By DRF.com
ARCADIA, Calif. (Dec. 23, 2014) — One was a Grade 1 winner on turf. Two ran in the Kentucky Derby. Another won the same stakes three times.
The new stallions in California for the 2015 breeding season are an eclectic mix of horses with lengthy racing careers and lightly raced runners. Here is an alphabetical list of first-year stallions in California and five notable stallions that were moved to the state for the 2015 breeding season.
FIRST-YEAR STALLIONS
Boisterous (Distorted Humor–Emanating, by Cox’s Ridge)
Farm: Tommy Town Thoroughbreds
Fee: $5,000
A veteran turf marathoner, Boisterous won 12 of 35 starts and earned $1,458,792 in a career largely spent on the New York circuit with trainer Shug McGaughey. Boisterous, by Distorted Humor, won eight stakes, most notably the Grade 1 Man o’ War Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Belmont Park in July 2013.
The highlight of his 2014 campaign was a third behind 2012 and 2013 Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs in May.
His dam, Emanating, was a stakes winner who was third in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga in 1999.
Capital Account (Closing Argument–Accountess, by Private Account)
Farm: BG Thoroughbred Farm
Fee: $1,500
Best known for winning the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar in 2012, Capital Account, by Closing Argument, raced in sprints in his four-year career from 2010-13. Trained by Bob Baffert, Capital Account earned $455,080 racing in Southern California. He was second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship in 2012.
Capital Account is a half-brother to New York graded stakes winner Accountforthegold.
Daddy Nose Best (Scat Daddy–Follow Your Bliss, by Thunder Gulch)
Farm: BG Thoroughbred Farm
Fee: $2,000
Tenth behind winner I’ll Have Another in the 2012 Kentucky Derby, this 5-year-old horse won six stakes in California, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma in a four-year career for trainer Steve Asmussen. Daddy Nose Best was successful on dirt, synthetic surfaces, and turf, winning 9 of 25 starts and earning $957,303.
Daddy Nose Best is the most successful foal for Follow Your Bliss, who is out of two-time graded stakes winner Follow the Money.
Fighting Hussar (Rockport Harbor–Lightning Pace, by Regal Classic)
Farm: BG Thoroughbred Farm
Fee: Complimentary
Fighting Hussar excelled in California-bred stakes in 2012 and 2013, finishing second in three lucrative stakes at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. He was a nose away from being a stakes winner, the margin of defeat behind Omega Star in the Echo Eddie Stakes for 3-year-old California-bred sprinters at Santa Anita in March 2013.
Rockport Harbor is the sire of Ria Antonia, the winner of the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and Majestic Harbor, who won the Gold Cup at Santa Anita in June.
Gervinho (Unusual Heat–Foreverinthegame, by Out of Place)
Farm: Tommy Town Thoroughbreds
Fee: $3,500
Gervinho was one of the sharpest turf milers of his age group in Southern California in 2012 and 2013. The California-bred by Unusual Heat won three stakes, including the final start of his career, the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, 2013.
He was sidelined with injury after that race, which led to his retirement. By top California stallion Unusual Heat, Gervinho is a full brother to multiple stakes winner Lakerville, another first-year stallion in California in 2015.
Golden Child (In Excess–Fourteen Karyot, by Strike Gold)
Farm: Pacific Coast Thoroughbreds
Fee: Complimentary
In a five-race career, the 5-year-old won consecutive sprints nearly 10 months apart at Golden Gate Fields – a $32,000 claimer for maidens in 2012 and a starter allowance in 2013. In both races, he was prominent from the start and pulled clear in early stretch.
He is a half-brother to Jake La Gold, a three-time winner at Emerald Downs and Santa Anita. In Excess was one of California’s leading stallions in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He Be Fire N Ice (Unusual Heat–Deputy Tombe, by Deputy Commander)
Farm: Rancho San Miguel
Fee: $2,500
A five-time winner in Southern California, he won the California Dreamin’ Handicap for statebreds on turf in 2013, but was more impressive finishing second in two Grade 2 races that year – the Del Mar Mile to Obviously and the City of Hope Mile to No Jet Lag at Santa Anita. He finished eighth behind Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.
