Niagara Falls: Stakes ability, elite genetics from a family of champions

Offering a unique option for California breeders in 2018 is the exciting stallion Niagara Falls, a stakes-caliber son of three-time leading sire Giant’s Causeway from a prolific family of champions.

A talented turf specialist who competed admirably at classic distances in Southern California, Niagara Falls is a multiple winner and six-figure earner who exhibited stamina and resilience, recording two wins and a stakes placing during a 19-day period at Hollywood Park in 2013. He entered his stallion career in 2016 with tremendous potential, boasting a Genetic Stallion Marker of 90 that indicates a shared genotype with elite commercial stallions.

Produced by a Kingmambo daughter of a Sadler’s Wells mare, the 9-year-old stallion hails from the classy family of Broodmares of the Year Best in Show and Better Than Honour and numerous international champions, including Aldebaran, Chimes of Freedom, Peeping Fawn, Rags to Riches and Spinning World.

Niagara Falls stands for $1,500 live foal guarantee at Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang, California, with special consideration for stakes-producing mares. His impressive first foals are yearlings of 2018.

Click here for more information about Niagara Falls! — March 12, 2018

Stimulus Plan: Durable A.P. Indy-line stallion new for 2016!

CTFMA hosts Riverside County Stallion Tour on November 21

Sundarban’s first winner unveiled in Santa Anita romp

Howdy, a 3-year-old colt from the inaugural crop of the California-based stallion Sundarban, achieved distinction as his sire’s first winner on March 27, when he sailed to an uncontested victory in a $56,750 maiden special weight race at Santa Anita Park.

Saddled by trainer Peter Eurton as the 2-1 wagering favorite for owners Ciaglia Racing LLC and Crystal Valley Inc., the colt mastered the one-mile test in 1:36.85 under a patient ride from jockey Santiago Gonzalez, who kept his mount within sight of the early leaders while taking advantage of his rail position, then swung out three-wide for running room in the stretch. When the duo reached the wire, the closest of their seven rivals was 5 1/4 lengths behind them.

Bred in California by Crystal Valley Farms Inc. and produced by the unraced Momentum mare Foxy Babe, Howdy pushed his nine-race bankroll to $67,360 with his career breakthrough.

Nine-year-old Sundarban, a multiple winner by leading sire A.P. Indy, stands at Milky Way Farm in Temecula, where he initiated his stallion career in 2011. — March 27, 2015

CTFMA hosts Solana Beach pedigree workshop on February 12

As part of the organization’s ongoing mission to provide educational opportunities for Thoroughbred owners and breeders, the California Thoroughbred Farm Managers Association (CTFMA) will host a free pedigree workshop in Southern California on Thursday, February 12.

Leading the workshop is Leo Tsatsaronis of G1 Goldmine, an Australia-based pedigree software system that allows breeders to research stallions and mares in order to make informed mating decisions. Pedigree crosses, nicks, sire lines and the Rasmussen Factor are among the topics that will be discussed during the workshop.

The session is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Courtyard San Diego Solana Beach/Del Mar hotel, located at 717 South Highway 101 in Solana Beach. Light dinner and refreshments will be served for attendees.

For more information about the pedigree workshop, please visit the CTFMA website. — February 10, 2015

Welcome to our Showcase: Canyon Oaks Ranch!

A tranquil setting, crisp mountain air and hands-on care in sunny Southern California. No, it’s not a celebrity spa retreat; it’s Canyon Oaks Ranch, a 10-acre horse haven which offers one-on-one services, including lay-ups, rehabilitation and customized care for its equine residents.

Established in 2001 by owner Kate Roth and currently managed by Artelle Summers, Canyon Oaks Ranch prides itself on providing a peaceful environment for horses of all breeds who require short-term or long-term lay-ups. From horses recovering from injury or surgery, to pregnant or nursing broodmares, to weanlings, yearlings and retirees of all ages, each individual is treated with dignity and respect as part of the facility’s hands-on approach to horsemanship. Every horse’s care is customized according to veterinarian instructions, and progress is continuously monitored while horses reside at the farm.

Canyon Oaks Ranch is located in Lake Elsinore, California, and conveniently positioned 25 minutes east of Interstate 5 and 25 minutes west of Interstate 15 near San Juan Capistrano in the Ortega Mountains, where the 2,000-foot elevation offers clean air with a coastal influence. Amenities include large private pens, 12 x 12 stalls with private runs, loafing sheds, foaling stalls, hot-and-cold water wash racks and indoor/outdoor rubber mat footing — all in a calm and relaxed atmosphere.

CTFMA sets Southern California Stallion Tour for January 26

Back for the second consecutive year, and expanded for 2013, the California Thoroughbred Farm Managers Association (CTFMA) will sponsor a Southern California Stallion Tour on Saturday, January 26.

Breeders, owners and those interested in learning more about the Thoroughbred racing industry are invited to attend the guided bus tour, which will visit six farms in the region between Los Angeles and San Diego: Ballena Vista Farm, E.A. Ranches, Golden Eagle Farm, Lovacres Ranch, Milky Way Farm and Vessels Stallion Farm. During each stop, stallions will be showcased, and guests will have the opportunity to ask questions about farm facilities and make breeding inquiries.

The tour bus will depart at 8 a.m. from the parking lot of San Luis Rey Downs in Bonsall, and is scheduled to conclude its final farm stop at approximately 5:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $30 per person, and includes the bus tour and lunch; CTFMA members will receive a 20% discount on the registration fee. Although participation is open to all interested individuals, bus space is limited to 40 seats, so reservations are required in advance. The registration deadline is January 20.

