News Bits

NewsBits

CAL-BRED FIRE VICTIM A WINNER

California-bred Lovely Finish, a survivor of the 2017 Lilac Fire at San Luis Rey Downs, scored an emotional maiden victory for owners Joe Herrick Racing Stables and Red Silk Stables at Los Alamitos Feb. 13. Ridden by Anthony Locke, Lovely Finish pulled away from her rivals in route to a 3 1⁄2-length win in the 1,000-yard race during the Los Alamitos evening Quarter Horse meeting.

“I had to keep myself from getting emotional because she and I almost lost our lives together,” said Herrick.

In saving Lovely Finish from the wildfre Dec. 7, 2017, Herrick was burned on 23% of his body. After months of recovery for both trainer and horse, Lovely Finish, who had started only once, returned to the races, running third in a 51⁄2-furlong race during the Los Angeles County Fair Meet at Los Alamitos Sept. 20, 2018. Te 6-year-old daughter of Marino Marini—Corazon de Leo, by Flame Trower, has fnished third or better in each of her eight starts.

“She’s run well every time,” Herrick added. “She’s never had a bad race. I’ve taken care of her and never ran her when she was compromised. We’ve really taken care of this horse.”

Occasionally, Lovely Finish has been a little fnicky while waiting in the starting gate. Herrick has responded by spending a lot of time schooling her in the mornings at San Luis Rey Downs.

“She was waiting on the horses to come to her tonight,” said Herrick. “She was only going to run as hard as she needed to.”

Blea Appointed New EMD

Dr. Jef Blea, a well-respected racetrack veterinarian, has been appointed as the equine medical director (EMD) serving the California Horse Racing Board. He will take over in July upon the retirement of Dr. Rick Arthur from the position. Blea brings 28 years of veterinary experience with him, and before that he had a brief Dr. Jeff Blea COURTESY OF OWNERVIEW stint as a jockey. He is a past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the Southern California Equine Foundation and served as a director of the Dolly Green Research Foundation from 1999-2015. He is currently a trustee of the California Toroughbred Foundation.

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, chairman of the CHRB and a former equine Under contract arrangements between the CHRB and the veterinarian himself, described Blea as “a nationally known and School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, widely respected equine veterinarian. He is recognized for his clear Davis, the EMD serves as a member of its faculty. thinking and fairness in his decision making.” “As equine medical director,” said Blea, “I look forward to

Arthur noted, “Dr. Blea is an excellent choice to become EMD. working with industry stakeholders in further advancing the He has a broad background in horse racing and is well respected by progressive transformation of horse racing in California with his colleagues here in California and nationally.” the emphasis on horse safety, welfare, and integrity.”

CURRENT CALIFORNIA SIRES OF STAKES WINNERS

STALLION

FOALS OF RACING AGE SWs

BLUEGRASS CAT • MINISTERS WILD CAT ROCKY BAR • KAFWAIN † SQUARE EDDIE † STAY THIRSTY ATTICUS † EDDINGTON SOUTHERN IMAGE SMILING TIGER VRONSKY SIR PRANCEALOT (IRE) GRAZEN TIZBUD GRAYDAR MISREMEMBERED SLEW’S TIZNOW 1010 532 201 696 272 523 522 499 584 237 313 370 193 238 312 123 158 48 32 27 22 20 19

16 14

14

14

14 13 12 9 8 7

7

† Indicates stallions who have died or have been retired from stud. ● Indicates stallions who have moved out of state but have California-bred 2-year-olds of this year. All sires will remain on the list until their last Cal-bred crop turns 3 years old.

QUALIFYING CLAIMING LEVELS

The following claiming levels for California owners premiums and stallion awards are currently in effect:

SANTA ANITA PARK / $40,000 GOLDEN GATE FIELDS / $20,000

WILD WEST BONUS OFFERS $1 MILLION

Santa Anita Park and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club have created the Wild West Bonus, which offers $1 million in additional money to the winning connections of any horse that wins the March 6 Santa Anita Handicap (G1), May 31 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1), and Aug. 21 TVG Pacif c Classic (G1) at Del Mar. Only three horses have swept those three stakes in the same year, the f rst being California-bred Lava Man in 2006. Game On Dude followed in 2013, with Accelerate the most recent in 2018.

