif.--April 28.


Bel Air Sizzle Continues Sizzling Streak
     Bel Air Sizzle took a while to figure out how to win, but now that she knows, she's hard to beat.
     The 3-year-old filly scored an easy allowance victory Thursday at Hollywood Park to increase her career earnings to $139,940 and make her Unusual Heat's 43rd winner of more than $100,000.
     Her 2 /3/4-length win was her third victory in four outings after racing unplaced in her first four career starts. After winning a maiden special weight race in her fifth career start, she won an allowance race, and placed third in the Grade 2 Providencia Stakes, all at Santa Anita, before Thursday's win at Hollywood Park.
     She was sent off as the odds-on favorite in the 1 1/16-mile event and gave her backers some anxious moments while running last in the field of five until she reached the stretch. By midstretch she'd taken the lead, and jockey Rafael Bejarano guided her to an ever-widening lead from there to the finish.
     Bred in California by her owners, Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams, and Vincenzo Laverso, she's trained by Barry Abrams.
     Unusual Heat, California's current leading sire with 2008 earnings of $1,911,969, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--April 26.


Stormy Jack's Roster of Winners Now Totals 8
     Bob Black Jack is at Churchill Downs preparing for the Kentucky Derby, but his classmates in Stormy Jack's first crop are keeping the home wins flowing.
     Stormy Taters became the eighth winner from that crop Sunday at Santa Anita, taking the lead early and pulling away to win by 3 1/2 lengths at 5 1/2 furlongs.
     It was the fourth career start for the New Mexico-bred filly, who'd been unplaced in two starts at Santa Anita after running a close second in her debut at Golden Gate Fields. With a win and a second in four starts, her earnings now total $15,800.
     She took the lead in the field of 11 nearing the three-eighths pole and steadily moved out under urging by jockey Rafael Bejarano.
     Bred in New Mexico by former Californians James G. and Ginny Johnston, she's owned by Claimboxdotcom, Guiol, and Samo and trained by Doug O'Neill.
     Stormy Jack finished 2007 as California's second-leading freshman sire with five winners and earnings of $193,270. Since then he's increased those totals to eight winners and earnings of $558,184, getting a huge boost from Bob Black Jack, whose winnings now total $442,925.
     Stormy Jack, now California's leading second-crop sire, stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga, Calif.--April 22.


Reba Is Tops Makes It Three Wins in a Row
     Continuing her highly successful Northern California invasion, Washington-bred Reba Is Tops scored her third consecutive victory by capturing the $55,000-added Monterey Handicap Saturday at Bay Meadows.
     It was the He's Tops filly's second added-money win in a row, following her victory in the Bay Meadows Distaff Sprint Handicap on February 23 in her last previous start.
     Unraced at 2, she won four of her six starts at Emerald Downs at 3, but all were in claiming races ranging from $17,500 to $32,000. Then, upon shipping to Northern California, she abandoned the claiming ranks and has flourished.
     At Emerald Downs, she won four of six starts; at Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows, she has the same record--four wins in six starts--but at a higher level of competition--stakes and allowance races. Her career record now shows earnings of $148,665 in those 12 starts.
     Reba Is Tops broke slowly in Saturday's five-furlong race on the turf, but she moved up from sixth around the turn and took the lead in midstretch. She stayed in front in spite of ducking in in the late stages and prevailed by a length under jockey Russell Baze.
     Bred by C. E. "Rich" and Ann Richardson, she's owned by Gordon Jarnig, Ken Marshall, Eric Schweigerr, and David Wakefield and trained by Bud Klokstad.
     He's Tops, sire of 18 stakes horses, stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--April 21.


Sea of Secrets Son Finally Hits Stride at 4
     Two Jays Secret waited a long time, but he's finally kicked his racing career into gear, winning an allowance victory and following with a third-place finish in his only stakes race in 25 lifetime starts.
     His allowance victory put the 4-year-old son of Sea of Secrets in the winner's circle for the first time in more than a year, and his third-place finish in Saturday's $50,000 Tony Sanchez Memorial Mile Stakes at Manor Downs gave him the first stakes placing of his career and made him his sire's 22nd stakes horse..
     After a dismal 3-year-old season, Two Jays Secret has come into his own this year at 4. He's won or placed in his last six starts after a sophomore season in which he finished first once, second once, and third twice in 15 starts for earnings of only $20,420.
     His record now shows two wins, four seconds, and six thirds in 25 career starts for earnings of $37,751.
     He never threatened the two leaders in the Sanchez, but he had no trouble taking third in the eight-horse field, finishing 3 1/4 lengths ahead of the fourth finisher.
     Bred in Kentucky by J. D. Squires and J. T. L. Jones Jr., he's owned by Simmons and Associates, Inc., and trained by Bobby Jenkins. He was ridden in the Sanchez by T. L. Collier.
     Sea of Secrets, a graded stakes-winning son of Storm Cat, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--April 21.


Unusual Heat Ranks High in U. S., State
     Unusual Heat is enjoying the best year of his career, and that success has propelled him to the No. 1 position in both national and California 2008 sire rankings.
     According to The Blood-Horse sire lists including racing through April 17, Unusual Heat ranked first nationally in 2008 turf earnings and first on the California general sire list.
     In addition, the Old English Rancho sire ranked first in California and fourth nationally in earnings on synthetic surfaces and first in California and 16th nationally according to Average Earnings Index.
     Here are the numbers for the leaders:
     Turf (national): Unusual Heat $883,390, War Chant $565,555, Stormy Atlantic $559,896, Rahy $511,025, Pulpit $450,751.
     Turf (California): Unusual Heat $883,390, Cee's Tizzy $330,970, In Excess (Ire) $229,338, Bertrando $152,930, Swiss Yodeler $141,440.
     Synthetic (national): Tiznow $1,179,385, Giant's Causeway $1,065,880, Point Given $1,038,680, Unusual Heat $792,267, A. P. Indy $$786,408.
     Synthetic (California): Unusual Heat $792,267, Tribal Rule $429,820, In Excess (Ire) $390,140, Bertrando $389,710, Benchmark $361,994.
     Leading sires (California): Unusual Heat $1,802,141, Benchmark $1,096,439, Deputy Commander $997,399, Bertrando $986,650, In Excess (Ire) $899,827.
     The Average Earnings Index is usually paired with the Comparable Index, which is the AEI of the sire's mares when bred to other stallions. The comparison is intended to show whether the subject sire helps those mares produce better foals than they produced when bred to other stallions.
     However, the CI does not take into account the quality of the other sires to whom those mares were bred.
     Here are the AEI/CI comparisons of the California sires with the five highest AEI's: Unusual Heat 2.10/1.09, In Excess (Ire) 1.95/1.54, Cee's Tizzy 1.86/1.19, Roar 1.60/1.46, Memo (Chi) 1.56/1.16.--April 19.


Another G3 Placing for Muqtarib in Chile
     Blue Shell, the leader of Muqtarib's first and only crop in Chile, added a second graded stakes placing to his record Saturday when he took third place in the Clasico Augusto Breque Espinoza, a Grade 3 event at Hipodromo Chile in Santiago.
     That followed the 2-year-old colt's second-place finish in the Grade 3 Clasico Seleccion de Potrillos at the same track, one of the two major race courses in Chile.
     At last report, Blue Shell was one of seven winners sired by Muqtarib in Chile, though there may be more, for information from that country filters north slowly. 
     Muqtarib, who stands at Victory Rose Farms, Vacaville, shuttled to Chile for just one season, siring a crop of 57 foals who are now nearing the end of their 2-year-old season. Nineteen runners from that crop were reported to have started, with seven winners and three placed.
     Muqtarib, a Group 2 winner in England, has sired 53 winners and earners of more than $1,200,000 in the U. S., including stakes winner Whatsthenameman, a stakes winner at Bay Meadows and track-record setter at Santa Anita.
     He's a son of Gone West, sire of 77 stakes winners, out of a mare by The Minstrel who was a champion juvenile filly in Germany.--April 16.


Unusual Heat Continues Graded Stakes Run
     An uncontroversial stewards' decision disqualified the first finisher and awarded Lightmyfirebaby victory in Sunday's Grade 3 Las Cienegas Handicap at Santa Anita, extending Unusual Heat's blazing run of success in graded stakes races.
     Sons and daughters of California's leading sire have won one graded race and placed in three others in the past nine days--two at Santa Anita and two at Keeneland.
     In the 6 1/2-furlong Las Cienegas on the downhill turf course, Lightmyfirebaby crossed the finish line second, behind longshot Bahama Mama, who ducked out entering the stretch, impeding three other horses. After studying the tape of the race, the stewards disqualified Bahama Mama and placed her fourth, behind the other three.
     Lightmyfirebaby's win marked the fourth graded race since April 5 in which Unusual Heat runners have either won or placed. 
     Bel Air Sizzle started the run on April 5 by finishing third in the Grade 2 Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita. Golden Doc A followed with a second in the Grade 2 Stonerside Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland and two days later Medzendeekron took third in the Grade 2 Commonwealth Stakes at the same track.
     Then Lightmyfirebaby won the Las Cienegas to become Unusual Heat's 10th graded runner--five winners, five placed.
     Lightmyfirebaby, now a 5-year-old, is enjoying sudden late-career success. Only a month ago, after her March 10 race, in her last two starts she had run sixth and fourth in allowances and had never run in a stakes race.
     Then, on March 17, she won the California-bred Irish O'Brien Stakes and followed with a second in the open $100,000 Valentine Dancer Handicap on April 6. Then came the Las Cienegas.
     With five wins, two seconds, and two thirds in 17 starts over just two seasons, she's earned $293,546. She didn't make her first start until January of her 4-year-old season.
     Bred in California by David Abrams, Victor Johnson, Jack Nakkashian, and Paul Wick, she's owned by the Richard J. O'Neill Trust and trained by Barry Abrams. She was ridden by Alex Solis.
     Unusual Heat, a multiple stakes-winning son of Nureyev, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--April 15.

Cardiff Choice Captures G1 Arkansas Derby
     Bloodstock consultant Suzanne Cardiff is pretty happy following the impressive victory of Gayego in Saturday's $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.
     But there's a chance that her mood will move upward to pure joy on May 3, because that's the day that the colt that she selected for purchase as a yearling is expected to run in the Kentucky Derby.
     The Arcadia-based consultant selected the son of Gilded Time for his present owners to purchase in the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale, and they took the colt for $32,000 from the consignment of Warrendale Sales, agent for Hargus and Sandra Sexton.
     That purchase has proved to be a spectacular success, for Gayego has earned $723,420 in just five starts--three wins and two seconds. In addition to the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, he won a maiden special weight race and the $75,000 San Pedro Stakes, in which he set a new Santa Anita Cushion Track record of 1:13.69 for 6 1/2 furlongs, and finished second in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes.
     His first four races all were on artificial surfaces at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita, but his victory at Oaklawn Park showed that he could race as effectively on the dirt and cleared the way for him to move on to Churchill Downs.
     Gayego is owned by Cubanacan Stables, the nom de course of two natives of Cuba who are long-time Southern California residents--Carlos Juelle and Dr. Jose Prieto. Juelle is a Los Angeles businessman who lives in Rolling Hills Estates; Prieto; Dr. Prieto lives in Glendale and has a medical practice in Cudahy.
     The Cardiff arrangement works like this: She prepares a list of desirable horses within an anticipated price range, meets with Juelle and Dr. Prieto, and they discuss the recommendations. Then the partners attend the sale, retain a veterinarian to inspect the prospects, then bid on the surviving prospects until they are successful.
     Gayego, who is named for an area in Northern Spain, was the favorite in Saturday's Arkansas Derby and is expected to be well-regarded in the Kentucky Derby as well.--April 14.


Unusual Heat Colt G2-Placed in Stakes Debut
     After spending most of his career making a comfortable living in allowance races in Southern California, Medzendeekron left his familiar competitive and geographical surroundings Saturday, shipping to Kentucky to run in the first added-money race of his career--the $400,000 Grade 2 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland.
     And the 5-year-old came away with a third-place finish that made him Unusual Heat's 22nd stakes horses and his ninth runner to win or place in a graded race.
     Going into the Commonwealth Stakes, Medzendeekron had earned $151,252 in 11 starts after a slow start at the beginning of his career in May of his 3-year-old season. 
     Unraced at 2, the California-bred didn't break his maiden until his fifth start in maiden special weight company, the first three at Hollywood Park and the second two at Del Mar, where he finally reached the winner's circle with a 5 1/4-length victory.
     In six allowance races after that, he won twice and placed twice, and after the second of those wins, a 6 1/2-furlong non-winners other than maiden or claiming race on March 1 at Santa Anita, he moved up to an entirely different level--a seven-furlong Grade 2 stakes race in the heart of the Bluegrass.
     At the start it appeared that he didn't belong in that company. He broke last in the field of 10 and was still there after a quarter-mile. Then he started to move and though he raced four wide on the turn moved up to finish third, less than two lengths back of the winner.
     His $30,000 purse in the Commonwealth increased his earnings to $181,252 for owner-breeders David Abrams, Hagop Nakkashian, and Tom Roberts. He's trained by Barry Abrams and was ridden in the Commonwealth by Eibar Coa.
     Unusual Heat, sire of earners of more than $13,600,000, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--April 14.


