Gold Rush

Madera Looking Golden

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Apr. 21, 2007) -- Cal Fischer is proud of the fact that as many as four sons of Lil Tyler, his retired Madera Thoroughbreds stallion, could be in the starting gate for Gold Rush races on April 29 at Hollywood Park.

Jack’s Wild, Seminole Native, Sentimental Daze and Super Strut are nominated to both the $150,000 TVG Khaled Stakes on turf and the $150,000 Tiznow Stakes on the Cushion Track.

The 1 1/8-mile TVG Khaled and the 7 ½-furlong Tiznow are the two richest races for older male runners on the $1.3 million, 10-race Gold Rush Day program, being contested for the eighth year.

“I hope they don’t end up in the same race,” Fischer said of his quartet of Lil Tyler sons. “Most of the Lil Tylers like to be on the outside, and I’m sure they won’t all draw outside posts.

“But I’m sure glad to see Lil Tyler is still sending out winners, even though we haven’t bred him to any mares since 2003. He was an underrated racehorse. He once beat (1987 Santa Anita Handicap winner) Broad Brush. And he was underrated as a stallion, though he’s still listed among the top turf sires. He’s 26 now and getting gray in the face and muzzle, but he’s still feeling pretty good.”

Super Strut, a 7-year-old gelding out of the Torsion mare Miss Chez Cheveaux, and Jack’s Wild, a 5-year-old gelding out of the Affirmed mare It’s Binnice, are back in the Gold Rush after finishing third and fourth, respectively, behind Lava Man in the 2006 Khaled Stakes.

Both horses ran in the Crystal Water Handicap last month at Santa Anita, with Jack’s Wild achieving his first stakes victory and Super Strut, the defending champion, finishing third.

Seminole Native, a 5-year-old gelding out of the Magic Prospect mare Lake Okeechobee, will be making his second stakes start after running sixth Feb. 18 in the Sensational Star Handicap for Cal-breds at Santa Anita.

Sentimental Daze, a 5-year-old gelding by the Nasty and Bold mare Lov My Lou, will be making his stakes debut on Gold Rush Day. He has won two of his three starts this year and three times in 10 overall trips to the post.

Fischer got a head start on Gold Rush Day when Sure Speed, a 3-year-old daughter of the Lil Tyler mare Vapor, by Boulder Dam, won her career debut at Santa Anita in the last race on April 19.

“She was 6-1 that day and she looks like she could be a nice one,” Fischer said.
Fischer also is looking for some winners by his two resident stallions, massive 18-year-old Birdonthewire, a Grade I winner by Grade I winner Proud Birdie, out of Silk and Wrapper, and 10-year-old Market Forecast, by 1994 Horse of the Year Holy Bull, out of A Chance of Storm. His first foals are 2-year-olds this year.
—Larry Bortstein