Including the $1 million bonus, any horse sweeping these three 11⁄4-mile races would bank a total of $1,870,000. On Santa Anita Handicap day, Santa Anita will also boost overnight races by $15,000 per race and increase the China Doll Stakes purse from $75,000 to $100,000.

FENTON ELECTED TO CHAIR TOC

Gary Fenton has been unanimously selected to chair the Thoroughbred Owners of California by the TOC board. He replaces outgoing chairman Nick Alexander, who stepped down after f ve years in the role. Fenton has served on the TOC board since 2016, as chairman of the TOC racing committee since 2018, and as TOC vice-chairman since 2019. Fenton is the managing partner of Little Red Feather Racing (LRF), California’s largest COURTESY OF GARY FENTON ownership syndicate, Gary Fenton with more than 85 horses and more than 400 owner/partners. LRF has campaigned such horses as Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) winner Singletary and grade 1 winners Egg Drop, Midnight Storm, Secret Spice, Fault, and Mirth.

Growing up in Beverly Hills, Fenton became a racing fan at an early age, going to Hollywood Park, Santa Anita, and Del Mar. He began his career as an entertainment attorney, working for the William Morris Agency and media companies that included ATG, Carsey-Werner, and AMC before transitioning to LRF full time in 2005.

IN Memoriam

Julio Canani

Julio Canani, a successful Southern California-based trainer of Breeders’ Cup winners, died Feb. 5 at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena at age 83.

Canani trained the winners of 1,137 races for purse earnings of more than $49 million. His career ended in 2015 following a suspension of his license for alleged improprieties in the sale of racehorses. In his heyday, © BENOIT PHOTO Canani trained horses at the highest level. He won the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) twice, in 2001 with Val Royal and in 1999 with Silic, and the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) with Sweet Catomine. With 50-1 longshot Martial Law, Canani won the 1989 Santa Anita Handicap (G1).

Born in Peru in 1938, Canani left home at age 16. After emigrating to the U.S., he worked for a landscaping company before he came to the racetrack and walked hots for trainer A.T. (Tommy) Doyle. Canani took out his trainer’s license in 1968, primarily training claimers until 1975, when he won his f rst stakes, the Oceanside Stakes, with Willmar. He saddled jockey Bill Shoemaker’s last mount, Patchy Groundfog, on Feb. 3, 1990, at Santa Anita. Shoemaker f nished fourth.

Canani trained Val Royal for producer and writer David Milch, who put Canani in a few episodes of his television series “Deadwood” and “NYPD Blue.”

“I get to be in a bar and spit on someone,” Canani once said of “Deadwood.”

A decade ago Milch created the Peruvian trainer Turo Escalante based on Canani as a character for the short-lived racetrack-based series “Luck.”

Canani is survived by his wife, Svetlana; his four children, Nick, Lisa, Isabella, and Alexander; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. The Canani family has requested donations be made to the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation.

George O’Bryan

Longtime noted jockey agent and California breeder George O’Bryan, who turned 100 last October, died Feb. 11 at Arcadia Methodist Hospital, according to his son, Craig O’Bryan.

From the 1940s into the 1990s, O’Bryan represented many of the country’s leading jockeys, including Hall of Fame riders Johnny Adams, Ralph Neves, Manuel Ycaza, Laff t Pincay Jr., and Donald Pierce.

Born in Taylorville, Ill., O’Bryan had a brief career as a jockey, riding for eventual Hall of Fame conditioners Ben Jones and his son Jimmy in the Midwest.

Following his career as an agent, O’Bryan, along with his late wife, Mercedes, bred and owned horses in California. They bred the Don B. mare Don’s Quillo, a California-bred who produced Cal-bred millionaire Megan’s Interco. Megan’s Interco won two editions of the California Cup Mile and the 1996 Wells Fargo Bank California Cup Classic.

George O’Bryan was predeceased by his wife, Mercedes. He is survived by his son, Craig, who is currently representing jockey Juan Hernandez; a daughter, Shannon; grandsons Brandon (agent for apprentice Jessica Pyfer) and Kyle; and three great-grandchildren.