By top California stallion Unusual Heat, He Be Fire N Ice won at distances ranging from six furlongs on the synthetic surface at Del Mar to 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Indian Gods (Indian Charlie–Lyin Goddess, by Boston Harbor)
Farm: Brazeau Thoroughbred Farms
Fee: Complimentary
Though winless in six starts in Southern California from 2012-14, Indian Gods has an intriguing pedigree.
A $170,000 purchase at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale, Indian Gods is by Indian Charlie out of Lyin Goddess, who won the 2003 Juan Gonzalez Stakes at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton in her career debut. The next year, Lyin Goddess was second in the Santa Paula Stakes for 3-year-old sprint fillies at Santa Anita.
Jeranimo (Congaree–Jera, by Jeblar)
Farm: Tommy Town Thoroughbreds
Fee: $5,000
For five consecutive seasons, Jeranimo was a graded stakes winner in California. An 11-time winner in 40 races, his career was highlighted by wins in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park in 2012, and three runnings of the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes on turf – in 2010, 2013, and earlier this year. He won two Grade 2 stakes on turf in 2011.
Jeranimo earned $1,525,364 in his career under trainer Mike Pender.
Kate’s Event (Event of the Year–Nordidid, by Mane Minister)
Farm: Special T Thoroughbreds
Fee: $1,000
The leading earner by Event of the Year, this 7-year-old won 8 of 29 starts and earned $460,162 racing in Southern California. He had one stakes win – the Tiznow Stakes for California-breds at 7 1/2 furlongs at Hollywood Park in April 2013.
Kate’s Event won at distances ranging from six furlongs to a mile. He was bred by William Ziering, who later lost him via claim for $50,000 in May and took him back for $45,000 in August. Kate’s Event stands as property of Ziering.
Lakerville (Unusual Heat–Foreverinthegame, by Out of Place)
Farm: Harris Farms
Fee: Private
A dazzling turf sprinter, this 6-year-old won five races, ranging in distances from five furlongs to about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, including the Clocker’s Corner Stakes last January. He was later second in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on the hillside course in April.
By leading sire Unusual Heat, Lakerville earned $318,910. He was the winner of four of his first five starts in 2011 and 2012.
Merit Man (With Distinction–Precise Strike, by Precise End)
Farm: Lovacres Ranch
Fee: $5,000
A stakes winner at 2, 3, and 4, Merit Man was outstanding in races at five and six furlongs in California and Florida. He won the six-furlong Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park in 2013 and the Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs at Del Mar in August.
Merit Man was not just a sprinter. He was third behind eventual Kentucky Derby winner Orb in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at 1 1/8 miles in March 2013.
Northern Causeway (Giant’s Causeway–Getaway Girl, by Silver Deputy)
Farm: Rancho San Miguel
Fee: $2,500
Racing primarily in Northern California and British Columbia, this 6-year-old won consecutive stakes at Hastings Park in 2011 – the Richmond Derby Trial and the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby. He won at distances ranging from six furlongs at Golden Gate Fields to 1 1/8 miles at Hastings, and was third in a stakes at 1 3/8 miles at Hastings.
Overall, Northern Causeway won 5 of 30 starts and earned $265,367.
Getaway Girl is a half-sister to the prominent stallions City Zip and Ghostzapper.
Stormberg (Storm Cat–Serena’s Song, by Rahy)
Farm: NexStar Ranch
Fee: $1,500
This two-time winner at Santa Anita is arguably the best-bred stallion prospect bound for stud in California in 2015. He is by leading stallion Storm Cat out of Hall of Famer Serena’s Song, the champion 3-year-old filly of 1995.
