Popular Lennyfromalibu Back in Training

Popular California-bred stakes winner Lennyfromalibu is back in training and may make his return to racing before the end of the year, owner Madeline Auerbach revealed.

Trained by Barry Abrams, the 6-year-old gelded son of Unusual Heat hasn't raced since finishing third in an allowance race nearly a year ago due to some minor health issues, including arthritis. Lennyfromalibu has been back in full training for about a month and is set to return to the worktab in about a week.

"I didn't want to bring him back until he could be like the old Lenny," Auerbach said. "He spent a long time at the ranch. He roamed and roamed for months and months and he was tentatively retired until I went out there to inspect some of my babies. He looked so good and was doing so good we decided to put him under tack. He was so happy to be back under tack. So we'll just have to see. But if he can't compete at the level he's accustomed to compete at then I'll just retire him.

"If he makes it, wonderful. If not, that's OK as well. But he deserves the chance."

Lennyfromalibu has won six of 20 starts with five seconds and two thirds and has earned $439,465. He won the 2003 Cal Cup Mile and last year's Crystal Water Handicap, and placed in two other Cal-bred stakes. He previously owned the 6 ½-furlong downhill turf course record at Santa Anita when he stopped the clock in 1:11.13 in an allowance race in 2004.

"I want to see his progression with his training and workouts," Auerbach said. "Then we'll pick out a race for him."