Cal-bred News

Cal Cup Forum for Broodmare Stars

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 10, 2005) -- Eight broodmares, including the daughter of the most prominent active stallion in the country and the daughter of the last horse to pull off the Kentucky Derby-Breeders’ Cup Classic double, are each represented by a pair of nominees to 2005 California Cup races.

The 16th Cal Cup -- 10 races worth $1.65 million in purses for state-breds -- will be contested at Santa Anita on Nov. 6, closing day of the Oak Tree meet.

Sea Tempest, a Harris Farms broodmare, has two offspring nominated to the $150,000 Cal Cup Sprint. They are full brothers Excess Taxes, a 4-year-old, and Excess Temptations, a year younger. Both are by In Excess (IRE). Sea Tempest is by Storm Cat, whose $500,000 stud fee is the most expensive of any stallion in the nation.

Fasahah, who calls Tommy Town Thoroughbreds home, has two daughters nominated to the Cal Cup. Show Me Your Glory, a 4-year-old Alphabet Soup filly, has been named to the list of possible starters for both the $150,000 Matron and $100,000 Distance.

Bless Idbyour name, a 2-year-old by Valid Wager, could go in the $125,000 Juvenile Fillies. Fasahah is by the late Unbridled, who won both the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1990.

Gilded Dancer, whose sire, the late Mr. Prospector, produced the most stakes winners in history, has a pair of full siblings, both by In Excess, nominated to the Cal Cup, including Valentine Dancer, a millionaire distaffer. A 5-year-old mare bred by Al and Sandee Kirkwood, Valentine Dancer is nominated to the $150,000 Matron, the $150,000 Distaff and the $100,000 Distance.

The second In Excess-Gilded Dancer offspring nominated to the 2005 Cal Cup and also bred by the Kirkwoods is the 4-year-old gelding Carano. He is on the list of possible starters in the $175,000 Mile on turf.

A pair of siblings out of the Roanoke mare Merry Krisoke, both sired by Bartok (IRE), are Cal Cup nominees. Irish Bar, a 2-year-old colt, is named to the $125,000 Juvenile. His 5-year-old full sister, Bartok’s Blithe, has been nominated to the Matron and to the Distance.

Triple Connection, a Far North mare owned and bred by Charlotte Wrather, has two nominees for the $250,000 Cal Cup Classic in 5-year-old Beau Soleil (by General Meeting) and 4-year-old Cheroot (by Smokester). Beau Soleil also has been nominated to the Sprint and Cheroot also is a candidate for the Cal Cup Mile.

Interaction, whose sire, Hansel, won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 1991, is represented by He’s the Rage, a 4-year-old colt by Soft Gold (BRZ) in the Cal Cup Mile and by King of L.A., a 3-year-old Raji colt, in the Sprint.

Strawberry’s Best, whose sire, the late Australian-bred star Strawberry Road, won major races on three continents, has two offspring nominated to Cal Cup events. Both bred by Patricia Youngman, they are McManus, a 6-year-old Sharp Victor gelding on the list of potential starters in the Cal Cup Sprint, and Run Rebecca Run, a 5-year-old Swiss Yodeler mare who could run in the Distaff.

Vote Getter, by General Meeting, has two fillies bred by Bo Hirsch who are possible Cal Cup runners. Classical Lady, a 3-year-old by Bartok, is nominated to the Distaff, and Pali Girl, a 2-year-old daughter of Bertrando, could go in the Juvenile Fillies.
-- Larry Bortstein