Golden Doc A 2nd in Grade 2 Keeneland Stake
     Unusual Heat's talented 3-year-old daughter Golden Doc A ventured outside California for the first time Thursday and showed that she can perform with the best on any stage by taking second place in the Grade 2 $250,000 Stonerside Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland.
     Golden Doc A raced eighth in the field of nine in the early going in the seven-furlong event and when she launched her challenge she was forced ten wide on the turn for home, losing ground that she could never make up.
     Nevertheless, she battled the winner to the wire, yielding by just one length.
     Her $50,000 purse increased Golden Doc A's earnings to $455,356 in just 12 starts, all but one in stakes races. Her record now shows wins in the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes and the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita, the Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar, seconds in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks, the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes, and the Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita and the Grade 2 Stonerside Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland, and a third in the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park.
     Golden Doc A, who was weighted on the Experimental Free Handicap at 2, now has won or placed in five graded stakes races.
     Bred in California by David Abrams, she's owned by Ron McCauley and trained by Barry Abrams. She was ridden Thursday by Rafael Bejarano.
     Unusual Heat, California's leading sire of 2008 to date, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--April 12.

Redattore's Juveniles Sparkle in Brazil 
     Redattore (Brz)'s first California foals are just reaching the races, but 2-year-olds from his only Brazilian crop are running--and running well.
     Redattore (Brz), a Group/Grade 1 winner in both Brazil and the United States, began his stud career in his native country but stood there only one season before coming to California, where he stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga.
     Three of his sons have won so far in Brazil--two of them stakes horses--and two others have placed. From his crop of 14 foals, 13 have started. Each of his unplaced runners has started just once, according to The Jockey Club's Equineline database..
     The most successful of his runners is Estrela Do Oriente, who has started three times. He broke his maiden by 3 1/2 lengths, then took the Premio Jose Calmon and followed that with a third in the Group 3 Grande Premio Mario De Azevedo Ribeiro.
     Another stakes horse is Grande Crack, who's started twice, winning his first race and placing second in the Premio Hernani Azevedo Silva.
     All those races were run at Gavea racecourse in Rio de Janiero.
     Redattore (Brz) is the sire of 43 foals from his first California crop. His only starter to date is Sherry's Reddy, fifth in a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita in his only race.
    Redattore (Brz) won three group races--one Group 1--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 combined earnings of $1,799,883 in Brazil and the U. S.--April 10.

Good Journey Filly Is G1 Winner in Australia
     Good Journey's daughter Grand Journey established herself as one of the dominant 3-year-old fillies in Australia Sunday with a hard-fought victory in the Group 1 $460,900 Schweppes WATC Derby at Ascot.
     The Australian publication Breednet reported the event as follows: "In the space of a week, Grand Journey completed the classic double following her comfortable win in the Group 3 West Australian Oaks. She becomes the third filly in the last eight years to complete the double."
     She is reported to be pointing for the Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks April 30 at Royal Randwick.
     Jockey William Pike roused Grand Journey with about 600 meters remaining in the 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) race and she got the jump on favorite Yuro, who closed with a rush but was unable to overtake the winner, who prevailed by a long head.
     With five wins, three seconds, and two thirds in 17 career starts, Grand Journey has amassed earnings of $558,476. 
     Grand Journey is one of two group winners from Good Journey's first crop, which also includes Group 2 winner Sound Journey.
     Good Journey began his stud career in Australia, where he stood four seasons before moving to California for the 2007 breeding season. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--April 8.


Unusual Heat's Daughters Enjoy the Weekend
     Two daughters of Unusual Heat added to their sire's stakes successes and his California-leading 2008 earnings total Saturday and Sunday at Santa Anita.
     The $40,060 in combined earnings of Bel Air Sizzle and Lightmyfirebaby in weekend stakes races boosted Unusual Heat's 2008 sire earnings to $1,563,267, more than $500,000 ahead of the state's No. 2, Benchmark.
     Bel Air Sizzle's third-place finish in the Saturday's Grade 2 Providencia Stakes marked the 3-year-old filly's first venture into stakes company, and it increased Unusual Heat's total of stakes horses to 21, eight of whom have won or placed in graded races. She earned $18,000 in the Providencia.
     Lightmyfirebaby's second-place finish in Sunday's $100,000 Valentine Dancer Handicap was only the second stakes race for the 5-year-old mare. She made her first stakes start on March 17 in her 15th career race and won the Irish O'Brien Stakes at Santa Anita.
     Both are trained by Barry Abrams.
     Bel Air Sizzle's record now shows three wins and two fourths in seven starts, in addition to her third in the Providencia. She's earned $98.600 She was bred in California by her owners, Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams, and Vincenzo Loverso.
     Lightmyfirebaby has earnings of $225,926 in 16 starts--$22,600 of it in the Valentine Dancer--with four wins, two seconds, and two thirds. She was bred in California by David Abrams, Victor Johnson, Jack Nakkashian and Paul Wick and is owned by the Richard J. O'Neill Trust.
     Unusual Heat, sire of 42 earners of more than $100,000, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--April 8.


Matty G Chalks Up Stakes Horse No. 19
     In only his second venture into added-money competition, Vinny V. became Matty G's 19th stakes horse with a second-place finish in the $50,000 Daylight Sprint Thoroughbred Stakes Sunday at Sunland Park.
     For a time it appeared that Vinny V's effort might result in a stakes victory, but after leading entering the stretch of the six-furlong race, he drifted out despite jockey Travis Wales's use of a right-handed whip and fell behind to lose by a length and a quarter.
     After winning a maiden special weight race at Turfway Park in his second start last year at 2, Vinny V. proved himself unready for stakes company by running eighth in the Presque Isle Downs Juvenile Stakes in his next outing.
     Then he was unplaced in two starts at Keeneland and Turfway Park, but since shipping to Sunland Park for his 3-year-old season, he's won and run second in allowance races and followed with his second-place finish in the Daylight Sprint.
     The Kentucky-bred has started eight times with two wins, two seconds, and earnings of $48,143. He's never run in a claiming race.
     Bred by Marian B. Davis, he's owned by Harry L. Veruchi and trained by Jon Arnett.
     Matty G was Washington's leading sire in 2006 and 2007 and is in front this year as well. He stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw,Wash.--April 8.


Race by Race, Decarchy Son Climbs to a Win
     A steady climb upward paid off with a victory for Da Nicky Saturday at Bay Meadows as he rallied late to become Decarchy's 13th winner.
     The 3-year-old, who began his racing career late last year with two thirds followed by a fifth in three starts at Golden Gate Fields, started the new year by improving steadily, starting with a sixth-place finish and moving up with each race after that--fourth, second, and then first on Saturday.
     That victory didn't come easily. Da Nicky raced fifth among 11 runners around both turns of the 1 1/16-mile race, finally moving into fourth place at the top of the stretch and, despite being bothered as he passed a tiring rival, pulled away steadily to reach the wire a length and a quarter on top.
     With a win, a second, two thirds and a fourth in seven starts, Da Nicky has earned $20,040 for owner-breeder Randy Morris. The California-bred is trained by Ed Moger, Jr., and was ridden to his win by Francisco Duran.
     Decarchy, California's leading freshman sire of 2007, is represented by stakes winner Timehascometoday and stakes-placed Harlene. His runners have earned more than $470,000.
     The multiple graded stakes-winner of $703,862 stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--April 8.


Bonfante Rallies Late, Sets Course Record
     Already a two-time winner of the Bay Meadows Turf Sprint Championship Handicap, Bonfante did the only thing that remained to put his stamp on the $100,000 event--he set a new course record.
     In winning the five-furlong race for the third consecutive time, the 7-year-old California-bred son of Fruition stopped the clock at 56.28 seconds, breaking the course record of 56.32 seconds set by Excessive Barb in 2004 and increasing his career earnings to $696,121.
     Bonfante had to work for his $60,000 paycheck, racing seventh in the field of nine at the three-eighths as the leaders set a sizzling pace. But jockey Frank Alvarado found room on the rail and sent Bonfante into the lead a sixteenth from the finish. He won a heated duel to the wire to win by a head.
     In 31 career starts from 3 to 7, Bonfante has never raced outside California, but that's about to change. His owner-breeder, Lewis Figone, said after the race that the California-bred's next start will be in the $500,000 Smile Sprint Handicap, a Grade 2 race July 12 at Calder Race Course.
     Bonfante's record now shows 12 wins, six seconds, and three thirds, including nine stakes victories--two of them Grade 3--and six stakes placings.
     Fruition, a winning son of champion Woodman, stands at Oak Hill Farm, Paso Robles, Calif.--April  7.


Bob Black Jack 2nd in G1 Santa Anita Derby
     Any doubt that Bob Black Jack can run with the best around two turns was removed Saturday when the son of Stormy Jack narrowly missed winning the Grade 1 $750,000 Santa Anita Derby at a mile and an eighth.
     In spite of drifting out twice and drifting in once in the stretch drive, Bob Black Jack fought to the finish and finished just a half-length back of winner Colonel John.
     By setting a world record of 1:06.53 in January's Sunshine Millions Dash Stakes in January, Bob Black Jack became identified as a sprinter, but he removed that perception with a third-place finish last month in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles and Saturday's Derby performance at 1 1/8 miles.
     He raced second all the way in the 11-horse Derby, forcing the pace and finally taking a brief lead but being overtaken near the finish by fast-closing Colonel John.
     Bob Black Jack's $150,000 purse increased his career earnings to $442,925 in seven starts. He's won three with two seconds and a third, unplaced only when he finished fourth in the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue Stakes.
     He was bred in California by Gary and Marlene Howard and Bruce Dunmore and is owned by Jeff Harmon and Tim Kasparoff. He's trained by James Kasparoff and was ridden in the Derby by Richard Migliore.
     Stormy Jack, a multiple stakes winner of $596,673, stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga, Calif.--April 7.


Reporting for Duty: Four Grade 2 Placings
     Reporting for Duty affirmed once again that he's a legitimate graded stakes runner with a third-place finish Saturday in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, a $500,000 feature of the Oaklawn Park meeting.
     The 4-year-old son of Deputy Commander has placed in Grade 2 races at Hawthorne, Thistledown, the Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park in addition to winning ungraded stakes at Sam Houston Race Park and Zia Park.
     In his last 11 starts, first three allowance races and then eight consecutive stakes, he's been unplaced just once. Overall, his record shows 16 starts, three wins, five seconds, and three thirds for earnings of $66,846.
     After racing last in the seven-horse field--trailing by as much as 12 lengths on the backstretch--Reporting for Duty staged a belated rally but ran into traffic, finally getting up for third place, too late to contend for the lead.
     Reporting for Duty, bred in Kentucky by McMillin Brothers and James Devaney, is owned by M. Cathy and R. L. Bob Zollars and trained by Steve Asmussen. He was ridden Saturday by Shaun Bridgmohan.
     Deputy Commander, sire of earners of more than $20,000,000, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--April 7.


Bestdressed's Big Surge Yields Black Type
     An explosive burst carried Bestdressed from last place Friday at Santa Anita, and he become Lit de Justice's 31st stakes horse with a third-place finish in the $125,000-added Sensational Star Handicap.
     The 4-year-old also became the fourth blacktype  horse from Lit de Justice's first two California-sired crops. He ran second last fall in the California Cup Starter Sprint Handicap at Santa Anita, but that race didn't qualify for black type. The Sensational Star did.
     Those two California crops, now 3 and 4 years old, have produced 31 winners and earners of more than $1,200,000. Bestdressed has contributed $130,500 of the total with three wins, three seconds, and six thirds in 18 starts.
     In the Sensational Star at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course, Bestdressed broke last in the field of seven and stayed there until he reached the stretch, where he surged forward to pass all but the final two leaders, winding up a length and three quarters behind the winner.
     He was bred in California by Paul Boghossian, is owned by Triple B Farms, is trained by Dan McFarlane, and was ridden Friday by Jon Court. 
     Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Lit de Justice, sire of earners of more than $16,600,000, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--April 6.
 

