Archive for category: Latest News

Ceiling Crusher Roming in the G3, $151,150 Torrey Pines S. at Del Mar.                                                                    Benoit Photo

Del Mar, CA (September 2, 2023) – Ceiling Crusher, bred, foaled, raised, and sold by Harris Farms, romped to victory in the Grade 3, $151,150 Torrey Pines Stakes going one mile over the fast main track at Del Mar.

Strutting her stuff in front of the Pacific Classic Day crowd, the 3-year-old filly was hustled away from the outside post to gain position going into the first turn. She did as asked and put down a zippy opening quarter of 22.14. She was not left to an easy lead, but she galloped along in front, passing the half in 46.29. The challenges began around the final turn and she was looked in the eye nearing the top of the stretch. She didn’t blink. Jockey Edwin Maldonado asked her for another burst of speed and she made quick work of her rival. She galloped in the easiest kind of winner by six lengths. Final time was 1:37.41.

Ceiling Crusher has won five of her six starts and she has earned $374,400 for the partnership of Wonderland Racing Stables, LLC, Todd Kaddy, Tim Kasparoff, and Ty Leatherman. Trained by Doug O’Neill, she was produced by the winning Indian Charlie mare, Palisadesprincess. She has a 2-year-old colt named Majestic Palisades by Majestic Harbor, a yearling colt by Desert Code, and she foaled a filly by Smiling Tiger in 2023.

The sale topper at the 2023 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Northern California Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale, was bred, foaled and raised at Harris Farms in partnership with Gary Parker.

Entering the ring as Hip 114 from the Harris Farms’ consignment, the bay colt by Vronsky was sold to PT Syndicate #1 and Meister for a final hammer price of $100,000.

The colt is the third generation bred by the farm and he comes from a family those who have followed California racing and breeding will remember well. He is the first foal of the Acclamation mare, Back to the River, who is a half-sister to the graded stakes winner and $632,065 earner Lucky J. H and to the dam of the stakes winning, graded stakes placed, Super Patriot. She is also a full sister to the stakes-placed Alsatian.

His third dam is the stakes winning, graded stakes-placed mare, Margaret Booth, who was a half-sister to two California champions in Cacoethes and Fabulous Notion. Cacoethes was campaigned to multiple group victories in Great Britain before repatriating to win the G1 Turf Classic at Belmont Park. Fabulous Notion was a multiple graded stakes winner and she was also victorious in the Hollywood Starlet prior to it attaining G1 status.

This family also includes California champion Ismene and a host of other black-type performers.

Here is a photo of the sale topper as a foal. He knew how to pose for a photo right away!

Closing Remarks wins the G2, $250,000 Yellow Ribbon H. at Del Mar                                                                        Benoit Photo

Harris Farms’ homebred Closing Remarks earned her second career Grade 2 victory with her gallant effort in the $251,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2) going a mile and one-sixteenth over the firm turf course at Del Mar.

The daughter of Vronsky had a busy winter and spring at Santa Anita with a victory in the Royal Heroine S. (G2) and two additional graded stakes-placings. Making her first start at Del Mar since her second-place finish in the G1 Del Mar Oaks in 2021, Closing Remarks continued showing her fondness for the seaside layout.

Getting an untroubled and ground saving trip that began from the inside post, Closing Remarks was given a heady ride by Umberto Rispoli. Coming off the turn, they pair moved off the rail and found a clear path for their closing challenge. She caught the leader inside the final furlong and drove strongly to the wire to win by a neck.

“Being on the rail obviously, basically, what you want to do is get the best out of it,” said Rispoli. “I was trying to get her in a nice position. I knew Ganadora was going to be on the lead. The best was going to be a matter of finding a way to go at the top of the stretch. I think she (Closing Remarks) has been very alive her past couple of races. Today she improved and can compete with those horses. A huge win for Mr. Harris. Carla (trainer Gaines) gives a good prep in the morning and well done to the team.”

“Umberto (Rispoli) is the best,” said Gaines. “If there is any space he’s going to get through and that’s what he did. In grass racing you always want to save ground and he’s a master at it, so I just left it up to him. She didn’t have to make up quite as much ground as in her previous races and she loves this turf course.”

Closing Remarks is out of the Unusual Heat mare, Orange Cove. She takes her career earnings to $711,320.

Del Mar, CA (August 5, 2023) – Sawasdee, the Harris Farms-bred son of Desert Code, is enjoying the finest season of his racing career. The 5-year-old gelding’s third win in his last four starts came in the 7th race at Del Mar, an $85,000 allowance going five furlongs over the firm turf course.

Breaking strongly, Sawasdee gained the lead before the first chart call. He carried the advantage around the turn and zipped away when asked at the top of the stretch. He was kept to his task by jockey Abdul Alsagoor and the two came home best by four and one-half lengths.

Sawasdee has finished in the top three in all seven of his starts this year and he has taken his lifetime bankroll to $191,600. He races for Giddyup JR. LLC and he is trained by Kristin Mulhall. He is the third generation of his family bred at Harris Farms. His dam is the winning Congaree mare, Scary Fast.

The Chosen Vron (blaze) Winning the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar.                                                            Benoit Photo

Courtesy of Del Mar (July 30, 2023) – The chestnut Cal-bred The Chosen Vron, a win machine of the first degree, won his eighth straight race Saturday at Del Mar, but this time he did it with — and to — the big boys.

The racy chestnut gelding took on one of the strongest Bing Crosby fields assembled at the seaside track in recent times and came away a head winner after a stirring stretch duel in the $403,500 headliner that carried a Grade I ranking and a $240,000 winner’s prize.

Hector Berrios, who has now won eight straight races on the son of Vronsky, guided his mount through problems at the far turn and into the winner’s circle. Trainer J. Eric Kruljac, who called the shot to take his Cal-bred terror out of state-bred races and take on the best of the best, met them there with a smile that wouldn’t stop.

The Chosen Vron, who now has won 13 of his 17 lifetime starts, became a millionaire with total purses of $1,032,678. The vast majority of all his glory has been earned facing his California brethren, but today it was a different story.

Finishing second in the six-panel test was Ilium Stables’ Anarchist, while running third was race favorite Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal’s Dr. Schivel. Only a head separated those two competitors who were part of a thrilling race finish.

Final time for the “Win and You’re In” dash was 1:09.24. Twelve horses in all ran in the 78th edition of the race named to honor the track’s founder. The winner paid $11.00.

The Chosen Vron now has earned himself a guaranteed spot and a free ticket into the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Sprint on November 4 at Santa Anita.

The Chosen Vron was foaled and raised at Harris Farms. Bred by the Tiz Molly Partners, he is by Vronsky out of the winning Tiz Wonderful mare for whom the partnership was named.