For more information about the 2013 Southern California Stallion Tour, visit the CTFMA website or contact the CTFMA at CTFMA@yahoo.com. — January 8, 2013

Bedford Falls scores first-crop double at Golden Gate

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

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

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

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

Beau Diablo graduates as second winner for Bedford Falls

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

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

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

He joins Santa Anita Park maiden winner There Goes Donnie as the first two successful runners by the Forestry stallion Bedford Falls, a 9-year-old resident of Poplar Meadows in Sanger, California whose oldest foals are juveniles of 2012. — November 25, 2012

First winner for Bedford Falls dominates at Santa Anita

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

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

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

Bedford Falls is a 9-year-old Forestry half-brother to the multiple Grade 1 winner Harlan’s Holiday, North America’s 2012 leading sire of 2-year-olds. A $1.1 million graduate of the 2004 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, he accrued three wins and eight placings from 15 starts and earned $115,620 before he entered stud in 2009 at Poplar Meadows in Sanger, California, and is currently represented by 18 registered foals in his inaugural crop of juveniles. — October 18, 2012

CTFMA hosts Southern California Stallion Tour on January 14

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

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

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

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

Welcome to our newest Showcase stallion: Del Mar Show!

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

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

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

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

Atticus runner caps Fairplex meet with first stakes victory

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

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

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

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

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

Freshman sire Raise the Bluff notches second stakes horse

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

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

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

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

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

Atticus gelding reclaims glory in inaugural Golden State Cup

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome to our newest Showcase stallion: Sundarban!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome to our newest Showcase stallion: Roi Charmant!

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

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

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

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

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

Grade 2 performer by Atticus nabs second 2010 stakes victory

In an effort reminiscent of his world record-setting sire, the Atticus gelding Bruce’s Dream thrived at the distance and surface of his latest stakes win: the $100,000 John C. Mabee California Cup Mile Stakes on October 30. Conducted by the Oak Tree Racing Association at Hollywood Park, the one-mile turf test was one of seven stakes races carded for the California Cup XXI program featuring runners who were either bred or sired in the Golden State. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

It was silver-coated Bruce’s Dream who got up for the Mile win under Joseph Talamo, giving the rider his fourth victory on the day. The 4-year-old gelding defeated five rivals as the 8-5 favorite. He made his winning move from fifth to second in mid-stretch by going four-wide, and subsequently reached the wire a neck in front of pacesetter Colgan’s Chip, the same rival whom he had bested three months earlier in the grassy, 1 1/16-mile California Dreamin’ Handicap at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. His final time for the Cal Cup Mile was 1:34.37.

“If you place this horse right and keep him with the right horses, he just runs his eyeballs out,” said trainer Mike Puype, who conditions California-bred Bruce’s Dream for breeder Bruce Corwin of Corwin Racing. “He wants to win; he runs to win.”

The second foal out of the winning Smokester mare Remember Dorothy boasts six victories and two thirds from eight starts, and total earnings of $293,940. His two placings came in elite company: the 2010 Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2) at Del Mar and Oak Tree’s 2009 Morvich Handicap (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

Bruce’s Dream is one of three stakes winners from the first California-conceived crop of Atticus, a resident of Magali Farms in Santa Ynez. The 18-year-old son of Nureyev set the world record for running one mile on turf in 1:31.89 while winning Santa Anita’s 1997 Arcadia Handicap (G2), and has overall progeny earnings of more than $11.3 million from 10 crops to race. — October 30, 2010

Dual G3 winner by Tannersmyman takes third in Fresno stakes

On October 17, the top runner for the California stallion Tannersmyman earned black type for the third consecutive year with a third-place outing in the $53,950 Bull Dog Stakes on closing day of The Big Fresno Fair. [WATCH RACE VIDEO]

Five-year-old Autism Awareness, a $1,000 graduate of the 2006 Northern California Yearling Sale, has left his mark on the state’s racing industry with victories in the 2008 El Camino Real Derby (G3) at the former Bay Meadows Race Course and the 2009 Berkeley Stakes (G3) at Golden Gate Fields. Although he is winless since the latter event, which took place more than 16 months ago, he has compiled a respectable career record of four wins, five seconds and two thirds from 30 starts for total earnings of $316,337.

Paired with jockey Julien Couton and fitted with blinkers for the 1 1/8-mile Bull Dog, the Genaro Vallejo trainee was rank early, but eventually settled into fourth as the six-horse field journeyed around Fresno’s fast dirt oval. After moving three-wide in the stretch, the seasoned veteran kept a steady pace to the wire, which he ultimately reached eight lengths behind the heavily favored winner, Quindici Man. He returned a $3.40 show payout as the 8-1 fourth wagering choice.

Autism Awareness was bred in California by Jim Eaton, Paul Arndt, Dave Marabela and Mr. and Mrs. Terry Smith, and is currently campaigned by owner Johnny Taboada. His dam is Lady Essex, a winning daughter of Sharp Victor.

His sire is 12-year-old Tannersmyman, by Lord Carson. The stakes-winning stallion is a resident of Woodbridge Farm in Oakdale, California, and has 15 North American winners from five limited crops of racing age, topped by Autism Awareness and the juvenile stakes performer Gary John. — October 17, 2010