Sea of Pleasure Returns to His Stakes Groove
     Sea of Pleasure, brushing off the only blemish on his record, returned to his successful ways Saturday with a third-place finish in the $75,000-added San Miguel Stakes at Santa Anita.
     In six career starts, the 3-year-old son of Sea of Secrets has failed to win or place only once.  That was in his last race before the San Miguel, the Grade 3 Baldwin Stakes, in which he finished seventh.
     Before that, he'd won three of his first four career starts--a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita, an allowance race at Hollywood Park, and the Sophomore Sprint Stakes at Bay Meadows. His only non-winning start came in the San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita, in which he finished second.
     His record now shows three wins, a second, and a third in six starts, good for earnings of $107,800. Four of those six starts came in stakes races.
     In the six-furlong San Miguel, Sea of Pleasure led most of the way to the stretch but weakened and wound up third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths for all of it.
     He was bred in Illinois by Valerie Blethen and is owned by Steve and Terry Burnett, Bruno DeJulio, Gail Searing, and the JS Bohon Stable. He's trained by Jeff Mullins and was ridden in the San Miguel by Tyler Baze.
     Sea of Secrets, a graded stakes-winning son of Storm Cat, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--April 2.


Andover the Cash Gets Her Black Type
     Enjoying a late-life surge in a lengthy and productive career, Andover the Cash reached a goal Saturday that will help her in her post-race endeavors.
     In her 32nd start, the 5-year-old daughter of Unusual Heat earned the black type that will add to her broodmare value by finishing third in the $55,000-added Hillsborough Handicap at Bay Meadows.
     But her three-season racing career has reached a peak in a productive streak that began last September 23. Beginning that day, she's won three races and placed second in two, third in two, and fourth in one, never off the board in eight starts, two stakes races and six allowances.
     In four starts in 2008 alone, she's earned $63,180, a major portion of her career bankroll of $153,198.
     In the 11-horse Hillsborough at a mile on the turf, Andover the Cash raced in midpack most of the way before edging her way up in the stretch to seize third place.
     She was bred in California by Abrams/Roberts, Nakkashian, P. Johnson, and V. Johnson and is owned by William DeBurgh. She's trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and was ridden in the Hillsborough by Kyle Kaenel.
     Unusual Heat, California's leading 2008 sire to date, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--April 2.


Unbeaten Unusual Heat Filly Cops G3 Stake
     Unusual Heat's brilliant sire career became even brighter Sunday when his 3-year-old daughter Lethal Heat captured the Grade 3 Santa Paula Stakes at Santa Anita to remain undefeated in three career starts.
     The California-bred broke fifth in the 6 1/2-furlong event and moved up steadily, finally taking the lead at the eighth pole and drawing away to win by a length and three quarters under urging by jockey Gerry Olguin.
     Unraced at 2, Lethal Heat has started three times at 3--all in March at Santa Anita--and has won them all, along the way becoming Unusual Heat's 42nd earner of $100,000 or more from only 187 starters.
     She debuted on March 1 with a maiden special weight victory and followed with an allowance win on March 20 before capturing the Santa Paula in her first stakes effort. Her earnings now total $146,219.
     Bred by David Abrams, Madeline Auerbach, and Tom Roberts, Lethal Heat is owned by her trainer, Barry Abrams, in partnership with M. Auerbach LLC.
     Lethal Heat is Unusual Heat's 20th stakes horse, the latest name added to a list that includes four graded winners and three graded-placed winners.
     Unusual Heat has average earnings per starter of more than $71,000 and median earnings per starter of more than $37,000. He stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--April 1.


Another Group Winner for Good Journey
     Good Journey's first Australian foals, nearing the end of their 3-year-old season, are creating a sparkling record for their departed sire, now standing in California.
     He collected his second group stakes winner in little more than a month Saturday when favored Grand Journey scored a front-running two-length victory in the Group 3 $250,000 ($231,510US) West Australian Oaks at Ascot racecourse in Perth.
     She moved into that elite company to join Sound Journey, who captured the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes in late February.
     Grand Journey now has four wins and five placings from 16 starts for earnings of $292,850 ($228,807US). In her last start before the Oaks, she captured the ungraded Natasha Stakes, also at Ascot.
     Bred in Australia by L. E. King and trained by David Birdeoake, Grand Journey is owned by a partnership. She was ridden in the Oaks by William Pike.
     Good Journey, a Grade 1 stakes winner of $1,733,058 in the U. S. and Canada, has nine winners from that crop, the first of four that he sired in Australia before departing for California.
     He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--March 31.


Decarchy Filly Scores by Four at Aqueduct
     California-bred fillies sired by Decarchy are making their mark on East Coast racetracks.
     They scored their second victory within a week Thursday when Sultry Katrina breezed to a wire-to-wire win at Aqueduct to become her sire's 12th winner.
     Her triumph came six days after another Decarchy daughter, Miss Maisy, had broken her maiden with a 7 1/2-length victory at Gulfstream Park.
     Favored Sultry Katrina, a 3-year-old, had little trouble dominating seven rivals in her fourth career start, taking the lead out of the gate in the six-furlong race and staying there to win by four lengths.
     After racing unplaced in her debut last September at Belmont Park, she returned to the races at Aqueduct in January, finishing second, beaten by a nose, and was unplaced again in February before Thursday's victory. She's earned $24,629 in those four starts.
     Though she's racing far from home, Sultry Katrina hasn't severed her California connections. Bred by K & M Stables, she's owned by Bay Meadows president F. Jack Liebau., Sr.
     She's trained by Linda Rice and was ridden to victory by Charles Lopez.
     Runners by Decarchy, last year's leading California freshman sire, have earned more than $450,000. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--March 29.


Golden Gear Mare Gets Fifth Stakes Placing
     Salty Attraction has won or placed in five stakes races, including a repeat performance Saturday in the Runza Stakes at Fonner Park.
     The 6-year-old daughter of Golden Gear turned in her second consecutive second-place finish in that event, duplicating her performance last April 7 when she earned the same result.
     She's also taken a second in a stake at Canterbury Park to go with a stakes win and three stakes placings at Fonner Park.
     Salty Attraction was moving up but was carried four wide on the turn for home in the six-furlong race, and that reduced her chances of overtaking the front-running winner, who reached the wire a length and a half in the lead. 
     The Kentucky-bred, who's never raced in a claiming race, has six wins, seven seconds, and three thirds in 24 career starts for earnings of $94,305 on the mid-America circuit of Fonner, Canterbury, Prairie Meadows, and Remington Park.
     She was bred and is owned by Robert D. Kirby and is trained by Mike Kirby. Her rider in the Runza was Larren Delorme.
     Golden Gear, sire of 20 stakes horses and earners of more than $10,200,000, stands at Fleming Thoroughbred Farm, Willcox, Ariz.--March 24.


Unusual Heat Son Starts Late, Still Succeeds
     Pass the Heat didn't reach the races until he was a 4-year-old, but he's been doing well since then.
     His latest success came Saturday when he finished third in the $55,000-added March Madness Handicap at one mile on the turf at Bay Meadows.
     Pass the Heat, a son of Unusual Heat, started for the first time on May 11, 2007, and in 11 starts since then he's won five races, placed in three others, and earned $136,299 for owner-breeder Joseph P. Morey, Jr.
     He began his career with a three-length victory in a $20,000 maiden claiming race at Golden Gate Fields and hasn't raced for a tag since then, winning the Bull Dog Stakes at Fresno and allowance races at Golden Gate Fields, Bay Meadows, and Santa Rosa.
     Third from start to finish in the March Madness, Pass the Heat threatened at the furlong pole but couldn't sustain his drive and wound up three lengths behind the winner.
     He's trained by William Morey, Jr., and was ridden Saturday by Kyle Kaenel.
     Unusual Heat, sire of earners of more than $13,000,000, including 41 earners of more than $100,000, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--March 24.


Decarchy Cal-Bred Breezes to Win in Florida
     California-breds haven't been winning in the Sunshine Millions competition, but the nine runners who chased Miss Maisy to the wire Friday at Gulfstream Park might find that hard to believe.
     The 3-year-old Cal-bred daughter of Decarchy crushed her adversaries, drawing away to win by 7 1/2-lengths within the short space of the five-furlong race. She broke third and at the first call was second, just a length back of the leader, then took charge and pulled away steadily for her first career victory.
     Bettors who made her the second favorite at 2.70-to-1 odds knew what they were doing even though her performance in two previous starts at the Florida track was dismal, unplaced in both while finishing far back. In three starts at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park, she'd placed once.
     But Friday's race was entirely different, and she easily became her sire's 10th winner and increased his runners' earnings to $427,483 for little more than a year at the races.
     Bred by Wesley A. Ward, Miss Maisy is owned by her breeder in partnership with Maggi Moss and Steve Romano. Ward is also her trainer. Victor Santiago was the jockey in her winning race.
     Decarchy, California's champion freshman sire of 2007, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--March 23.


Runners in Muqtarib's Chile Crop Doing Well
     Muqtarib shuttled to Chile just long enough to sire a single crop, but he left behind foals who know how to run and win.
     Muqtarib, who stands at Victory Rose Thoroughbreds, Vacaville, journeyed to Chile to sire a crop of 57 foals who are now 2-year-olds, and he hasn't returned, though breeders in that South American country probably wish that he would.
     Though they're still in their first season of racing, those foals include seven winners and three placed runners from 19 starters, one of whom broke through into the graded stakes level of racing last week.
     Blue Shell, winner of his first start, followed up with a second-place finish March 15 in the Grade 3 Clasico Seleccion de Potrillos at Hipodromo Chile in Santiago, one of Chile's two major racetracks.
     In the U. S., Muqtarib, a Group 2 winner in England, is the sire of 53 winners and earners of more than $1,200,000, including Whatsthenameman, who broke the Santa Anita track record for two furlongs in his second start and went on to win a Bay Meadows stakes race in his third.
     Muqtarib is a son of Gone West, sire of 77 stakes winners and numerous champions.--March 20.
 

Good Journey Leads Magali Sire Successes
     Paced most recently by the achievements of Good Journey's runners in Australia, Magali Farms sires are continuing to find success.
     Three Magali sires were in the news on a single day Monday when a daughter of Good Journey won a stakes race in Australia, a daughter of Lit de Justice placed in a stakes race at Santa Anita, and a son of Atticusplaced in a stakes race at Turfway Park.
     They didn't make this week's news, but runners by another Magali Farms sire, Decarchy, are continuing to race with the ability that earned him the California freshman sire championship of 2007.
     Good Journey entered the stud in Australia and sired four crops there before coming to California for the 2007 breeding season. He has nine winners from his first Australian crop, two of them stakes winners.
     His first Australian stakes winner was Sound Journey (Grade 2 Top Cut Alister Clark Stakes), and Grand Journey became his second when she captured the Natasha Stakes at Ascot in Perth.
     The 3-year-old scored by 4 1/2 lengths in the $70,387 event at 2,200 meters--about 1 3/8 miles--to increase her career earnings to $127,526.
     On the same day at Santa Anita, Justice Is Brief became Lit de Justice's 30th stakes horse by finishing a closing second in the $125,000-added Irish O'Brien Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course.
     Always in a challenging position, Justice Is Brief closed stoutly and was gaining on the winner at the finish, winding up just a three-quarter length back.
     In 16 career starts, the 4-year-old has earned $80,641 with one win, five seconds, and a third. She was bred in California by Magali Ventures, LLC, and is owned by her breeder in partnership with Owners Stables and Victor Racing, and CNG Racing Stables. She's trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden in the Irish O'Brien by Tyler Baze.
     On the same day at Turfway Park, Atticus's veteran son Atticus Kristy increased his career earnings to $573,482 with a second-place finish in the $50,000 St. Patricks Day Handicap at six furlongs.
     Although he never could threaten the winner, the 7-year-old came on strong in the stretch to wrest second place from the early leader in the race.
     In 43 starts over six seasons, he's had 10 wins, eight seconds, and 10 thirds. He's won three stakes, including the Grade 3 Shakertown Handicap at Keeneland, and placed in eight others, three of them graded.
     He was bred in Kentucky by Centaur Farms, Inc., and is owned by his breeder and Dan Lynch. He's trained by Merrill Scherer and was ridden in Monday's race by Brian Hernandez, Jr.
     Good Journey, Lit de Justice, and Atticus all stand at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--March 19.