Stormberg, a $450,000 purchase at the 2009 Keeneland September sale, won 2 of 14 starts and earned $108,865 racing throughout the nation. His wins came on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.
Typhoon Slew (Stormy Atlantic–Hepatica, by Slewpy)
Farm: Rancho San Miguel
Fee: $1,000
In limited starts, Typhoon Slew won a maiden race at Ellis Park in 2010 and was third in the Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga that year. He was later fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.
Although he has not raced in years, Typhoon Slew had recorded workouts as recently as the end of 2013. He is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Slew’s Tizzy and multiple stakes winner Slew’s Tiznow.
Unusual Heatwave (Unusual Heat–Miss Alphie, by Candi’s Gold)
Farm: Tommy Town Thoroughbreds
Fee: $2,500
This 5-year-old horse made his mark in California-bred stakes, winning three stakes against statebreds in 2012 and 2014. In June, he won the Crystal Water Stakes at Santa Anita in his second-to-last start.
Overall, Unusual Heatwave won 4 of 20 starts and earned $488,752 racing in Southern California from 2011 until July of this year. He is a half-brother to Alphie’s Bet, a Grade 3 winner who earned $303,670.
RELOCATED STALLIONS
Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat–She’s a Winner, by A.P. Indy)
Farm: Ballena Vista Farm
Fee: $6,500
He is the sire of such runners as California stakes winner Story to Tell and Florida stakes winner E B Ryder. An 11-year-old, he previously stood at WinStar Farm in Kentucky and Rockridge Stud in New York before moving to California for 2015.
On the racetrack, Bluegrass Cat won four stakes, including the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational in 2006. Second to Barbaro in the Kentucky Derby, he won 5 of 11 starts and earned $1,761,280.
Maybry’s Boy (Broad Brush–Aly’s Conquest, by Alydar)
Farm: E.A. Ranches
Fee: $1,500
Formerly based in New York, Maybry’s Boy is the sire of six winners, including Sportswriter, a multiple stakes winner at Aqueduct and Saratoga. His sire, Broad Brush, by Ack Ack, won the 1987 Santa Anita Handicap and three other Grade 1 races. He earned more than $2.6 million.
On the track, Maybry’s Boy won the Grade 3 Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park in 2002 and earned $322,700 in a 43-race career. He won at least one race annually in a six-year career from 2001-06.
Salute the Sarge (Forest Wildcat–Dixie Ghost, by Silver Ghost)
Farm: E.A. Ranches
Fee: Complimentary
The leading freshman stallion in Louisiana in 2012, Salute the Sarge previously stood at stud in Kentucky and Louisiana. He is the sire of Salutos Amigos, an active runner who has won two stakes, including the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct in November. Salutos Amigos was seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in November.
On the racetrack, Salute the Sarge won 4 of 12 starts and earned $346,639, winning three sprint stakes in Southern California.
Street Hero (Street Cry–Squall Linda, by Summer Squall)
Farm: Rancho San Miguel
Fee: $3,500
Street Hero, who previously stood in Kentucky, is owned by Myung Kwon Cho, who bred, owned, and trained the stakes winner. Street Hero, now age 8, won the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita in 2008 and was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile that year in his final start.
At stud, Street Hero is the sire of Gabriel Charles, who won a division of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in 2013, and Street Girl, who won the 2013 Calder Oaks.
U S Ranger (Danzig–My Annette, by Red Ransom)
Farm: Rancho San Miguel
Fee: $3,000
Trained in Europe by Jean Claude-Rouget and Aidan O’Brien, and in California by Neil Drysdale, this well-traveled 10-year-old was a listed stakes winner in Ireland, was second in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket in 2008, and third in the Grade 3 Inglewood Handicap at Hollywood Park in 2009.
At stud, U S Ranger is the sire of Solitary Ranger, a stakes winner at Arlington Park (Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity) and at Turfway Park.