2002 Cal-bred News

Day of Domination at Cal Cup XIII

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 2, 2002) -- Harris Farms, Calkins Road and Pat Valenzuela were the biggest winners in a day full of them Saturday at California Cup XIII, held at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

Harris Farms bred and owns $150,000 TOC/CTT Cal Cup Matron winner Super High and co-bred and owns $150,000 Donald Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint winner Unlimited Value.

Calkins Road took the $250,000 Cal Cup Classic, in the process becoming the first horse to parlay victories in the featured races on Gold Rush and Cal Cup days in the same year. Calkins Road, bred by Thomas and Deborah Shapiro, also won the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes Apr. 28 at Hollywood Park.

Winning breeders were:
Ron Gomez for Noble Kinsman in the $50,000 Ridder/Rowan Cal Cup Starter Handicap;
Harris Farms for Super High in the Matron;
Malibu Valley Farms and Arthur and Mary Alisi for Crackup in the $125,000 Budweiser and Foothill Beverage Cal Cup Juvenile;
Rick and Michael Arthur for Giovannetti in the $50,000 Kenneth M. Schiffer Cal Cup Starter Sprint;
Allan Fainbarg and Arnold Feuerstein for Nicole's Pursuit in the $100,000 TVG Distance Handicap;
Harris Farms and Ray Johnson for Unlimited Value in the Sprint;
Gary and Marlene Howard for Lil Sister Stich in the $150,000 John Deere Cal Cup Distaff;
The Shapiros for Calkins Road in the Classic;
Cardiff Farm Management and Bobby Ng for Turkish Prize in the $175,000 John C. Mabee Cal Cup Mile;
And Wira & Wira & Vetter & Penny for Summer Wind Dancer in the $125,000 XTRA 690/FOX 1150 Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Valenzuela scored a Cal Cup riding triple, including the early Daily Double. He won with Noble Kinsman in the Starter Handicap, Super High in the Matron and Unlimited Value in the Sprint. Kent Desormeaux and Laffit Pincay had two winners each.

With a two-day carryover, the guaranteed $1 million Pick Six pool totaled more than $1.6 million and five tickets with six winners paid $219,083.40.

The total handle of $19,769,952 was the second-highest for Cal Cup, just behind last year's $20,039,915, while the inter-state handle of $8,421,285 set a Cal Cup record.