Lightmyfirebaby Enters 1st Stakes Race, Wins
     Unplaced in four of her last five starts in allowance company, Lightmyfirebaby didn't appear to be poised for victory in the first stakes race of her career Monday at Santa Anita, but she won it just the same.
     The 5-year-old daughter of Unusual Heat swooped off the slope of the downhill turf course to stage a determined stretch drive and capture the $125,000-added Irish O'Brien Stakes in the final sixteenth.
     After running near the middle of the 10-horse pack in the downhill portion of the 6 1/2-furlong race on the grass, Lightmyfirebaby was roused by jockey Chantal Sutherland entering the stretch and moved from fourth to second and finally to the lead to triumph by three-quarters of a length.
     Her victory made her Unusual Heat's 11th stakes winner and his 18th stakes horse.
     Going into the Irish O'Brien, Lightmyfirebaby had never faced stakes company in 14 career starts in which she had put together a record of three wins, a second, and two thirds for earnings of $120,316.
     Unraced at 2 and 3, she broke her maiden in a $50,000 claimer in her fourth start at 4 and won only twice--two allowance races at Santa Anita--in her next 10 starts. 
     Prior to Monday's race, she'd raced unplaced in four of her last five races, all allowances, a streak interrupted midway by a win on February 9. But she made her stakes debut, anyway, and wound up in the winner's circle, with a career bankroll that had swollen to $203,866.
     She was bred in California by the partnership of David Abrams, Victor Johnson, Jack Nakkashian and Paul Wick and is owned by an overlapping partnership of Abrams, Johnson, Hagop Nakkashian, and Richard Pateaude. Her trainer is Barry Abrams.
     Unusual Heat, California's leading 2008 sire to date with progeny earnings of $1,131,587, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--March 19.


Celtic Dreamin Wins, Earnings Top $600,000
     Celtic Dreamin powered from last to first Sunday at Santa Anita to win the $100,000-added Crystal Water Handicap and carry his career earnings past the $600,000 mark.
     The 4-year-old son of Game Plan raced last in the field of eight to the second turn of the one-mile turf event before launching a run that carried him to third at the top of the lane and to victory in the final yards.
     Celtic Dreamin was carried six wide around the final turn but recovered to move boldly through the stretch under jockey Alex Solis to win by a neck.
     The victory was his sixth in 11 starts along with four second-place finishes. He's been unplaced only once, in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in his last previous outing. Unraced at 2, he's earned $600,543 at 3 and 4.
     Bred in California by Rainbow Meadows Farm, Celtic Dreamin is owned by K. K. Sangara and trained by Rafael Becerra.
     Game Plan, sire of 29 stakes horses, stands at E. A. Ranches, Santa Ysabel, Calif.--March 18.


Jack Hes Tops Gains First Graded Placing
     An 11-month layoff and a change of environment were good for Jack Hes Tops, who graduated to graded stakes company with a second-place finish in Sunday's $100,000 Bay Meadows Sprint Handicap.
     The California-bred 4-year-old son of Washington sire He's Tops had raced only in New Mexico when he left the track after a fourth-place finish in the WinStar Derby at Sunland Park last March 18. 
     In five starts at the New Mexico track, he won a maiden special weight race and an allowance race along with a second-place finish in the Borderland Derby.
     He returned to action at Bay Meadows with a second-place finish February 7 in an allowance race and came back Sunday in his first attempt against graded stakes adversaries. He came away with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 event, increasing his career earnings to $119,030 in seven starts.
     Bred by Ray Holmes, Charlotte Holmes and Jurene Stuart, he's owned by Lawrence M. Karp and his trainer, Dennis Ward. He was ridden Sunday by Roberto Gonzalez.
     He's Tops, a son of Seattle Slew, is the sire of 18 stakes horses. He stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--March 18.


Bob Black Jack Moves Upward Two Levels
     Bob Black Jack, who's feasted on the competition in restricted races, moved up two levels and came away with a third-place finish in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes Sunday at Santa Anita.
     The speedy 3-year-old son of Stormy Jack has earned $292,925 in six starts without ever running in an unrestricted, ungraded stakes race. He skipped that level upon entering the San Felipe, and he came away with his third win or placing in his past three stakes starts.
     Bob Black Jack, who set a world record for six furlongs in winning the Sunshine Millions Dash Stakes in January, tried two turns for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe, and the result left unanswered the question of whether he can carry his speed over a distance of ground.
     Guided by jockey David Flores, he took the lead out of the gate and stayed on top into the final turn, never in front by more than a half-length. When the field entered the stretch, he was second, only a half-length back, and though he eventually wound up third, he was beaten just a length and three quarters. 
     The official chart said that he "only gave ground grudgingly late," testimony that he was far from staggering to the finish line.
     Bob Black Jack, bred in California by Gary Howard, Marlene Howard, and Bruce Dunmore, is owned by Jeff Harmon and Tim Kasparoff and trained by James Kasparoff.
     Stormy Jack, California's second-leading freshman sire of 2007, stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga, Calif.--March 18.


Bonfante Nails Grade 3 Win by 4 1/2 Lengths
     Bonfante reaffirmed his status as one of the West's premier sprinters Saturday at Bay Meadows with a 4 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Bay Meadows Sprint Handicap.
     Jockey Frank Alvarado held Bonfante back while favored Tribesman and Vicarino battled, and as they tired he sent the 7-year-old son of Fruition into a lead that grew to 4 1/2 lengths at the finish.
     [For a detailed report of the race in The Blood-Horse, with video, click here.]
     Bonfante's second Grade 3 victory increased his earnings to $636,121 over a career in which he's won eight stakes races and placed in six others--five seconds and a third. In addition to winning the Grade 3 San Simeon Handicap at Santa Anita, he took second in the Grade 3 Hollywood Park Turf Express Handicap. 
     Unraced at 2, he's won 11 races, with six seconds and three thirds in 30 starts over five seasons. His last 19 starts have been in stakes races, a stretch in which he's been off the board only three times.
     Bonfante was bred in California by his owners, Frankfurt Stables and Eugene Tenbrink, and is trained by Ron McAnally.
     Fruition, a winning son of champion Woodman, stands at Oak Hill Farm, Paso Robles, Calif.--March 17.


Gayego a Graded Runner in Only 4th Start
     Continuing his rapid climb up the ladder of Thoroughbred competition, 3-year-old Gayego finished a contentious second in the $200,000 San Felipe Stakes, a Grade 2 event Saturday at Santa Anita.
     Gayego, a $32,000 yearling selection by consultant Suzanne Cardiff making only his fourth career start, not only was facing graded-stakes competition for the first time but also was moving beyond sprint distances for the fist time.
     After winning his career debut at six furlongs in a maiden special weight race at Hollywood Park, moved out to 6 1/2 furlongs for a second-place finish at Santa Anita. 
     In his third start on January 20, he not only moved up to stakes company but into the winner's circle again in the San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita, a race in which he set a new track record for 6 1/2 furlongs on the Cushion Track surface. 
     In his fourth start, the San Felipe, he pressed and finally overtook leader Bob Black Jack but was in turn passed by favored Georgie Boy in the final sixteenth, finishing just three-quarters of a length back of the winner.
     Cardiff selected the son of Gilded Time in the September, 2006, Keeneland yearling sale for Cubancan Stables, for whom he's earned $123,420. Gayego is trained by Paulo Lobo and was ridden in the San Felipe by Mike Smith.
     Cardiff, a long-time owner, breeder, and consultant, is based in Arcadia, Calif.--March 17.


Top Freshman Sires Add Sophomore Winners
     Two of California's leading freshman sires of 2007 burnished their records Friday by sending out maiden 3-year-old winners in two states.
     Decarchy, the state's champion freshman sire last year, chalked up his ninth winner when Fifty Two in a Row led most of the way to break her maiden at Bay Meadows.
     Capsized, California's No. 3 freshman sire of 2007, added his eighth winner when Antelope scored easily at Sam Houston Race Park in her first career start.
     Decarchy's career progeny earnings now exceed $390,00; Capsized's runners have earned more than $200,000.
     Fifty Two in a Row, unplaced in her first two starts, stretched out to one mile for the first time and had little trouble finding the winner's circle in her third effort, taking the lead coming out of the final turn and keeping it to the finish, hitting the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front.
     Antelope, beginning her career at a mile and 70 yards, broke second and dogged the leader all the way to midstretch, where she moved ahead and extended her lead to the finish, winding up 4 1/4 lengths in front.
     Fifth Two in a Row was bred and is owned by Barbara T. Kolbe and is trained by Robert Hess, Sr. She's a Cal-bred, ridden in Friday's race by Luis Contreras.
     Antelope, bred in California by BnD Chase Thoroughbreds, is owned by Tigertail Ranch and trained by Danny Pish. She was ridden Friday by Quincy Hamilton.
     Decarchy stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.; Capsized stands at Eagle Oak Ranch, Paso Robles, Calif.--March 16.


Third Grade 2 Placing for Reporting for Duty
     Reporting for Duty, a double stakes winner looking for his first graded victory, didn't reach that goal Saturday in the $480,000 Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at the Fair Grounds and had to settle for a $50,000 third-place purse.
     The 4-year-old son of Deputy Commander didn't threaten the two leaders in one of the feature events of the Fair Grounds meeting, but his substantial  consolation prize increased his career earnings to $416,846 in 15 starts.
     Reporting for Duty raced fifth all the way to the stretch in the 1 1/18-mile event, then moved up to third and finished  four lengths ahead of the fourth runner.
     In addition to two ungraded stakes wins, Reporting for Duty now has three Grade 2 placings--a second in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Park and thirds in Saturday's race and in the Ohio Derby at Thistledown.
     He has put together a string of consistent performances that now covers his last 10 races in which he's won twice, run second five times, and third twice. He's been off the board only once over that span.
     Reporting for Duty, bred in Kentucky by McMillin Brothers and James Devaney, is owned by M. Cathy and R. L. Bob Zollars and trained by Steve Asmussen. His rider in Saturday's race was Shaun Bridgmohan.
     Deputy Commander, sire of earners of more than $20,000,000, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--March 11.


Tannersmyman Surprise! A Graded Winner!
     Tannersmyman was due for a stakes winner, and he got one--and then some--from an unexpected source Saturday when Autism Awareness captured the $150,000 El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows at 62-to-1 odds.
     The bonus for Tannermyman was that the Derby not only was a stakes race but was a graded one as well--Grade 3. He already was the sire of five winners from seven starters, including a stakes-placed earner of more than $100,000, and Autism Awareness's victory added significant muscle to that record.
     Autism Awareness had broken his maiden only six weeks earlier, in his 13th career start, and moved all the way up to the Grade 3 Derby for his next start after that.
     The longest shot in the field of nine, he entered the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile event in fourth place and powered to the lead halfway through the lane and drew away to win by a length and a half, paying $126.00 for a winning $2.00 ticket.
     With two wins, three seconds, and a third in 14 starts, he's earned $151,967 for owner Johnny Taboada of Pleasanton, who bought him for only $1,000 at the CTBA Northern California yearling sale last September. Autism Awareness's unusual name was given him by Taboada, who wanted to call attention to the disability that afflicts his 8-year-old son Renzo.
     Autism Awareness is trained by Genaro Vallejo. He was ridden in the Derby by Luis Contreras.
     Tannersmyman, a stakes-winning son of Lord Carson, stands at Woodbridge Farm, Oakdale, Calif.--March 10.


Golden Doc A Just Misses Grade 1 Win No. 2
     Golden Doc A's troubled drive from last place in the field of nine in the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks Saturday fell a half-length short and her try for a second consecutive Grade 1 victory narrowly failed.
     The Unusual Heat filly rallied from last place to win the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes February 9 at the Arcadia track, but her bid to repeat her success in her next outing failed when she was squeezed at the start and had to swing five wide into the stretch.
     She entered the stretch in fifth place in the field of nine, four lengths back of the leader, and under jockey Rafael Bejarano she made up all but a half-length before settling for second place.
     Her purse of $60,000 increased her career earnings to $405,356 and made her the fifth runner by Unusual Heat to exceed $400,000 in winnings. She's started 11 times with three wins, three seconds, and a third, and has raced only in stakes after her initial start, in which she finished fifth.
     Bred in California by David Abrams, she's owned by Ron McCauley and trained by Barry Abrams.
     Unusual Heat, California's leading sire of 2008 to date, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--March 10.


