Fitzpatrick Farm 

This year has been an exciting one for CTBA president Wes Fitzpatrick and his wife Sharon. As owners of a new ranch near Nuevo, Calif., they are hoping that Irisheyesareflying can improve upon a 5th place finish in last year's California Cup Classic and put them in the Santa Anita winner's circle on Nov. 3.

The 5-year-old son of Flying Continental will not be carrying their trademark black and orange silks on Cal Cup Day. Wes and Sharon lost him several claiming races ago and he now resides in the red-hot barn of trainer John Dolan. They'll still be able to celebrate as his breeders if Irisheyesareflying manages to maintain his winning form and captures the $250,000 Classic this year. A respectable fourth behind Horse of the Year Tiznow in the Santa Anita Handicap in March, the Fitzpatricks' pride and joy captured the historic Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs in August for his first stakes win, and a graded one at that. 

Irisheyesareflying is just one of several Flying Continental offspring bred by the Fitzpatricks. The stallion, who stands at Harris Farms in Coalinga, is on the road to being the heir apparent to his sire. Flying Paster died in 1992 after leading California's stallion ranks for years, racking up record progeny earnings of $3 million and siring five Cal Cup winners. Flying Continental was one of the precious legacies he left behind.

A multiple graded stakes winner of 12 races and $1,815,938 in earnings, Flying Continental ran second in the 1992 Cal Cup Classic. Several years before that, though he won the Charles H. Strub Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup and was voted California's champion older horse as a 4-year-old in 1990. His first foals became all the rage when they sold as yearlings and they helped propel Flying Continental to top sire status at the Del Mar yearling sale in 1996 and 1997.His sons and daughters have turned out to be late-blooming, late-running types, but he already has a dozen stakes winners to his credit.

Wes and Sharon have been strong supporters of Flying Continental since the horse went to stud. Continental Red, whom they hope will be carrying their silks on Cal Cup Day, is also sired by him and could contend with "Irisheyes" in the Classic and the Mile. The Fitzpatricks also bred and own another winning son of Flying Continental named Sharp Looking Dude who is a full brother to Continental Red.

They also have a pair of juveniles nominated to the Cal Cup. Lake Perris Red is a Lake George half-brother to Continental Red and Sharon's Summer, a Siberian Summer half-sister to Irisheyesareflying. 

Inaugurated in 1990, California Cup offers 10 races and purses of $1.275 million for California-bred Thoroughbreds.