2003 Cal-bred News

Cal Cup Full of Heroes

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2003) -- Harris Farms bred three winners on the $1.325 million California Cup XIV undercard Saturday at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, but the feature event went to Tiznow's little brother.

Tizbud scored an impressive upset win in the $250,000 Cal Cup Classic, leaving defending champ Calkins Road and millionaire Grey Memo in his wake.

But Tizbud, the full brother to horse of the year Tiznow and 1998 Cal Cup Classic winner Budroyale, had to share the spotlight with Harris Farms, as well as jockey Victor Espinoza, veteran trainer James Cassidy and veteran runner Continental Red, who became the latest Cal-bred millionaire while finishing second in the John C. Mabee Mile.

Harris Farms either bred or co-bred John Deere Distaff winner Blind Ambition, TVG Distance winner Moscow Burning and Donald Valpredo Sprint winner Green Team. That brings to eight the number of Cal Cup winners Harris Farms has either bred or co-bred.

Espinoza rode four winners, while Alex Solis, Ryan Fogelsoner and Julie Krone each won two races. In addition to Tizbud, Espinoza won on Green Team in the Sprint, He's the Rage in the Budweiser Juvenile and Fade to Blue in the XTRA 690/1150 Starter's Handicap.

Cassidy trained two winners -- Moscow Burning in the TVG Distance and He's the Rage in the Budweiser Juvenile.

The best race on the 10-race card was the Cal Cup Robert H. Walter Juvenile Fillies, with Del Mar Yearling Sale graduate House of Fortune winning a spirited stretch-long duel with Silent Sighs by a half-length. That gave Ron McAnally his first Cal Cup win in his first Cal Cup start. The largest margin of victory belonged to He's the Rage, a four-length winner of the Budweiser Juvenile. Royally Chosen won the CTT/TOC Matron by 3 1/2 lengths.

Four winners set stakes records -- Green Team with 1:07.98 for six furlongs in the Sprint; Blind Ambition with 1:12.27 for the about 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf in the Distaff; Moscow Burning with 2:00.91 for 1 1/4 on the turf in the Distance (second running at the distance); and Fade to Blue with 2:26.46 for 1 1/2 miles on the turf in the starter's handicap.

The longest-shot winner was Lennyfromalibu, who won the John C. Mabee Mile at odds of 25-1.

An early theme on the day was claimed horses that went on to become Cal Cup winners. Green Team, Moscow Burning and starter's stakes winners Coconut Mango and Fade to Blue were claimed by their current owners.

The pool for the guaranteed $1 million Pick Six reached more than $1.1 million and there were two perfect tickets worth $309,713.40 each. On-track attendance was 18,029 and total handle was $16,074,662, down from 28,313 and $19,834,206 a year ago.