It's Now 41 Unusual Heat $100,000 Earners
     Unusual Heat's lengthy list of earners of more that $100,000 added its 41st name Sunday when Medzendeekron scored a lucrative victory in an allowance race at Santa Anita.
     The $52,260 winner's share of the $81,066 purse rocketed the 5-year-old's career earnings from $98,992 all the way up to $151,252 in 11 starts.
     With 41 of his 184 starters exceeding $100,000 in earnings, Unusual Heat boasts a remarkable 22.3 percent of runners reaching that level. They have contributed strongly to his average earnings of more than $68,000, median earnings of more than $35,000, and Average Earnings Index of 2.03, the best or near the best among California sires in each of those categories.
     At present, Unusual Heat is California's leading sire of 2008, with progeny earnings of $830,517, far ahead of second-place Bertrando at $499,589 and third-place Deputy Commander at $488,253.
     Medzendeekron was bred in California by his owners, David Abrams, Hagop Nakkashian, and Tom Roberts, and is trained by Barry Abrams.
     Unusual Heat, a stakes-winning son of Nureyev, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--March 4.


Somethinaboutlaura's Earnings: $1,129,365
     Somethinaboutlaura, Woodbridge Farm's favorite daughter, increased her career earnings to $1,129,365 and added another entry to her lengthy stakes ledger with a second-place finish in the $65,000-added Foster City Handicap Saturday at Bay Meadows.
     The 6-year-old, born and raised at Woodbridge Farm, was seeking her third victory in the Foster City, but she had to settle for second place after leading all the way to the final sixteenth of the one-mile event. In the words of the official chart, she "fought back gamely and gave way grudgingly in the final stages" to yield by a length.
     The durable daughter of Dance Floor has won 14 stakes races and placed in 10 others in a career that has seen her finish off the board only four times in 34 starts over five seasons. She has 18 wins five seconds, four thrids, and three fourths. Her wins include two victories in the Grade 2 A Gleam Handicap at Hollywood Park.
     Somethinaboutlaura, bred by longtime Woodbridge client, Lilley Ranch, was sold in 2006 for the highest price in the history of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale in Lexington, Ky.--$375,000. 
     She's owned by Jerry Hollendorfer, Charles D. Miller, John G. Sikura, and George Todaro and trained by Hollendorfer. She was ridden in the Foster City by Kyle Kaenel.
     Woodbridge Farm, a breeding and boarding establishment in Oakdale, Calif., stands the stallion Tannersmyman.--March 3.

Swiss Current Chalks Up Sixth Stakes Placing
     Swiss Current is seeing hardly anything but stakes-quality adversaries these days, and she's doing all right.
    The 4-year-old daughter of Swiss Yodeler made her ninth stakes start in 10 races Saturday at Bay Meadows and came away with a third-place finish in the $65,000-added Foster City Handicap.
     In those nine starts she's collected one win, a second, and two thirds to go with the two seconds she collected in stakes races before her current string of challenges began. In the midst of that 10-start series, she ran in one allowance race--and didn't do as well as she has done in stakes company, finishing fifth.
     In 10 2007 starts, all but three in stakes, she earned $140,207. Her career bankroll now totals $244,760, with three wins, five seconds, and three thirds in 19 starts. She's never run in a claiming race.
     She never challenged the leaders in the Foster City, but she had no trouble gaining the blacktype third-place finish, hitting the wire five lengths ahead of the fourth horse.
     Bred in California by her owner, Tailwind Racing, Inc., she's trained by Dough O'Neill. She was ridden in the Foster City by Chad Schvaneveldt
     Swiss Yodeler, sire of 28 stakes horses, stands at Pepper Oaks Farm, Santa Ynez, Calif.--March 3.


Wire to Wire, Capsized Son Wins 2nd in Row
     Nitro Active was trying two turns for the first time, but he took the lead at the start and stayed there all the way to register his second consecutive win Wednesday at Santa Anita.
     The 3-year-old son of Capsized moved from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles and had enough left at the finish to hold off a determined challenger and win by a half-length under urging by jockey Aaron Gryder.
     After finishing an unpromising seventh in his career debut in December at Hollywood Park, Nitro Active found the winning combination in his first start at Santa Anita on January 21 and made it two in a row and two out of three with Wednesday's front-running victory. His earnings now total $33,760.
     Nitro Active, bred in California by BnD Chase Thoroughbreds, Inc., is owned by his trainer, Brian Koriner, in partnership with Flintridge Stables and Venneri Racing, Inc.
     He is the second member of Capsized's first crop to win against winners. A filly, Maxie's Night Cap, has won three times. Capsized was among California's freshman sire leaders of 2007.
     Capsized, a graded stakes winner of $489,593, stands at Eagle Oak Ranch, Paso Robles, Calif.--February 29.


Another Decarchy Runner Wins for 3rd Time
   Decarchy, last year's California champion freshman sire, added another three-time winner to his record when Kiss My Crown surged from last to first for a 2 1/4-length victory Sunday at Santa Anita.
     The win, Kiss My Crown's third in four career starts, increased the 3-year-old colt's earnings to $47,800.
     He broke last in the six-horse field in the seven-furlong event and remained there until he reached the turn for home. Jockey Alex Solis kicked him into gear at that point and he moved up steadily, taking the lead in midstretch and pulling off to win clear.
     Decarchy now has eight winners and earners of more than $380,000 from his first crop. He has no starters yet from his second crop, now 2-year-olds.
     In addition to two stakes horses, Decarchy has two three-time winners and three others who have won twice.
     Kiss My Crown, bred in California by Magali Ventures, LLC, is owned by K. K. Sangara and trained by Rafael Becerra.
     Decarchy, a multiple graded stakes winner of $703,862, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--February 27.


He's Tops Filly's First Stakes Try Is a Winner
     Climaxing a 10-month, 10-race climb following a maiden $12,500 claiming beginning, Reba Is Tops powered to an authoritative victory in the $55,000-added Bay Meadows Distaff Sprint Stakes Saturday at Bay Meadows.
     The 4-year-old Washington-bred became the 18th stakes horse sired by He's Tops by leading through the stretch to win the six-furlong event by a length. It was her first start in a stakes race. 
     Reba Is Tops broke second in the six-horse field and remained in striking position into the stretch, where jockey Russell Baze sent her to the front, and she continued unchallenged to the finish.
     It was the seventh victory in 11 starts for Reba Is Tops, who began her career last May 4 by winning a $12,500 maiden claiming race at Emerald Downs. She won for a $17,500 tag and then for $32,000 at the Washington track, still unclaimed, before climbing up to the allowance level at Golden Gate Fields, where she won twice before her successful stakes debut.
     With seven wins, a second, and two thirds in 11 starts, she's earned $114,665. She's been unplaced just once.
     Reba Is Tops was bred by C. E. "Rich" and Ann Richardson and is owned by Gordon Jamig, Ken Marshall, Eric Schweiger, and David Wakefield. She's trained by Bud Klokstad.
     He's Tops, sire of 87 winners and 18 stakes horses from only 127 starters, stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, Wash.--February 25.


Aussies Now Regretting Loss of Good Journey
     The victory of Good Journey's son Sound Journey in a weekend Group 2 stakes race in Australia is drawing expressions of regret that he was allowed to move to the United States.
     The New South Wales Racing and Breeding News reported with the following analytical article (edited slightly to omit irrelevant sections):
     "Two sires who were unwanted by the higher echelon of Australian breeders when they briefly shuttled to Victoria are now two of the best in America. On 2008 fees of $300,000, the equal highest in America, and $125,000 respectively, they are the Mr. Prospector grandsons Distorted Humour (by Forty Niner) and Mr. Greeley (by Gone West).
     "Their neglect here is recalled again following the win in the $176,000 ($191,030US) Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday of the Mick Price trained gelding Sound Journey. He is not by either of these sires, but by another, Good Journey, who like them could leave egg on the faces of Australian breeders by becoming a prominent sire in America, a country in which he had earlier proved a class racehorse. He won or placed in 15 of 16 career starts, including in seven wins, one of them a Group 1 event and three others Group 2s, and among minor placings a third in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
     "A son of Nureyev and the Private Account (by Damascus) mare Chimes of Freedom, the best 3-year-old filly miler in Europe in 1990 and from the same exalted family as Redoute's Choice, Good Journey had four seasons at the Johnson's Ealing Park Stud at Euroa, 2003 (27 mares), 2004 (44),  2005 (47) and 2006 (22). He returned to America at the close of 2006 and is now welcoming his first foals in that region from use on $7,500 at Magali Farms in California.
     "Good Journey's oldest Australian progeny are 3-year-olds and nine out of 17 starters have been successful. The best of them has been Sound Journey, now winner of four of five starts, including the Alister Clark, his first stakes success, but another is Grand Journey, a filly now racing in the west following 11 starts in Victoria, including a win at Wangaratta and two seconds and a third in Melbourne. Her first two outings in her new region have resulted in a win by 1.3 lengths at Bunbury and a sixth from an outside barrier in Saturday's 16 runner $176,000 Group 3 Western Australian Champion Fillies Stakes over the same distance as the Alister Clark.
     "The winner of four of his five career starts, Sound Journey more than trebles his earnings to over $136,450. A rare bargain indeed considering he cost just $6,000 at the 2006 Inglis March Thoroughbred Sale Mixed sale. At the same sale his dam, Written By Sound, was purchased for just $4,000, carrying a full brother to the Alister Clark Stakes winner.
     "Written by Sound, like Good Journey, was owned by the troubled Written Bloodstock syndicate. 
     "A daughter of O'Reilly, Written by Sound did not race. She is out of the stakes-placed Golden Sound (Kreisler), whose dam is a three-quarter sister to the dam of Adelaide Cup (G1) winner Cronus (Zabeel) and Group 2 winner Pravda (Zabeel). 
     "Good Journey covered 27 mares in 2003, 44 (2004), 47 (2005) and 22 in 2006. He was exported to the U.S. last November and is standing the current season at Magali Farms, California for a fee of $7,500.
     "On pedigree and performance, Good Journey has plenty to recommend him. 
     "On the racetrack Good Journey hit the board in 15 of his 16 career starts and was a top-class performer on turf. His career highlight came in the Grade 1 Atto Mile at Woodbine, while he also captured Grade 2 Firecracker Stakes at Churchill Downs and was twice successful in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park. 
     "Bred by the Niarchos family's Flaxman Holdings, Good Journey is a son of two champions, the influential stallion Nureyev and the Coronation stakes (G1) winner Chimes Of Freedom (Private Account). He is a half-brother to three stakes winners including the champion sprinter Aldebarren (Mr Prospector). 
     "Chimes Of Freedom is a daughter of the champion Irish 2yo filly Aviance (Northfields), the dam of Independent Stallions multiple Grade 1 winner Denon (Pleasant Colony) and the stakes-winning filly Imperfect Circle, the dam of Coolmore's Champion miler Spinning World, like Good Journey a son of Nureyev. 
     "It is yet another branch of influential matriarch Best In Show."--February 20.


Lit de Justice Cal-Bred Wins Allowance Race
     Lit de Justice's California-bred runners continued their march to the winner's circle Sunday at Santa Anita when 3-year-old Gambler's Justice got up in the final strides to take an allowance race at Santa Anita and record her second straight victory at the Arcadia track.
     After breaking fourth in the field of six in the six-furlong race, the filly moved up steadily but almost ran out of track, finally reaching the lead a few yards before the finish to win by a head under urging by jockey Richard Migliore.
     Gambler's Justice, who's never run in a claiming race, started for the first time at Hollywood Park's winter meeting, finishing fourth. She was second in her second start and reached the winner's circle on January 19 at Santa Anita to begin what is now a two-race victory string. She's earned $70,920.
     She is one of nine winners from the second crop sired by Lit de Justice since his arrival in California. His first crop, now 4-year-olds, has produced 21 winners from 25 starters. With 29 winners from 46 starters, those two California crops have produced earners of more than $1,150,000.
     Gambler's Justice, bred in California by Suarez Racing, Inc., is owned by Craig, Halo Farms, and Magerman and trained by Bill Spawr.
     Lit de Justice, an Eclipse Award-winning sprinter, has sired earners of more than $16,500,000. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--February 19.


Sea of Pleasure Returns to Winning Ways
     Sea of Pleasure's string of victories, briefly interrupted in his third career start, was resumed Saturday with a comfortable triumph in the $55,000-added Sophomore Sprint Stakes at Bay Meadows.
     The 3-year-old son of Sea of Secrets, close to the leader all the way through the turn in the six-furlong event, took charge at the eighth pole and, though drifting out, pulled away to win by three lengths.
     The Illinois-bred scored easy wins in his first two career starts but tasted defeat for the first time January 20 in his third effort, running second in the San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita. His victory in the Sophomore Sprint put him back on the winning track and gave him a record of three wins in four starts with earnings of $98,440.
     Sea of Pleasure was bred by Valerie Blethen and is owned by Steve and Terry Burnett, Bruno DeJulio, Gail Searing, and HS Bohon Stable. He's trained by Gary Stute and was ridden by Russell Baze.
     Sea of Secrets, a graded stakes-winning son of Storm Cat, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--February 18. 