Dagoberto Perez

Longtime trainer and California-based horseman Dagoberto Perez died Jan. 21 at age 80. Familiar and well-liked, he was a f xture at Hollywood Park for decades, often seen with his signature cigar and fedora as he followed each of his horses to the track.

Born in Cuba and a trainer there before immigrating to the United States in 1961, Perez worked on the East Coast as an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Frank “Pancho” Martin. While with Martin, he worked with such stakes winners as Sham, Autobiography, and Never Bow.

Perez headed west with the Martin barn, and he decided not to return to New York when Martin did. Perez worked as an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Laz Barrera until Barrera’s death in 1991. Perez raised a family during those years, and he later returned to training a small stable of his own.

Horses Perez trained include California-bred Her Reality, an earner of $199,925, and Cal-bred Ghostly Girl, an earner of $93,556.

Perez is survived by his wife, Aurora; his adult children, Lisa and Dagoberto Jr.; and a grandson, David.

IN Memoriam

Gordon Webb

Longtime racehorse owner Gordon Webb, who made his reputation in the movie industry, died in late December in Calabasas, according to his friend and fellow Thoroughbred owner Joanne Batchelor. He was 85.

Webb worked on many television series and movies, primarily as an assistant director. He was the second-unit director on several episodes of “Gunsmoke,” “Perry Mason,” “Mission: Impossible,” and “Wild Wild West.” Webb began his career in the mailroom at major studios, working his way up to become an assistant director, production manager, and producer. He was the unit production manager and a producer on such movies as “Dave,” “Kindergarten Cop,” and “Space Jam.”

STALLION NEWS

■ Sparticle to Daehling

Stakes-placed Sparticle has entered stud at Daehling Ranch in Elk Grove. An earner of $171,099, Sparticle set a six-furlong track record of 1:07.68 at Penn National Aug. 24, 2019. That year he also fnished third in the Senator Robert C. Byrd Memorial Stakes.

Sparticle is a son of millionaire Field Commission, a multiple graded winner, and he is out of the Way West mare Clara Bow. Sparticle’s second dam is Julie the Flapper, whose stakes wins include the 1987 Rancho Bernardo Handicap and Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar.

Sparticle

KEENELAND/COADY PHOTOGRAPHY ■ First Foal for Rumpus Cat

Daehling Ranch reported that the stallion Rumpus Cat had his frst foal, a flly out of Medicine Gal.

Medicine Gal is a California-bred daughter of Tribal Rule—Lighten Up Tiny, by Bertrando. She earned $129,654 on the racetrack.

Rumpus Cat, who stands at Daehling Ranch in Elk Grove for $2,500, is a 6-yearold son of champions Street Sense and Sweet Catomine. A winner at Santa Anita and Del Mar, Rumpus Cat earned $82,950. He entered stud last year.

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY

10 YEARS AGO

California-bred LA NEZ captured the fourth stakes of her career in the $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes at Santa Anita March 19, 2011. With Martin Pedroza in the irons, La Nez raced in fourth early down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course. Four wide into the stretch, she grabbed the lead near the wire and defeated favored Saanneen by three-quarters of a length. La Nez completed about 61⁄2 furlongs in 1:13.70. Eric Kruljac trained the 4-year-old f lly for Class Racing Stable. J. Chance Kruljac bred the daughter of Storm Creek—Iza Bay, by Iz a Saros. La Nez earlier had won the 2009 Robert H. Walter California Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes, 2010 Fleet Treat Stakes, and 2010 John Deere California Cup Distaff Stakes. She earned a total of $417,000, and her foals include 2020 Athenia Stakes (G3T) winner Tapit Today.

25 YEARS AGO

Becoming the second consecutive California-bred to win Santa Anita’s San Carlos Handicap (G2), following Softshoe Sure Shot the previous year, KINGDOM FOUND defeated Lakota Brave by 11⁄4 lengths at 15-1 under jockey Chris McCarron. Favored Lit de Justice, who would win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) that fall and be named the Eclipse Award-winning sprinter, f nished third in the March 2, 1996, race. Kingdom Found completed the seven furlongs of the $158,850 San Carlos in 1:22.23. Gary Jones trained Kingdom Found for the Dilbeck Family Trust. Ray Dilbeck bred the 6-year-old gelded son of The Bart—Amiga La G., by Delaware Chief. Kingdom Found won 11 of 36 races, including the 1994 San Diego Handicap (G3) and 1997 San Pasqual Handicap (G2), and earned $810,863.

