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Surfcup Gets First Stakes Win in Snow Chief

The winner is a homebred for Don Dizney, who also bred and raced the winner's dam and granddam.

Acclamation to Stand at Old English Rancho

Eclipse winner and California-bred Horse of the Year Acclamation has been retired and will stand the 2013 breeding season at Old English Rancho in Sanger, Calif. for a $20,000 fee.

Acclamation to Miss Breeders' Cup With Injury

Trainer Don Warren confirmed speculation that Acclamation, the 2011 Eclipse Award winner as outstanding older male, would not make the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park Nov. 2 and 3.

13 Entered as Santa Anita Opens With Eddie D.

Comma to the Top and Mensa Heat, one-two finishers last out in the Pirate's Bounty Stakes, get a Sept. 28 rematch in the Eddie D. Stakes (formerly Morvich, gr. IIIT) on opening day at Santa Anita for the 2012 autumn meet.

Acclamation Likely Out of Pacific Classic

Acclamation came out of an Aug. 13 gallop with slight swelling in his left front ankle which owner E.W. "Bud" Johnston said will prevent a title defense in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) Aug. 26.

Acclamation Wins Eddie Read for 7th Straight

Champion Acclamation ran his winning streak to seven en route to his second straight triumph in the $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes (gr. IT), drawing away in the stretch after setting the pace on the Del Mar turf July 21.

No Rust for Acclamation in Whittingham Return

Acclamation, last year's champion old horse, made his long-awaited return to action with a front-running victory in the $250,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (gr. IT) at Betfair Hollywood Park June 9.

CTBA to Announce 2011 Horse of Year Feb. 13

Eclipse champions Acclamation and Amazombie, as well as multiple stakes-winning mare Ultra Blend are the finalists for the 2011 California-bred Horse of the Year.

Sci Fi Kin Tops Barretts Jan. Sale

Sci Fin Kin, dam of grade II winner Pretty Unusual, tops the Jan. 23 Barretts January mixed sale. The auction's average rises 14.2% over last year's figure.

Acclamation Claims Older Male Championship

In a split decision worthy of a season in which very little was settled definitively on the racetrack, the California-bred Acclamation notched the Eclipse Award for 2011's top older male.

Rebounding Mensa Heat Sizzles in On Trust

Recovered from ulcers, Mensa Heat was on top of his game once again as he defeated a solid group of California-bred sprinters in the $84,500 On Trust Handicap, the closing day feature at Hollywood Park Dec. 18.

Unusual Heat to Stand for $20,000

Unusual Heat, California's leading sire this year and sire of Horse of the Year candidate Acclamation, will stand in 2012 for $20,000 at John C. Harris' Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif.

Barretts Yearling Sale Off to Strong Start

Led by two colts who each brought $100,000, the first session of the Barretts October Yearling Sale rose 47.15% in average, to $27,145. The 55 head sold at the Oct. 11 session grossed $1,493,000, up 42% from the 2010 gross.

Acclamation Sidelined by Foot Problem

West Coast star Acclamation, winner of five straight races, including the TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I), won't run again this year because of a foot problem, according to an Oct. 11 Daily Racing Form story.

Cal-Bred Enhancements Could Boost Barretts

With California-breds dominating the Barretts October yearling sale catalog, buyers looking to take advantage of the recently announced Cal-bred stakes additions will have plenty of choices.

No Stopping Acclamation in Clement Hirsch

Odds-on choice Acclamation continued his dominance over the Southern California turf division when he held off a determined Champ Pegasus in the $150,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Oct. 2.

Acclamation Pulls Off Pacific Classic Heist

Acclamation, with a patented front-running ride from veteran jockey Patrick Valenzuela, held off favored Twirling Candy in the final furlong to win the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) by a head at Del Mar Aug. 28.

Burns Scorches La Jolla Foes

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela drove Burns through an opening at the rail past mid-stretch to capture the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT), giving trainer Barry Abrams a special moment at Del Mar Aug. 13.

Acclamation Keeps Rolling in Eddie Read

Acclamation made it consecutive grade I wins when he milked a soft pace and kicked away on the final turn en route to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes (gr. IT) on the turf at Del Mar July 23.

More Applause for Acclamation in Whittingham

Front-running Acclamation ran away from the field in the Hollywood Park stretch to register a repeat victory as the odds-on favorite in the $250,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (gr. IT) June 11.

Acclamation Easily Best in Jim Murray Defense

Returning to his favorite turf course, favored Acclamation earned a repeat victory in the $150,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) with a seven-length romp at Hollywood Park May 14.

CTBA Stallion Season Auction Raises $50,000

A stallion season telephone auction held Nov. 30 by the California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association raised nearly $50,000, according to the CTBA.

Unusual Heat's Fee $20,000 at Harris Farms

Unusual Heat, whose progeny earnings of more than $4.2 million are tops this year among California stallions, will stand in 2011 for $20,000 at John C. Harris' Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif.

Boosted by Wygod Horses, Barretts Post Gains

Barretts' California Cup Yearling Sale showed strength in a two-day format Oct. 12-13. Led by a $105,000 topper at the first session, the auction averaged $14,128, an increase of 13.8% over 2009.

The Usual Q. T. Makes Eddie Read Look Easy

The Usual Q. T., ridden patiently by Victor Espinoza, made easy work of strong field in the $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes (gr. IT) over the Del Mar turf for the second grade I victory of his career July 24.

Unusual Heat Moved to Harris Farms

Unusual Heat, who is well on his way to a third consecutive leading sire title in California, has been relocated to John C. Harris' Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif.