Fortunate Event Places in 7th Stakes Race
     Although he's never won a stakes race, Fortunate Event has created a highly satisfactory race career with earnings of more than $300,000, and he's continuing to make it even better.
     The 6-year-old son of Event of the Year posted his seventh stakes placing Saturday, a third in the $50,000 Sun City Handicap at Turf Paradise that increased his career earnings to $321,516.
     Fortunate Event raced near the back of the eight-horse field in the early stages of the one-mile Sun City before moving up to fourth at the top of the stretch and eventually to third at the finish.
     He's started 34 times over five seasons, with three wins, 10 seconds, and five thirds. He's placed in stakes races at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Fairplex Park, and Emerald Downs.
     Bred in California by The Thoroughbred Corporation, Fortunate Event is owned by Dan J. Agnew and trained by Mike Chambers. His rider in the Sun City was Glenn Corbett.
     Event of the Year, a son of Seattle Slew, won three graded stakes and placed in three others, two of them Grade 1, retiring with earnings of $1,095,200. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--February 18.


An Aussie Group 2 Winner for Good Journey
     Good Journey, who has sent out a steady parade of winners from his first crop to reach racing age, climbed the next rung on the ladder to sire success Saturday when Sound Journey captured the Group 2 Top Cut-Alister Clark Stakes at the Moonee Valley race course in Australia.
     Scoring the fourth victory of his career, Sound Journey covered the 1,600-meter distance--11 yards less than one mile--in 1:35.82 to win by a half-length.
     He is one of 23 foals from Good Journey's first crop, now 3-year-olds in Australia. Sixteen of them have started and nine have won. He sired three other crops in Australia before being moved to California for the 2007 breeding season. He has 39 2-year-olds, 31 yearlings, and 17 weanlings.
     Sound Journey is trained by Mick Price and is owned by an extensive partnership of P. Grech, R. Whatmouth, P. Sherlock, N. Forster, N. Mortlock, M. Mirabelli, M. Howard, R. Nudo, B. P. Murray and E. Murray.
     Good Journey, a son of Nureyev, won or placed in 15 of 16 starts in the United States and Canada, winning a Grade 1 stakes race and retiring to stud in Australia with earnings of $1,733,058. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--February 17.


Friday Was a Successful Day for Muqtarib
     Muqtarib picked up two new winners and saw a third win her second race in a row Friday in a successful afternoon at Santa Anita and Bay Meadows.
     Within a space of slightly more than two hours, the Group 2-winning son of Gone West saw his list of winners grow to 48 as two 3-year-old fillies broke their maidens and a 4-year-old captured her second race in a row. All are California-breds.
     At Bay Meadows, Sparklelady launched the day's successes by leading most of the six-furlong distance to break her maiden by 4 1/2 lengths.
     A few minutes later at Santa Anita, Quickly Gone came from behind in the final stages of a 6 1/2-furlong race to score by three-quarters of a length in the first start of her life.
     Back at Bay Meadows, Downtown Lover, who broke her maiden in early February, scored her second straight win, leading all the way to score by 4 1/2 lengths at 5 1/2 furlongs.
     Sparklelady, bred by Bill Dow, Joel Walker, G. McDonald and B. Walker, is owned by Bill Dow, Bob Apodaca, Guy Pfister, and Joel Walker. She's trained by Ed Moger, Jr., and was ridden by Chad Schvaneveldt.
     Quickly Gone, bred and owned by Harris Farms, Inc., is trained by Carla Gaines and was ridden by Tyler Baze.
     Downtown Lover, bred and owned by Jack Dempsey Burk, is trained by Juan Garcia and was ridden by Luis Contreras.
     Muqtarib, sire of Bay Meadows stakes winner Whatsthenameman and 47 other winners, stands at Victory Rose Thoroughbreds, Vacaville, Calif.--February 17.


Stormy Jack Records a Two-Time Winner
     Dr. Pooh found his contemplated come-from-behind rush stymied by horses blocking his progress, but he finally found racing room and managed to catch the front-runner by a nose Thursday at Bay Meadows.
     The son of Stormy Jack, scoring his second victory at Bay Meadows, stalked the leaders early and was poised for a winning run on the turn of the six-furlong race but had to delay until he was swung wide by jockey Russell Baze at the head of the stretch. He shifted into high gear at that point and had just enough time left to get up and win by the narrowest of margins.
     His victory continued the surge of Stormy Jack into the second year of his new sire career. He had five winners last year, added another earlier this month, and continues to revel in the accomplishment of double stakes-winner Bob Black Jack, setter of a world record for the popular distance of six furlongs.
     Dr. Pooh, with two wins in five starts for earnings of $18,780, was bred in California by Gary and Marlene Howard and Bruce Dunmore, is owned by Pro Selection Stable or Hallgren or Sherman, and is trained by Steve Sherman.
     Stormy Jack, a stakes winner of $596,673, stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga, CA.--February 16.


Showcase Sires Thrive on All-Weather Tracks
     Unusual Heat and Game Plan lead California sires in 2008 racing on all-weather tracks, according to statistics compiled by Bloodstock Research.
     Unusual Heat ranks first in earnings by California-bred runners; Game Plan is tops in rankings according to Sire Production Index.
     With 11 starters on all-weather tracks, Unusual Heat is tops among active California sires with earnings of $231,380, followed closely by Game Plan with $213,920 for three starters.
     With an SPI of 27.87 for his three starters, Game Plan is far in front in that category. Stormy Jack is second among active California sires with three runners and an SPI of 14.50.
     The SPI index is based on earnings per start.--February 14.


Capsized Welcomes His Third Winner of 2008
     One of California's leading freshman sires of 2007, Capsized continued to extend his success into 2008 Saturday when Downsized took charge of a seven-horse maiden special weight field in the stretch to become his sire's third winner of the year.
     Capsized is now the sire of seven winners, four last year and three new ones in 2008. His runners have earned $189,041.
     Downsized is the second of Capsized's 2008 winners to score around two turns. His win Saturday at Santa Anita was at a mile and a sixteenth; General Dan won at one mile on February 6 at Bay Meadows.
     Breaking fifth in Saturday's race, Downsized moved up steadily and took the lead at mid-stretch, pulling away steadily for there to the finish to win by a length and a quarter under jockey Roberto Gonzalez.
     Downsized, bred in California by Elven Adams and BnD Chase Thoroughbreds, is owned by John Corda, Gary Ives, Dane Skutt, and Doug Utley, is trained by Utley. He's started six times, never in a claiming race, and has earned $43,420. He's finished third three times and fourth twice.
     Capsized, a graded stakes-winning son of Summer Squall, stands at Eagle Oak Ranch, Paso Robles,Calif.--February 12.


Unusual Heat's Sire Success Hits New Peak
     Unusual Heat's steadily-building sire success reached a new height Saturday at Santa Anita when favored Golden Doc A captured the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes by rallying from last place to score the biggest victory of her short career.
     The triumph for the 3-year-old was the first Grade 1 victory for an offspring of Unusual Heat, and it propelled him into first place in the 2008 California sire standings.
     Unusual Heat's triumphant day at Santa Anita was launched earlier on the program when 5-year-old Lightmyfirebaby won by a nose in an allowance race to earn a $44,460 purse and become her sire's 40th $100,000-plus earner from just 184 starters.
     In her last start before the Las Virgenes, Golden Doc A had reached a career high point by finishing second in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita, beaten only a head.
     That performance prompted Kentuckian Ron McCauley to make an offer that couldn't be refused by owners Barry, David and Dyan Abrams and Madeline Auerbach and she ran in the Las Virgenes with jockey Rafael Bejarano wearing new colors.
     The victory increased Golden Doc A's career earnings to $345,356 in 10 starts--three wins, two seconds, and a third--the last nine of them stakes races. She was bred in California by David Abrams and continues to be trained by her co-breeder, Barry Abrams.
     Her $180,000 winning purse enabled Unusual Heat to leap past Bertrando to seize first place among the year's California sires. He's first at $456,863, followed by Bertrando at $342,214, Game Plan at $313,588, and Deputy Commander at $306,160.
     Last year's progeny earnings total of $3,518,741 was by far the highest of Unusual Heat's sire career, and his momentum is continuing uninterrupted.
     Lightmyfirebaby, whose allowance win earlier on the day's Santa Anita program added to Unusual Heat's 2008 total, also is trained by Barry Abrams. She was bred in California by Victor Johnson, Jack Nakkashian and Paul Wick and is owned by Johnson or Nakkashian or Patenaude, et al. Her career earnings are $115,158 in 12 starts, with three wins, a second, and two thirds.
     Unusual Heat, a multiple stakes-winning son of Nureyev, stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--February 11.


Good Journey Chalks Up Winner Number 9
     Good Journey added the ninth name to his lengthening list of winners Friday when 3-year-old St. Peregrine captured the Seymour Conference Centre Maiden at the Echua race course in Australia.
     St. Peregrine was all-out to win the 1,612-meter event by what the official result called a "short head," covering the distance in 1:40.44 to lead a 10-horse field. The distance is a few feet more than one mile.
     Good Journey's first Australian foals are now 3-year-olds. He has nine winners from 15 starters from that crop, with earnings of more than $150,000US. Two members of his second crop have started.
     He retired to stud in Australia following a racing career in the United States and Canada in which he won four graded races and earned $1,733,058. He sired four crops in Australia before returning to the United States to stand the 2007 breeding season.
     Good Journey's first American crop--and first California crop as well--will race in 2010. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--February 9.


Capsized Colt's Extensive Rehearsals Pay Off
     After numerous rehearsals over a three-month period, General Dan moved to center stage Wednesday at Bay Meadows and turned in a rousing performance, breaking his maiden by nine widening lengths.
     The 3-year-old colt became Capsized's sixth winner by running second or third in four of his five earlier starts and then exploding with a dominating victory in his sixth effort.
     Since stretching out from sprints to one-mile races, General Dan has moved steadily to the winner's circle, finishing third by a length and a quarter on December 29, second by a head on January 14, and finally first by nine lengths on Wednesday.
     In his winning race, he broke fifth in the eight-horse field and was fourth at the half-mile pole, where jockey Chad Schvaneveldt launched him onto a relentless drive that sent him into the lead on the turn. That lead widened steadily and was still growing when he hit the wire nine lengths in front.
     California-bred General Dan is a one-man production of Daniel Franko, who's the colt's breeder, owner, and trainer. General Dan has earned $24,940 with a win, two seconds, and two thirds in six starts.
     Capsized,  now the sire of earners of $164,981 from his first crop to race, stands at Eagle Oak Ranch, Paso Robles, Calif.--February 8.


Stormy Jack Keeps Up Winning Momentum
     Stormy Jack's first runners, who ended their freshman season successfully, kept up their 2008 momentum with their first new winner of 2008 Sunday at Turf Paradise.
     Pirate Jack, making his second career start, joined five 2007 winners to become the sixth runner from his sire's first crop to break his maiden with a wire-to-wire victory at five furlongs.
     All six of those winners broke their maidens in their second starts and four of them did it by leading from start to finish. 
     Stormy Jack, California's second-leading freshman sire of 2007, got a huge boost in January when his son Bob Black Jack captured the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash Stakes, setting a new world record for six furlongs.
     Pirate Jack was bred in California by Nicholas J. and Debbie L. Sibilio, is owned by Wayne Houston and Trained by David Bennett. Miguel Hernandez rode him in Sunday's race.
     Stormy Jack, a multiple stakes winner of $596,673, stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga, Calif.--February 5.


