Gold Rush

Year-long Gold Rush for Unusual Heat

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Apr. 22, 2008) -- Three stakes-winning daughters of Unusual Heat and one of his sons will seek to continue to add to his remarkable record as a stallion when they compete in the $1.3 million California Gold Rush, 10 stakes for Cal-breds at Hollywood Park on Sunday.

Unusual Heat, an 18-year-old Nureyev stallion who stands for $20,000 at Old English Rancho in Sanger, Calif., was the sire of 26 winners during the just-concluded Santa Anita Park meet--better than one every three days during the 77-day rain-shortened season.

The 26 victories, by 20 different runners, are believed to be a record by one stallion at a major American meet.

Unusual Heat’s prowess was voted the outstanding accomplishment of the Santa Anita meet by members of the media.

“We’re dumbfounded,” said Madeline Auerbach, one of the owners of Unusual Heat, who will have a final book this year of about 65 mares. “He is winning on turf and dirt and gets runners who are by a wide variety of mares.”

Fifteen Unusual Heat runners won on turf and the other 11 on the synthetic main track. Only six were betting favorites, including Golden Doc A, who gave her sire his first Grade I victory when she won the Las Virgenes Stakes on February 9.

While Golden Doc A heads to the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 2, Lethal Heat, another 3-year-old filly who went from non-starter to stakes-winner in three winning starts during the Santa Anita meet, runs Sunday in the $100,000, 1 1/16-mile Melair Stakes.

Out of the Crested Wave mare Penpont, she most recently won the Grade III Santa Paula Stakes on March 30.

Lightmyfirebaby, a 5-year-old mare out of the Valid Appeal mare True Melody, also won all three of her starts at Santa Anita, including the Irish O’Brien Stakes for Cal-breds on March 27. On Cal Gold Rush Day, she will compete in the $150,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes.

Spenditallbaby wasn’t one of the 26 offspring of Unusual Heat to win at Santa Anita. But the 4-year-old stakes winning filly, out of the Dynaformer mare Andover the Money, is headed to the $150,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes.

Medzeekendron, a 5-year-old gelding who won a Santa Anita allowance/optional claiming event at 6 ½ furlongs on March 1, is expected to be in the starting gate for the $150,000 TVG Khaled Stakes.

Here is a race-by-race breakdown of Unusual Heat’s winners at Santa Anita:

1. Dec. 27 Royal Vision
3 YO g (Royal Visionary, by Royal Academy)
Breeder: Hutson, Yagoda, Mattias, Pacific Thoroughbreds, Nakisshian and Roberts
Trainer: Barry Abrams
One mile on turf in 1:36.43
Type of race: Maiden special weight
Win price: $7.80

2. Jan. 3 Hottodi
3 YO f (Pantaleta, by Equalize)
Breeder: Bill Currin
Trainer: Bill Currin
One mile on dirt in 1:36.85
Type of race: Maiden claiming
Win price: $11.60

3. Feb. 9 Lightmyfirebaby
5 YO m (True Melody, by Valid Appeal)
Breeder: David Abrams, Victor Johnson, Jack Nakisshian and Paul Wick
Trainer: Barry Abrams
One mile on turf in 1:35.72
Type of race: Allowance
Win price $16.20

4. Feb. 9 Golden Doc A
3 YO f (Penpont (NZ) by Crested Wave)
Breeder: David Abrams
Trainer: Barry Abrams
One mile on dirt in 1:35.86
Type of race: Las Virgenes Stakes (grade 1)
Win price: $5.20

5. Feb. 20 Cinder Cone
4 YO g (Dalymount, by Man From Eldorado)
Breeder: Fast Lane Farms
Trainer: Howard Zucker
1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:49.94
Type of race: Allowance optional claiming
Win price: $30.60

6. Feb. 23 No Sweat
3 YO g (Ballerina Gal, by Moscow Ballet)
Breeder: Fannimg Family Trust and John R. Harrison
Trainer: Jerry Fanning
6 ½ furlongs on dirt in 1:17.68
Type of race: Maiden special weight
Win price: $48.20

7. Feb. 25 Christiana’s Heat
4 YO f (Silverstrike, by Tiffany Ice)
Breeder: Abrams, P. Johnson V. Johnson, Nakisshian and Roberts
Trainer: Barry Abrams
One mile on turf in 1:38.59
Type of race: Starter allowance
Win price: $6.80

8. Feb. 28 Unusual Jail
3 YO g (Rail to Jail, by Blushing John)
Breeder: Richard Flores and A.C. Avila
Trainer: George Papaprodromou
6 ½ furlongs on dirt in in 1:15.87
Type of race: Allowance optional claiming
Win price: $19.80

9. Feb. 28 America’s Friend
4 YO f (Bel Air Belle, by Runaway Groom)
Breeder: Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams and Lorenzo Loverso
Trainer: Barry Abrams
One mile on turf in 1:37.70
Type of race: Maiden special weight
Win price: $13.80

