Third Del Mar victory for Comic Strip!

In her second start, Comic Strip 3-year-old Date With Fate defeated a full field breaking her maiden by a half-length in a $50,000 maiden special at 6 furlongs on August 23. Congratulations to owner/breeders Judi and Don Barber and trainer David Bernstein.

Transduction Gold posts 100 Beyer Rating in
record-setting Del Mar Handicap-G2.

Stalking the pace in the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap-G2 on August 23, Transduction Gold gained the lead in midstretch but could not hold off the favorite Spring House as he set a new course record for the 1 3/8 miles. Finishing second, defeated 1 1/2 lengths by the winner, Transduction Gold was 3 1/4 lengths clear of the third place finisher. Winner of the 1 1/2 mile Sycamore Stakes-G3 on the turf at Keeneland last fall, the 5-year-old son of Formal Gold has earned $351,673.

Back-to-back Del Mar wins for Comic Strip miler North Fork.

On August 6th North Fork posted the “Best Beyer” of the day at Del Mar
winning a mile race by 5 1/2 lengths. In his next start on August 15th at the same distance, he won a $60,400 allowance/optional claimer as the favorite, scoring his
third lifetime win in four starts.

Comoros is second in Del Mar stakes debut!

In the August 2nd $128,380 California Dreamin’ Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, Comoros set quick early fractions of :23 4/5, :46 3/5, 1:09 3/5 and 1:34 flat before yielding to Bold Chieftain ($713,327) in deep stretch.

The Hansen home-bred has earned $154,080 in eight career starts and is the fourth stakes horse in 2008 to represent his sire Comic Strip.

Breaking from the one slot, Miguel’s Mascot stalked the pace along the rail, took the lead into the stretch and drew clear to win the $53,000 maiden special at Del Mar by
2 1/4 lengths while setting a new track record of 1:04.48
for the 5 1/2 furlongs. The Rancho San Miguel homebred out of stakes-placed Lovely Pet (Devil’s Bag) is only the second starter for Freshman sire Marino Marini. Congratulations to trainer J. Eric Kruljac.

Marino Marini juvenile shows promise in debut

On July 2 at Hollywood Park, Rancho San Miguel homebred
Miguel’s Mascot rallied from sixth, four wide in the stretch,
to secure the place, while defeating 10 other 2-year-olds in a
$50,400 maiden special weight at 5 1/2 furlongs.

More blacktype for Transduction Gold

In his California stakes debut, Formal Gold’s graded winner Transduction Gold
defeated Grade I winners Boboman and Porfido (Chi) while finishing second in
the 1 3/4 mile Round Table Handicap (NCR) at Hollywood Park, June 14.

Coming off a front-running allowance victory at one mile on the turf versus state-breds on May 23rd, Comoros easily handled open company on June 8th at the same distance. Setting all the fractions, the Comic Strip 4-year-old won the $66,828 sub-feature by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:34 2/5.

Congratulations to owner/breeders Clark and Janine Hansen and trainer John Sadler

Formal Gold filly defeats elders at Churchill

Returning to face older fillies and mares June 8th following her
May 18th maiden victory at Churchill Downs, 3-year-old Must Be
Gold ran to her name, winning the $43,100 allowance at 1 1/16 miles
on the main track by two lengths for owner/breeder Wimborne Farm.

Formal Gold router Transduction Gold a good second in
$150,000 Louisville Handicap-G3

In only his second start since the Breeders' Cup Turf-G1 last fall,
Transduction Gold set all but the final fraction in the 1 1/2 mile Churchill
feature on May 24th, finishing second by less than a length to Lattice and
defeating a field which included Grade I winner Brass Hat and additional
graded winners Silverfoot and Birdbirdistheword.

Formal Gold and Roar have May 3rd allowance winners
in Texas and Chicago.

At Lone Star Park, Formal Gold’s 4-year-old Bagoga, a full brother to stakes winner Caballero Negro, posted his fifth win in 12 starts with a head decision at one mile on the main track.

Young Joe, a California-bred 3-year-old by Roar, was 5 1/4 lengths the best in a $30,500 allowance at Arlington Park. His time of 1:08.40 for the 6 furlongs equaled the track record.

Comic Strip 2-year-old wins first time out at Hollywood Park!

His sire’s first 2-year-old to race in 2008, Comic Club entered the starting gate as the 8-5 favorite and rallied 4-wide in the stretch to win his May 1st debut by just over a length in :52, three-fifths off the track record.

