Gold Rush

Madera in Gold Rush Spotlight

MADERA, Calif. (Apr. 25, 2006) -- Lil Tyler is 24 years old and was retired from stallion service by Madera Thoroughbreds in 2004.

But seven of the 10 horses nominated by the farm to Sunday’s California Gold Rush at Hollywood Park are sons or daughters of Lil Tyler. And he is the broodmare sire of an eighth Gold Rush nominee.

The California Gold Rush is a 10-race series for state-breds worth $1.3 million in purse money. Sunday’s running will be its seventh.

Madera Thoroughbreds runners are nominated to eight Gold Rush races.

“Lil Tyler meant a lot to us,” said Cal Fischer, who owns Madera Thoroughbreds with Jill, his wife of 25 years. “We’re giving him a nice life in retirement.”

The best horse sired by Lil Tyler, who was by Halo, was Awesome Daze, winner of the Cal Cup Classic in 1997. An earner of more than $650,000, Awesome Daze was voted Cal-bred champion older horse that year.

Fischer, 68, feels that Madera Thoroughbreds is an ideal place to breed horses because the Fresno River runs through the middle of the property.

“That makes our pastures as good as any in the state,” said Fischer, who has been in the thoroughbred breeding business for 48 years.

In addition to being the breeders of 10 Gold Rush nominees, the Fischers own three, including Jan’s Ruling Angel, a Pepper Oaks Farm Stakes candidate.

A 4-year-old gelding, Jan’s Ruling Angel is by Slew of Angels out of the Lil Tyler mare Jan’s Sweet Time. They also are the co-owners of Seminole Native and Madera Royal.

Seminole Native is a 4-year-old Lil Tyler gelding by the Magic Prospcet mare Lake Okeechobee. He is named to the $150,000 TVG Khaled Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf. Madera Royal, a 4-year-old filly named to the Magali Farms Stakes, is by Lil Tyler out of the Native Royalty mare Gallant Royalty.

The most accomplished of three sons of Lil Tyler named to the Gold Rush is Super Strut. A 6-year-old gelding trained by Craig Dollase, Super Strut is nominated to the $150,000 TVG Khaled. In his most recent start, Super Strut, by Lil Tyler-Miss Chez Cheveaux, by Torsion, won the Crystal Water Handicap at Santa Anita on March 19 at one mile on turf. Santa Anita Handicap winner Lava Man is a probable starter in the TVG Khaled.

Jack’s Wild, another son of Lil Tyler named to the TVG Khaled, is a 4-year-old gelding out of the Affirmed mare It’s Binnice. He also is nominated to the seven-furlong Tiznow Stakes.

Two other Madera Thoroughbreds-bred runners nominated to the Tiznow are Real Temptation and Red Warrior. A 4-year-old Lil Tyler gelding, Real Temptation is out of the Gumboy mare Swan River Daisy. Red Warrior is by Benchmark out of Sparkling Nickle, by former sprint champion Plugged Nickle. Benchmark is the sire of Kentucky Derby favorite Brother Derek.

More Angels is Madera Thoroughbreds’ representative on the list of contenders for the 1 1/16 Melair Stakes for 3-year-olds. She is by Slew of Angels out of the Falstaff mare Falamora.

The remaining Lil Tyler offspring named to the Gold Rush are He’s Delirious and Da Svedonya. He’s Delirious, a 3-year-old gelding out of Fairy Isle (IRE), by Fairy King, is named to the Barretts Stakes. Da Svedonya, a 6-year-old mare nominated to the B. Thoughtful Stakes, is out of the Pracida mare Innuendo.
--Larry Bortstein