2002 Cal-bred News

Cal Cup Starter Handicap Draws 14 Nominations

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 25, 2002) -- Taormina and Scotty Wotty, close relatives to two earlier California Cup winners, head a list of 14 nominees for the $50,000 guaranteed Cal Cup Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up who have run for a claiming tag of $40,000 or less in 2002.

The Starter Handicap has been a regular fixture of Cal Cup Day since its inception, but this year's renewal will be contested over a 1 1/2 miles on the turf.

Bred by Pete Parrella's Legacy Ranch, Taormina is a Private Terms half-brother to the very popular His Legacy, who captured three runnings of the Starter Handicap in 1991, 1992 and 1994 before retiring to the Chino ranch with 14 victories and earnings of $420,925. Another half-sibling, His Legacy Too and also owned by Legacy Ranch, ran third in the 1999 Starter Handicap.

Scotty Wotty is a half-brother to 1999 Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Cover Gal, who was also voted California's Champion 2-year-old Filly. Like his famous half-sister, Scotty Wotty was bred by Ron Gomez, who also campaigns the son of Walter Willy (Ire). Scotty Wotty was unplaced in last year's Starter Handicap and ran third in a $60,000 allowance optional claimer at one mile on the turf at Del Mar on Sept. 5.

Noble Kinsman, the horse that beat Scotty Wotty to win that Del Mar race, is also bred and owned by Gomez and also nominated to the Starter Handicap. By major sire In Excess (Ire), he is a half-brother to stakes winner Gomezmerize. Gomez is also the breeder of a third Starter Handicap nominee, Special Willy, by Walter Willy.

Fade to Blue captured the $44,000 Starter Handicap Championship over 1 3/8 miles at Fairplex Park in September. The 6-year-old Prized gelding was bred by Cardiff Farm Management Corp. and Lee Anne Aiello and is owned by Richard Englander, the Eclipse Award-winning owner of 2001.

Larry and Sheila Ullmann's homebred Bold Mango is also nominated. By the deceased and now very influential Bold Badgett, the 3-year-old captured the Derby Trial Stakes at Fairplex Park.

Other nominees include Calcupbound, Flymefaster, Gypsy Road, Immense Variety, La Bandera, Moving's Gold, Tick On and Windy's Halo. California Cup XIII is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2.