Congratulations to owner/breeder Running K Stable and trainer Marty Jones.

Big Gold Rush Effort for
Comic Strip’s Comedy Girl

Finishing fastest of all in the $150,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes at Hollywood Park on April 27th, Comedy Girl was only defeated a neck by Tutta Bella while giving her four pounds. The BND Chase homebred, on the board in 8 of 13 starts, has earned $158,302.

Sister to Formal Gold’s Grade 2 winner Adore the Gold defeats
“Blue Bloods” in maiden score.

On April 26th, Adore the Gold’s 3-year-old full sister Just Amore graduated from the maiden ranks in style at Delaware Park, defeating an elite group of fillies by Pulpit, Gone West, Empire Maker, Vindication and Elusive Quality at one mile on the dirt.

Semaphore Man

Semaphore Man assured Sprint honors at Oaklawn. Delivering one of the best performances of his career, Semaphore Man overcame a sloppy track and a torrid pace battle to win Oaklawn Park’s signature sprint, the $150,000 Count Fleet Handicap-G3 on April 10 by just over a length in 1:09.78. Winner of the $50,000 King Cotton Stakes (107 Beyer) in February, Semaphore Man ($397,110) has won seven times at Oaklawn and has never been out of the money in 11 starts there. For more news…

Coast-to-coast stakes action for Roar and Formal Gold!

On March 8, runners by Roar and Formal Gold won or placed in stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, Fair Grounds and Bay Meadows. Making his 2008 debut, Roar’s versatile Wayzata Bay ($368,248) won Tampa Bay’s $65,000 Challenger Stakes at 1 1/16 miles by just over a length.

It was a productive day for Formal Gold as well with two seconds in six-figure events at 6 and 8 1/2 furlongs. At Fair Grounds, Semaphore Man upped his earnings to $307,110 in the $162,000 Duncan F. Kenner Stakes and 3-year-old Nikki'sgoldensteed added $30,000 to his bankroll in the $150,000 El Camino Real Derby-G3 at Bay Meadows.

Comic Strip filly wins $57,000 Allowance at Santa Anita

Bred to enjoy two turns on the turf, Rollerskates set the first three fractions contesting the lead, fought back when headed in the stretch and pulled away to win the 9-furlong allowance by a length on March 2, banking $34,200 for career earnings of $95,580.

Roar Stakes Winner posts “Beyer of the Week”

In his 2008 debut on February 24, Orphan Brigade won the feature race at Oaklawn Park, gate-to-wire in 1:09 4/5 defeating Indian Chant ($353,675) by a neck. According to the Daily Racing Form, Orphan Brigade’s 101 Beyer Figure was highest among “Sprinters” in North America for the week of February 18-24.

A three-time stakes winner of $564,530, Orphan Brigade has also placed in nine other stakes and set new track records sprinting on dirt and turf.

Shipping in from Santa Anita off a maiden win and routing for the first time, Nikki’sgoldensteed won the $100,000 Turf Paradise Derby by nearly 6 lengths defeating 6-5 favorite Ez Dreamer (In Excess) and second choice Meer Kat (Red Ransom). Bred and raised at Rancho San Miguel, the California-bred son of Formal Gold covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.81 and has earned $106,036 in six starts.

A wire-to-wire winner of the 2007 King Cotton Stakes, Semaphore Man successfully defended his title again in 2008, leading from gate to wire in 1:09 3/5. The Grade-3 placed son of Formal Gold has won six races and finished in the top four in 17 of 19 starts, including nine stakes at Oaklawn Park, Fairgrounds, Pimlico and Prairie Meadows.

For more news...

A $70,000 yearling colt (Hip 484) from Marino Marini’s second-crop and $55,000 purchase Bartok’s Blithe (Hip 191) in foal to Marino Marini, were the second and third-highest prices at Barretts’ January 22-23 Mixed Sale. Marino Marini was the leading sire by yearling average among stallions represented by two or more sold and was third-leading covering sire by average.

Showing promise when second to Bob Black Jack at Del Mar, 3-year-old Nikki'sgoldensteed broke on top as the 5-2 favorite, set fractions of :22.28, 45.29, 1:09.30 and 1:15.36 and won the $50,000 maiden special weight by 3 1/2 lengths, January 11th.

Congratulations to breeder Jack Murphy, owners Matthew Lomas and Gary Spencer and trainer Bob Hess, Jr.