50 YEARS AGO

California-bred ATOMIC WINGS edged Formal Marriage in the Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita March 2, 1971. Sent off at nearly 30-1, Atomic Wings and jockey Robby Kilborn raced in third early down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course of about 61⁄2 furlongs. The f lly caught front-running Emmamia and held off Formal Marriage to win by a neck in 1:132⁄5, with Shake a Shadow third. James Nazworthy trained Atomic Wings for his wife, Maxine Factor Nazworthy, who bred the daughter of Atomic—Eagle’s Wings, by Quick Wink. Atomic Wings the previous year had won both the Del Mar Debutante and Junior Miss stakes and f nished third in the Del Mar Futurity. She won six of 26 races and earned $104,908.

MADERA THOROUGHBREDS

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Breeding and Boarding broodmares, foals, yearlings, and layups

MADERA THOROU

28799 Hwy. 145, Madera, CA 93636 (559) 660-6182

E-Mail: jillmadera@aol.com www.maderatb.com

Follow The Rainbow To

BOLD CHIEFTAIN Fee: $3,000 LF | G.S.M 64.4 Chief Seattle – Hooked On Music, by Seattle Dancer • ONLY TWO-TIME CAL CUP CLASSIC WINNER AND 50TH CAL-BRED

MILLOINAIRE • A versatile racehorse who won black-type races on all-weather, grass & dirt surfaces. Graded stakes winner of 18 races, 14 stakes, with earnings of $1,683,181. Posted Triple Digit Beyers on Dirt and Turf • Won Grade 2, $150,000 San Francisco Mile, defeating multiple Grade 2 winner MONTEREY JAZZ • Runners are led by Fran’s Valentine S. Winner MOONLESS SKY ($287,130) • Average earnings per starter $49,102

IDIOT PROOF Fee: $3,000 LF | G.S.M. 99.8 Benchmark – Perfectly Pretty, by Bertrando • California’s Top 10 Leading Turf Sires and Top 5 of 2-Yr-olds in 2020 • ECLIPSE AWARD FINALIST, CALIFORNIA CHAMPION SPRINTER,

CHAMPION 3-YEAR-OLD COLT • Sire of Multiple Graded Stakes & Multiple SW RICHARD’S BOY ($1,006,624), BULLETPROOF ONE ($361,162), from 14 starts has 7 wins, 2 seconds including 2020 Stakes win in the Unzip Me Stakes at

Santa Anita, and new track record setter FAITH PROOF, (6 wins in 8 starts by a combined 12 lengths, 5f in :56.42) • Lifetime: Average Earnings per starter $50,426 • IDIOT PROOF set new track records on dirt and synthetic winning a

G1 & G3 at 3

GIG HARBOR Fee: $2,000 LF | G.S.M 64.4 City Zip – Miss Blue Grass, by St. Jovite • ONLY STAKES WINNING SON OF CITY ZIP AT STUD IN CA • Multiple Stakes Winner with fve wins from 6 fur. to 1 1/16 miles • By Top Sprinter and Leading Sire CITY ZIP • CITY ZIP is the sire of leading young sires RUN AWAY AND HIDE,

PALACE, BUSTIN STONES, etc., and Horse of the Year in Canada

CATCH A GLIMPSE, Champions DAYATTHESPA, WORK ALL WEEK,

FINEST CITY, DANA MY LOVE, etc.

G. G. RYDER Fee: $2,000 LF Ch. h. by Chhaya Dance – Stormy Gigi, by Storm Boot • MULTIPLE GRADED STAKES WINNER OF $747,519 • Out of the stakes winning A.P. Indy mare, CHHAYA DANCE • Won All America Stakes (G3) Twice • Won Bull Dog Stakes Wire-To-Wire • Placed in the Berkeley H (G3) three times • Stakes Winner on Turf, Dirt and

Artifcial Surfaces