Acclamation Hardly Challenged in Whittingham

Acclamation rode a lone front-running trip to his first grade I victory when he captured the $250,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (gr. IT) on the Hollywood Park turf June 5.

Acclamation Puts Jim Murray Foes to Sleep

Acclamation earned his first graded stakes win and snapped an 11-race losing streak when he dominated his rivals in the $150,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) in a 14-1 upset on the Hollywood Park turf May 15.

Come to Papa

Though he was bred in Kentucky, Papa Clem is a Californian.

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International Pedigree That's Pretty Unusual

It's unusual for a runner to cross the finish line before a champion, unusual for any horse to have ancestors from 6 nations in her 3rd generation, and definitely Pretty Unusual to fit both of these descriptions.

Sutherland Caps Big Weekend in El Encino

Jockey Chantal Sutherland earned her second grade II victory in as many days when she guided 29-1 outsider Pretty Unusual to win the El Encino Stakes at Santa Anita Jan. 17. Favored Stardom Bound was second.

The Usual Q. T. Keeps 6-Race Streak Alive

Grade I winner The Usual Q. T. rallied wide on the far turn to take the $100,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes (gr. IIIT) for his sixth consecutive win on opening day Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park.

The Usual Q.T. Puts 5-Race Streak on Line

Grade I winner The Usual Q.T., on a five-race winning streak, is the clear standout in the $100,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes (gr. IIIT) on opening day at Santa Anita Dec. 26.

The Usual Q. T. Hot in California

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

Winner of both the Oak Tree Derby (gr. IIT) and Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) in November, this Unusual Heat gelding typifies the best of California breeding.

Hollywood Derby: More of Same From Usual Q.T.

Since trainer James Cassidy switched The Usual Q.T. to the turf to break his maiden in August, all the California-bred son of standout sire Unusual Heat has done is win. He ran his streak to five against a powerful field.

'Suspect Nets BC Marathon Slot in Cougar II

Unusual Suspect, the second-longest shot on the board at 24-1, won a head-bobbing decision over Richard's Kid to capture the $150,000 Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar and sew up a starting berth in the Breeders' Cup Marathon.

Auerbach Launching Racing Venture

California owner Madeline Auerbach announced a new racing venture in which she is syndicating offspring by major California stallion Unusual Heat.

Lethal Heat Primed For Big Second Half

Dual graded stakes winner Lethal Heat, who set seven-furlong track records in consecutive races at Del Mar last season, continues what her connections hope will end with an appearance in the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) later this year when she returns in an allowance race July 25 on opening weekend of the Del Mar meeting.

Beltene Cinches Sunshine Oaks Upset

Undefeated Beltene won her third straight race in an upset, when she rallied past Hooh Why in deep stretch to win the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks by a head at Santa Anita Jan. 24.

Unusual Suspect Fingers Silveyville

Unusual Suspect, guided by Chantal Sutherland, overtook the leaders in upper stretch en route to a one-length win in the $73,500 Silveyville Stakes on opening day of the 118-day Golden Gate Fields winter/spring meet Dec. 26.

Cal Cup Classic: Mr. Chairman Takes Over

Trainer Doug O'Neill watched his retired star Lava Man lead the post parade for Oak Tree's $250,000 California Cup Classic, then saw his newest stable standout Mr. Chairman dig in to defeat the favored filly Romance Is Diane by a head Oct. 5 at Santa Anita.

California Yearling Sale Faces Challenge

Tucked between a weekend of Breeders' Cup prep races and the California Cup showcasing the local product, California's fall select yearling sale offers a slimmer but more select catalog than in years past.

Aurebach's Karma with CARMA

Look in the winner's circle after any offspring of Unusual Heat wins a race and you'll likely see a petite, brown-haired woman hugging the jockey, high-fiving the trainer, or congratulating the owner.

Lethal Heat Fires in Hollywood Oaks

Lethal Heat gained the lead in the final sixteenth of a mile and scored a head victory over Smooth Performer in a three-horse blanket finish to the $157,600 Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr. II) on the Hollywood Park Cushion Track June 8.

Lethal Heat Still Perfect After 'Paula

Undefeated Lethal Heat won her third straight race in the space of a month and became a grade III winner when she burned past the pacesetters mid-stretch en route to a 1 3/4-length victory in the $108,500 Santa Paula Stakes on the Santa Anita synthetic track March 30.

Golden Doc A Gets Room to Operate

Favored Golden Doc A proved her big effort against 2007 Juvenile Filly champion Indian Blessing last time out was no fluke, coming from off the pace to become a grade I winner in the $250,000 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita.

No Blaming 'Suspect in Turf Upset

Outsider Unusual Suspect found a gaping hole mid-stretch and exploited it for his first graded stakes win in the $150,000 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap (gr. IIIT) Nov. 24.

Benchmark Colt Tops Northern California Yearling Sale

A colt by Benchmark selling for $72,000 topped Tuesday's 2006 Northern California Yearling Sale, which showed an increase in average sale price of 8.6% from last year.

Tucked Away Makes Her Own Hollywood Ending

Tucked Away, a mare with many more nibbles than bites, surprised the field in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (gr. II) at Del Mar Sunday when she nipped a surging Hollywood Story by a nose at the wire.

Patient Scrofa Captures Irish O'Brien

Scrofa, ridden patiently by Patrick Valenzuela, rallied between horses and prevailed by a half-length Thursday in the $140,625 Irish O'Brien Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at Santa Anita Park.