10. March 1 Medzendeekron
5 YO g (Fleet Sparrow, by Cozzene)
Breeder: Abrams, Nakisshian and Roberts
Trainer: Barry Abrams
6 ½ furlongs on dirt in 1:15.11
Type of race: Allowance optional claiming
Win price: $9.20

11. March 1 Lethal Heat
3 YO f (Lethal Lela, by Synastry)
Breeder: David Abrams, Madeline Auerbach and Tom Roberts
Trainer: Barry Abrams
About 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:14.95
Type of race: Maiden special weight
Win price: $46.20

12. March 9 Spanish Heat
3 YO f (Spanish Beam, by El Gran Senor)
Breeder: Abrams, Auerbach, Nakisshian and Roberts
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
5 ½ furlongs on dirt in 1:03.80
Type of race: Maiden claiming
Win price: $5

13. March 16 Hottodi (2nd win)
One mile on dirt in 1:36.86
Type of race: Claiming
Win price: $4.20

14. March 16 Bel Air Sizzle
3 YO f (Bel Air Belle, by Runaway Groom)
Breeder: Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams and Lorenzo Loverso
Trainer: Barry Abrams
1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:50.71
Type of race: Maiden special weight
Win price: $35.60

15. March 17 Lightmyfirebaby (2nd win)
About 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:13.15
Type of race: Irish O’Brien Stakes for Cal-breds
Win price: $19.20

16. March 20 Lethal Heat (2nd win)
About 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:14.13
Type of race: Allowance optional claiming
Win price: $8.60

17. March 20 Po’manshoss
5 YO g (Rachael Walker, by Skywalker
Breeder: James Durant
Trainer: Floyd Goodwin
5 ½ furlongs on dirt in 1:03.32
Type of race: Maiden claiming
Win price: $20.60

18. March 27 Bel Air Sizzle (2nd win)
One mile on turf in 1:35.42
Type of race: Alllowance
Win price: $10.20

19. March 30 Lethal Heat (3rd win)
6 ½ furlongs on dirt in 1:14.91
Type of race: Santa Paula Stakes (grade 3)
Win price: $16

20. March 31 Unusual Spirit
3 YO f (Heaven’s No, by Roy)
Breeder: Jerry Fanning and John R. Harrison
Trainer: Jerry Fanning
About 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:13.96
Type of race: Maiden special weight
Win price: $22.40

21. April 4 Dr. Zaentz
3 YO g (Ameana (NZ), by Oak Ridge (FR)
Breeder: First Run Stables
Trainer: Roger Stein
6 ½ furlongs on dirt in 1:15.13
Type of race: Maiden claiming
Win price: $27

22. April 6 Maul Mark
3 YO g (Dalymount, by Man From Eldorado)
Breeder: Fast Lane Farms
Trainer: Howard Zucker
5 ½ furlongs on dirt in 1:02.28
Type of race: Maiden special weight
Win price: $6

23. April 13 Lidgettimate Heat
5 YO 6 (T.C.’s Outay, by Caros Love
Breeder: Lynne Lidgett
Trainer: Ruben Cardenas
1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.83
Type of race: Starter allowance
Win price: $6.60

24. April 13 Lightmyfirebaby (3rd win)
Finished second, placed first by disqualification of Bahama Mama, who was placed fourth for interference
About 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:13.25 (Bahama Mama’s time)
Type of race: Las Cienegas Handicap (grade 3
Win price: $21.60

25. April 17 Unusually Hot
3 YO f (Cruella D, by Shanekite)
Breeder: Edie Leone
Trainer: Kathy Walsh
About 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:14.03
Type of race: Allowance
Win price: $17

26. April 19 Flashover
3 YO f (Air Force One, by Skywalker)
Breeder: Abrams, Estevez, Huston, Johnson-Stoll and Young/Lazariaga
Trainer: Barry Abrams
6 furlongs on dirt in 1:10.06
Type of race: Maiden claiming
Win price: $15.20

***

Multiple winners
Lethal Heat 3
Lightmyfirebaby 3
Bel Air Sizzle 2
Hottodi 2

Winning trainers
Barry Abrams 14
Bill Currin 2
Jerry Fanning 2
Howard Zucker 2
Ruben Cardenas 1
Floyd Goodwin 1
Doug O’Neill 1
George Papaprodromou 1
Roger Stein 1
Kathy Walsh 1

Winning breeders (in whole or in partnership)
David Abrams 13
Madeline Auerbach 6

Full sibling winners
Cinder Cone
Maul Mark

Average win price $17.33
Six winners were favorites

Turf winners 15
Dirt winners 11

Stakes winners 5
Graded stakes winners 3
Grade 1 winners 1
Maiden winners 12

Winners before renovation of Cushion Track on Feb. 8 2
Winners after Feb. 8 24

-Larry Bortstein