Decarchy's Runners Running and Winning
     His successful freshman sire year is behind him, but Decarchy is continuing to improve his record.
     De Car Guy became the fifth runner by last year's California champion freshman sire to win against winners when he came from behind in the stretch to score a victory Saturday at Santa Anita.
     Third by almost two lengths entering the stretch in the seven-furlong race, De Car Guy applied steady pressure to gain the lead in deep stretch and held on to win by a half-length under jockey Mike Smith.
     The win was the second in five starts for De Car Guy, who now has earned $34,520.
     Bred in California by his owners, Mike Burns and Dan Sisemore, De Car Guy is trained by Robert Hess, Jr.
     De Car Guy is one of eight winners sired by Decarchy, one of them a stakes winner. Another, still a maiden, placed in a Santa Anita stake. His runners have earned more than $350,000.
     In four seasons on the track, Decarchy earned $703,862 while winning two graded stakes races and placing in four others, including the Grade 1 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--February 4.
Soft Gold (Brz) Receives an Oregon Welcome
     Soft Gold (Brz), standing his first season in Oregon in 2008, was welcomed to his new state when his 3-year-old son Soft Unit finished second in Tuesday's Invitational Handicap at Portland Meadows.
     With his runner-up finish, the Oregon-bred colt, making his first added-money start, became his sire's 11th stakes horse. It was Soft Unit's third second-place finish in his past four races, a string interrupted by a maiden victory in his final 2007 start.
     Soft Unit raced evenly through the one-mile Invitational, breaking third and moving up to second at the half-mile pole but never able to threaten the winner, who finished four lengths in front. 
     Tuesday's race marked Soft Unit's return to stakes company after two unsuccessful efforts last fall, fourth in the OTBA Sales Stakes and seventh in the Janet Wineberg Stakes.
     Soft Unit, bred by Bruce and Nita Loudon, is owned by Abella Racing and trained by Sam Dronen. He was ridden by Luis Torres. In seven career starts, Soft Unit has won once and finished second three times for earnings of $7,834.
     Soft Gold (Brz), a Grade 1 stakes winner in Brazil, stands at Bar C Racing Stables, Hermiston, Ore.--January 31.


Little Cascadian Adds Another Stakes Line
     In a successful career spanning three seasons, Little Cascadian has never raced anywhere but Portland Meadows, but her adversaries would be happy if she did.
     The daughter of Cascadian, now a 4-year-old registered her sixth stakes placing at the Oregon track when she finished second in Monday's Inaugural Handicap.
     Little Cascadian, who's never run in a claiming race, has won one stakes race and placed in five others from a total of 15 starts. Overall, she's won three with eight seconds and a third, off the board only twice, with earnings of $32,607.
     At a mile and a sixteenth, Little Cascadian was trying the longest distance of her career Monday, and that may have been a factor as she pushed into a brief lead on the final turn but couldn't sustain the drive and faded slightly to finish second.
     Bred in Oregon by George J. Hurliman, she's owned by Hurliman Enterprises, LLC, and trained by Nick Lowe. She was ridden by David Lopez.
     Cascadian, sire of 13 stakes horses from 38 starters, stands at Bar C Racing Stables, Hermiston, Ore.--January 30.


Another Good Journey Winner Down Under
     Good Journey has left Australia for California, but he's leaving a legacy Down Under as runners from his first crop continue to reach the winner's circle.
     The eighth of those is 3-year-old Part and Parcel, winner of the T. Daniel's The Good Guys Maiden at 1,500 meters (about 7 1/2 furlongs). He won by a length in 1:32.75 at the Ballarat race course.
     Two of the eight broke their maidens at 2, the others at 3. All are from Good Journey's first crop, which will become 4-year-olds on July 1 by the Southern Hemisphere calendar.
     Foals from his first American crop are arriving this spring following his  inaugural California breeding season  in which he covered 81 mares last year.
     Good Journey, a son of Nureyev, retired to the stud in Australia following a highly successful North American racing career in which he won four graded stakes races--one of them Grade 1--and placed in two others--one of those Grade 1--while amassing earnings of $1,733,05.
     Good Journey stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--January 30.


Deputy Commander Son Wins Another Stake
     Taking up where he left off in his final start of 2007, Deputy Commander's son Reporting for Duty sailed to victory in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup Handicap Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.
     Although he'd placed in three stakes races, two of them graded, Reporting for Duty had never won an added-money event until he scored an easy victory in the $106,600-added Zia Park Derby on December 8.
     He came back Saturday to make it two in a row, winning by 4 3/4 lengths over the 1 1/8-mile course. That was an even sounder defeat than he handed his rivals in the 1 1/16-mile Derby, which he captured by 4 1/2 lengths.
     Reporting for Duty has compiled a curious record, breaking his maiden at 2 in his third start, then going nine races without winning again. During that period he put together a string of four straight second-place finishes, three in allowance races and the fourth in the Grade 2 Illinois Derby.
     After that, he ran fifth in the Grade 3 Lone Star Derby, third in the Oklahoma Derby before beginning his current two-race win string.
     With three wins, five seconds, and a third in 14 career starts, he's earned $366,846. He's never run in a claiming race.
     Reporting for Duty was bred in Kentucky by the McMillin Brothers and James Devaney and is owned by M. Cathy and R. L. Bob Zollars. He's trained by Steve Asmussen and was ridden in the Maxxam by Luis Quinonnez.
     Deputy Commander, sire of earners of more than $19,700,000, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--January 29.


Another Stakes Horse for Flying With Eagles
     Stealth Attack, a 5-year-old son of Flying With Eagles, ventured into stakes company Monday at Portland Meadows and came away as his sire's fourth stakes horse.
     The Washington-bred made a late rally to advance from fifth place and to capture second in the track's Invitational Handicap. In 27 career starts over three seasons, it was his first move into stakes company. His record now shows three wins, seven seconds, and nine thirds for earnings of $77,125.
     Stealth Attack hadn't raced in the Pacific Northwest since the close of the 2006 Emerald Downs meeting. He spent all of 2007 racing in California--18 starts with $54,900 in earnings. Monday's Handicap marked his return to his native land.
     Bred by Mr. and Mrs. David Heerensperger, Stealth Attack is owned by Jim Gilmour and trained by Sue Gilmour. Troy Stillwell was his rider in Monday's race.
     Flying With Eagles, a multiple stakes-winning, graded-placed earner of $330,739, stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--January 29.


Decarchy Continues to Send Out Winners
     Crowned not long ago as California's champion freshman sire of 2007, Decarchy is continuing to take care of business.
     Two of his daughters reached the winner's circle at Santa Anita on Saturday, Onefunsonofagun scoring her third career victory and Stroppy capturing her first  start.
     Decarchy now is represented by eight winners and earners of more than $335,000. His runners include stakes winner Timehascometoday and stakes-placed Harlene.
     Stroppy, with a win in her only start, boasts a perfect record and earnings of $13,200. Onefunsonofagun has never been off the board in five starts, with three wins, a second, and a fourth for earnings of $54,440.
     Stroppy was bred in California by her owner, J. Paul Reddam, and is trained by Craig Dollase. She was ridden by Michael Baze. Onefunsonofagun was bred in Kentucky by her owner, Justin Kengye, and is trained by Brian Koriner. She was ridden by Joseph Talamo.
     Decarchy, a multiple graded stakes winner of $703,862, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--January 29.


Stormy Jack Colt Blazes to World Record
     Bob Black Jack, who led Stormy Jack to a second-place finish among California's freshman sires last year, propelled his sire to new heights by winning the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash Stakes, setting a new world record for six furlongs.
     The 3-year-old California-bred scorched Santa Anita's new artificial surface in 1:06.53, not only a new Cushion Track mark but also the fastest six-furlong time ever recorded on any surface. The old world record was 1:06.60, set by G Malleah in 1995 at Turf Paradise.
     Bob Black Jack led from start to finish, winning by 3 1/2 lengths and posting sizzling fractions of 20.92 seconds for a quarter and 42.46 for a half along the way.
     His earnings now total $268,925 in five starts, with three wins and a second. He was unplaced only in the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue Stakes, in which he finished fourth.
     Bob Black Jack was bred by Gary and Marlene Howard and Bruce Dunmore. He's owned by Jeff Harmon and Tim Kasparoff and is trained by James Kasparoff. He was ridden by David Flores.
     Stormy Jack, a multiple stakes winner of $596,673, stands at Harris Farms, Coalinga, Calif.--January 28.


Stakes Placings for Two Game Plan Runners
     Celtic Dreamin's bid for the big prize fell short, but he nevertheless collected a $200,000 purse for his second-place finish in Saturday's $1,000,000 Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes at Santa Anita.
     The 4-year-old son of Game Plan broke ninth in the field of 12 in the mile-and-an-eighth feature of the Millions program and was 10th after three-quarters of a mile. Then he produced a stout rally that carried him all the way to second place, but another late closer beat him to the wire by two lengths.
     On the same afternoon, another Game Plan son gained a stakes placing when 5-year-old Highland Games finished third in the $50,000 G Malleah Handicap at Turf Paradise.
     Celtic Dreamin has earned $534,663 with wins or placings in three stakes, including a victory in the Grade 3 British Columbia Breeders' Cup Derby at Hastings Racecourse. Highland Games has won one stake and placed in another with earnings of $86,124.
     Celtic Dreamin, bred in California by Rainbow Meadows Farm, is owned by K. K. Sangara and trained by Rafael Becerra. His rider in the Classic was Alex Solis.
     Highland Games was bred in California by Terry L. Brooks and McMurry TB Services and is owned by the Sandra Hall Trust. He's trained by Lyman Rollins and was ridden Saturday by Glenn Corbett. 
     Game Plan, sire of 29 stakes horses and earners of more than $9,000,000, stands at E. A. Ranches, Santa Ysabel, Calif.--January 28. 

Good Journey Gets Seventh Australia Winner
     The steady stream of Good Journey's winners from his first Australian crop continued to flow Friday when 3-year-old New Journey was victorious in the Barclay Boyd Maiden Plate at the Benalla race course.
     New Journey is the seventh winner in Australia from the first of the American millionaire's crops bred in that country. Good Journey stood four seasons in Australia, arriving in California for the 2007 breeding season. His first U. S. foals will race in 2010.
     New Journey covered the distance of 1206 meters--the equivalent of six furlongs--in 1:12.17, winning by a half-length. He's out of the imported American mare, Priada, by Dayjur.
     Good Journey, a son of Nureyev, earned $1,733,058, winning the Grade 1 Atto Mile Stakes at Woodbine and four Grade 2 events at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita, and Churchill Downs. He placed in two other graded races, including the Breeders' Cup Mile.
     He will stand his second season in 2008 at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--January 26.


Capsized Gets Good Start With 1st '08 Winner
     Capsized, one of California's leading freshman sires of 2007, got off to a good start in the new year when Nitro Active came from behind to score a victory Monday at Santa Anita 
     It was only the second career start for the 3-year-old California-bred as he became his sire's fifth winner, all from his first crop to reach racing age.
     After breaking in the middle of the 12-horse field, Nitro Active moved steadily while losing ground around the turn in the 6 1/2-furlong race. Carried four wide into the stretch, he raced strongly through the lane to gain the lead just past the eighth pole and stayed in front to win by three-quarters of a length under steady handling by jockey Aaron Gryder.
     Runners by Capsized have earned more than $150,000. They include triple-winner Maxie's Night Cap.
     Nitro Active, bred by BnD Chase Thoroughbreds, is owned by Flintridge Stables, Venneri Racing, Inc., and his trainer, Brian Koriner. 
     Capsized, a graded stakes-winning son of Summer Squall, stands at Eagle Oak Ranch, Paso Robles,Calif.--January 23.


Sea of Secrets Adds Another Stakes Horse
     Sea of Secrets's expanding list of stakes horses added another name Sunday when Sea of Pleasure finished second in the $75,000-added San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita.
     It was the first stakes start and only the third career start for the newly-turned 3-year-old colt, who won a two-furlong race at Santa Anita by four lengths in his debut last March and then went to the sidelines for more than eight months.
     When he returned, he picked up where he left off, winning an allowance race at Hollywood Park to remain undefeated. His second-place finish in the San Pedro marked his first defeat, but it made him the 21st stakes horse sired by Sea of Secrets. He's earned $64,540 in those three starts.
     Sent off as the mild favorite in the field of eight sophomores in the 6 1/2-furlong San Pedro, Sea of Pleasure took the lead out of the gate and held it to the sixteenth pole before drifting in and trailing by 2 3/4 lengths at the finish, more than four lengths ahead of the third-place horse. 
     Sea of Pleasure, bred in Illinois by Valerie Blethen, is owned by Terry and Steve Burnett, Bruno DeJulio, Gail Searing, and JS Bohon Stable and trained by Gary Stute. Michael Baze was his rider in the San Pedro.
     Sea of Secrets, a graded stakes-winning son of Storm Cat, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--January 22.


Cascadian: 38 Starters, 13 Stakes Horses
     Cascadian welcomed the 13th stakes horse from his 38 starters Sunday when lightly-raced Byers' Hope finished third in the OTBA Stallion Stakes at Portland Meadows.
     Making only his fifth start and his first in stakes company, Byers' Hope took an early lead in the Stallion Stakes but soon surrendered it and spent the rest of the six-furlong distance fighting for second, finally yielding by a neck and settling for third, 4 1/2 lengths ahead of the fourth runner.
     Byers' Hope, who broke his maiden by 11 lengths in a maiden special weight race December 16 at Portland Meadows, now has a record of one win, two seconds, and a third in five career starts.
     He was bred in Oregon by Mark, Carla, and Jerry Webber and is owned by Lucinda Girard and his trainer, Vanessa Hunt. David Lopez was his rider in Sunday's race.
     From his first four crops to race, Cascadian has sired 38 starters, with 26 winners and 13 stakes horses. His runners have earned more than $430,000.
     Cascadian, a son of Seattle Slew, is a half-brother to millionaire champion Blushing John. He stands at Bar C Racing Stables, Hermiston, Ore.--January 22.


Fullbridled, Uncle Denny Greet First Foals
     The first foals of the first crop of rookie stallions Fullbridled and Uncle Denny have arrived.
     A pair of colts by Fullbridled were foaled at E. A. Ranches on Tuesday and two days later a filly by Uncle Denny was born at Tommy Town Thoroughbreds.
     Fullbridled's sons, both owned by Barbara Kelly of Los Angeles, were out of Mot Awesome, by Awesome Again, and Pure Instinct, by Dehere. The Uncle Denny filly, the property of Brian Hurley of Brea, was out of Flo Jo M. D., by Fred Astaire.
     Fullbridled, a stakes-placed son of Unbridled's Song, stands at E. A. Ranches, Santa Ysabel. Uncle Denny, a graded stakes winner by In Excess (Ire), stands at Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, Santa Ynez.
     Both will stand their second seasons at stud in 2008.--January 19.


Sweet Belle Picks Up Another Stakes Placing
     Deputy Commander's talented 5-year-old daughter Sweet Belle added another line to her stakes record and moved close to the $300,000 level in earnings with a close-up second-place finish in the $75,000-added Paseana Handicap Monday at Santa Anita.
     Seeking her second stakes victory to go with a pair of stakes placings, Sweet Belle challenged the front runner for the entire 1 1/16-mile distance, finally carving the margin to a half-length, but that was as close as she came and she had to settle for second place.
     That increased her career earnings to $294,038 with five wins, four seconds, and three thirds in 21 starts that include a victory in the Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita, seconds in the Paseana and the Las Madrinas Handicap at Fairplex Park, and a third in the Grade 2 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita.
     She was bred in Kentucky by Cypress Farms 1991, is owned by the Goold Family Trust and Chris York, is trained by Jose DeLima, and was ridden in the Paseana by Michael Baze.
     Deputy Commander, California's second-leading sire of 2007, stands at Ballena Vista Farm, Ramona, Calif.--January 16.


Another Australian Winner for Good Journey
     Runners from Good Journey's first crop to race are continuing to win in their native Australia.
     Baychevelle became the sixth winner from that crop, now 3-year-olds, with a two-length victory Tuesday at the Moama race course in Australia.
     The leader of that first crop is Grand Journey, with one win, two seconds, and two thirds in 10 starts for earnings of $63,097 ($71,450 Australian). 
     Good Journey retired to the stud in Australia following a racing career in which he earned $1,733,058 while winning four graded stakes races, including the Grade 1 Atto Mile Stakes at Woodbine.
     He's by Nureyev out of Chimes of Freedom, a European champion runner by Private Account and is a half-brother to Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Aldebaran.
     Good Journey, whose first American crop will race in 2010, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--January 16.


Golden Doc A Adds Another Graded Placing
     Already a double stakes winner and graded stakes placed, Golden Doc A was ready for the next step up the class ladder in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes Sunday at Santa Anita.
     The 3-year-old daughter of Unusual Heat, third in the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park in November, staged a strong stretch finish in quest of her first graded stakes victory but missed by a narrow margin, finishing second, a head back of the winner.
     Last in the field of five at the half-mile pole in the seven-furlong race, more than eight lengths behind the leader, Golden Doc A moved rapidly to challenge the front-runner, slicing the margin to three lengths at the head of the stretch and closing steadily under jockey Rafael Bejarano..
     But she drifted out as the finish neared and the winner reached the wire with a head to spare with Golden Doc A 7 3/4 lengths ahead of the third-place horse.
     Now Golden Doc A's record shows two stakes wins, two seconds in stakes, one of them Grade 2, and a third in a Grade 3 stake. She's earned $195,356 in five starts. After running fifth in a maiden special weight race in her first start, she's raced only in stakes races--eight in a row.
     Bred by David Abrams, she's owned by Barry, David and Dyan Abrams and Madeline Auerbach and trained by Barry Abrams.
     Golden Doc A is one of 17 stakes horses sired by Unusual Heat, who stands at Old English Rancho, Sanger, Calif.--January 15.


Matty G: Sire of an Earner of a Million $$$
     Matty G is the sire of a millionaire.
     My Cousin Matt wasn't able to overtake the leader in the stretch in an allowance race Thursday at Aqueduct, but the $10,400 purse he earned for finishing second increased his career earnings to $1,002,874.
     That made him the first millionaire sired by Matty G, himself a Grade 1 winner of $443,275.
     My Cousin Matt, now a 9-year-old, has forged a career of both longevity and quality. He's won two stakes, including the Grade 2 General George Handicap at Laurel, and placed in five others, including the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint.
     He was most successful at 3, 4 and 5, when he earned $307,159, $297,500, and $208,200, respectively, but he's continued on to start 21 times at 6, 7, 8, and 9, earning $138,095 in those declining years.
     His career record--not yet completed--now shows 55 starts, 11 wins, nine seconds, four thirds, and that $1,002,874 in earnings.
     In Thursday's race, he was owned by Richard A. Englander and trained by Anthony Dutrow. He was bred in Florida by Donald Marino.
     Matty G, sire of 18 stakes horses, stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, Wash.--January 12.


Fortunate Event's Pretty Successful Career
     Fortunate Event is having a successful race career, with earnings of $315,215 and the prospect of more to come.
     The 6-year-old son of Event of the Year has placed in stakes races at five different tracks in three states, including the $50,000 Glendale Handicap Saturday at Turf Paradise, yet that first added-money victory has danced tantalizingly away from his grasp.
     He missed by just three quarters of a length Saturday, moving too late from seventh in the field of eight in a drive that took him all the way to second place at the finish. Entering the final turn in the 1 1/16-mile event, he led only one horse before jockey Glenn Corbett turned him loose for a rally that was almost good enough.
     When Fortunate Event, still a maiden, finished second in the Cinderella Stakes at Hollywood Park in the second start of his career, no one would have predicted that in 32 races to follow he'd still be looking for his first stakes victory. Those 32 races included two allowance wins and four seconds and a third in stakes races.
     He's placed in stakes races at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita, Fairplex Park, Emerald Downs, and Turf Paradise at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to a mile an a quarter, dirt and grass.
     When it comes, that will be the fortunate event that tops a highly successful career. For now, he and owner Dan Agnew are steadily collecting paychecks.
     Fortunate Event, bred in California by The Thoroughbred Corporation, was trained by Mike Chambers in his stakes placings Saturday at Turf Paradise and last summer at Emerald Downs. In California, he's trained by Jerry Fanning.
     Event of the Year, a millionaire son of Seattle Slew, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--January 7.


Somethinaboutlaura Wins 13th Stakes Race
     Woodbridge Farm's favorite daughter, Somethinaboutlaura, just keeps on winning stakes races.
     The 6-year-old mare, foaled and raised at the Oakdale breeding farm, won her sixth stakes race in her last seven starts Tuesday, a wire-to-wire triumph in the $75,000 Campanile Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
     The Campanile launched her 2008 campaign, which now is pointed for the Sunshine Millions on January 26. She won seven of her last nine starts in 2007, all in stakes races, amassing earnings of $448,095 for the year.
     Bred by the Lilley Ranch of Al and Toni Lilley of Tracy and owned now by Jerry Hollendorfer, Charles D. Miller, John G. Sikura, and George Todaro, Somethinaboutlaura has earned $1,053,865 with 18 wins and seven placings in 31 starts. She's won 13 stakes races, including the Grade 2 A Gleam Invitational Handicap at Hollywood Park twice.
     Somethinaboutlaura, by Dance Floor out of the It's Freezing mare, Crystals of Ice, was foaled at Woodbridge and stayed there until she left to embark on her productive racing career. She was purchased as a weanling by another Woodbridge client, Phil Rowe.
     In February, 2006, she was the high seller at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale in Lexington, purchased for $375,000. It was the highest price in the history of the sale.--January 5.


Decarchy: No. 1 California Freshman Sire
     Multiple graded stakes winner Decarchy became California's champion freshman sire of 2007 with an impressive debut in which his runners outearned their rivals by a wide margin.
     With seven winners from 17 starters, Decarchy's runners amassed $289,243 in earnings, far more than runner-up Stormy Jack's total of $193,270. He had five winners from eight starters. Capsized, with four winners from 13 starters, was third with $125,921.
     Decarchy's seven winners were the most by any first-crop California sire. They were led by stakes winner Timehascometoday, who had earnings of $73,998.
     Stormy Jack, second in number of winners, with five, was given a late boost when Bob Black Jack captured the $125,000-added  California Breeders' Champion Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26 to end the year with earnings of $131,425.
     Capsized got off to an early lead when Maxie's Night Cap won his first three starts at Emerald Downs, but he was soon overtaken by Decarchy.
     Decarchy stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez; Stormy Jack at Harris Farms, Coalinga; and Capsized at Eagle Oak Ranch, Paso Robles.--January 3.


Lit de Justice Cal-Crop Runners Finish Fast
     Topping off a victory-filled 2007 season, runners from Lit de Justice's first two California crops scored year-end triumphs at Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields.
     On December 30, 3-year-old Bring to Justice, one of 20 winners from Lit de Justice's first California crop, posted his second triumph of the year, coming from fifth place in the stretch to prevail by three-quarters of a length over a 1 1/16-mile route at Golden Gate Fields.
     A day earlier, 2-year-old Sterling Misty had rallied from eighth at the top of the stretch to win by a head in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race at Santa Anita.
     Lit de Justice's foals of 2004, his first crop sired in California after his arrival from Kentucky, ended the year with earnings of $724,701 for their two seasons of competition.
     His 2007 2-year-olds earned $210,368, with six winners from 17 starters.
     Bring to Justice was bred and is owned by Joan Hadley Thoroughbreds. He's trained by Monty Meier and was ridden by Roberto Gonzalez. Sterling Misty, bred by James Briere, is owned by Marshall Boschetti and trained by Lewis Cenicola. His rider was Mike Smith.
     Lit de Justice, an Eclipse Award-winning sprinter, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--January 3.


Matty G Prevails in Washington Sire Race
     Matty G held off a December challenge from You and I to become Washington's leading sire of 2007 with a victory margin of only $42,197 in progeny earnings.
     Matty G, who stands at El Dorado Farms, Enumclaw, finished the year with earnings of $1,645,975; You and I, who stands at Woodstead Farm, Chehalis, had $1,603,778.
     Another El Dorado Farms sire, Cahill Road, was third with $1,122,352. Deceased Slewdledo, with $1,064,296, was the only other million-dollar earner.
     You and I was first in a separate category. His 90 2007 runners earned an average of $17,821. Matty G had 131 starters with average earnings of $12,565.--January 2.


Another Near Miss by Speedster Bonfante
     Bonfante is unquestionably one of the best sprinters now racing in California, and four near misses are all that have kept him from laying claim to being best of all.
     The 6-year-old Califorrnia-bred son of Fruition took second in the $75,000-added Impressive Luck Handicap Monday at Santa Anita, holding the lead to the final sixteenth before yielding by three-quarters of a length.
     It was his fourth second-place stakes finish of 2007, following losses by a nose in the Grade 3 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap at Hollywood Park, by a half-length in the California Cup Sprint Handicap at Santa Anita, and by a nose in the Robert Kerlan Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park.
     His 2007 campaign was nevertheless a success. He earned $220,664 with victories in the California Sprint Championship Handicap at Bay Meadows and the Grade 3 San Simeon Handicap at Santa Anita to go with his four runner-up stakes finishes. His career earnings now total $576,121.
     In the Impressive Luck, run on the 6 1/2-furlong downhill turf course, he broke fourth and moved up steadily under jockey Martin Garcia, taking the lead in the early stretch before being overtaken by a late finisher.
     Bonfante was bred and is owned by Frankfurt Stables and Eugene Tenbrink and is trained by Ron McAnally.
     Fruition, a son of champion Woodman, stands at Oak Hill Farm, Paso Robles, Calif.--January 2.

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