Optimism, Camaraderie Mark Rancho San Miguel’s 2025 Open House & Stallion Show

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San Miguel, California—Positive vibes and perfect California winter weather greeted more than 70 attendees during Rancho San Miguel’s 2025 Open House & Stallion Show on December 6.

The four-hour event marked the San Luis Obispo County farm’s third time to open its doors to Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers and enthusiasts over the past three years.

This year’s guests were treated to warm hospitality, in addition to unseasonably warm temperatures. The farm’s iconic stallion barn was decorated for the holidays, with festive wreaths on the stall doors and horse-themed gifts handed out to lucky raffle winners. Complimentary food and networking opportunities added to the merriment, along with an informative presentation from farm feed provider Purina Mills. Approximately two dozen horses bound for Rancho San Miguel’s consignment to the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s 2026 Winter Mixed Sale on January 20 also were available for early viewing.

Highlighting the activities was the popular stallion parade, which was emceed by farm owner Tom Clark. Each member of the farm’s 13-strong stallion roster was paraded for guests, accompanied by narration describing their individual achievements. This year’s line-up featured returning stallions Bolden, Brickyard Ride, Cyclotron, Editorial, Mo Forza, Northern Causeway, Richard’s Kid, Sir Prancealot (Ire) and The Street Fighter, as well as newcomers Collected, Eight Rings, Niagara Falls and Uptown Rythem.

The event received optimistic feedback across the board from attendees.

“My husband and I have attended Rancho San Miguel’s Open House since the very first one two years ago, and it keeps on getting better each and every time with new additions to their stallion roster, such as Collected,” said California-based breeder Daniela Ochoa. “He is a stunning individual, and we are looking forward to breeding two of our mares to him next breeding season.”

Video footage from the hour-long Stallion Show is available on Rancho San Miguel’s Facebook page.

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California’s New Top Sire Collected To Be Introduced At Rancho San Miguel Open House & Stallion Show On December 6

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San Miguel, California—The West Coast introduction of Grade 1 winner and nationally ranked fourth-crop sire Collected will highlight Rancho San Miguel’s 2025 Open House & Stallion Show on Saturday, December 6, a free event which will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. All regional Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers and enthusiasts are invited to attend.

Collected recently arrived at the San Luis Obispo County farm from Airdrie Stud in Kentucky, which is partnering with Rancho San Miguel and prominent California breeder / owner Marsha Naify to stand the 12-year-old son of City Zip for a $7,500 fee in 2026.

From his first four crops to race, the 2017 Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) winner and $2,975,500-earner has sired 20 stakes winners, including seven graded stakes winners, with cumulative progeny earnings of more than $18 million. He enters the California stallion ranks as the state’s new and dominant leading sire, with 2025 progeny earnings of $6.4 million to date.

Making his Rancho San Miguel debut alongside Collected at the upcoming showcase is Grade 1 winner Eight Rings, whose highly regarded first foals will be 2-year-olds in 2026.

Promising young stallions Bolden, Brickyard Ride and The Street Fighter and veteran sires Cyclotron, Editorial, Mo Forza, Niagara Falls, Northern Causeway, Sir Prancealot (Ire) and Uptown Rythem also will be paraded, accompanied by narrations detailing their achievements.

Participants will be treated to a catered lunch, as well as opportunities for giveaways, door prizes and stallion season raffles. The farm also will offer several horses of mixed age for inspection and sale, including broodmares, weanlings and yearlings.

“This year, we are especially proud and excited to open our doors to members of the California breeding and racing community,” said Rancho San Miguel owner Tom Clark. “We plan on having some old-fashioned holiday fun while showcasing our diverse group of stallions and sharing our enthusiasm for the future of our state’s industry at this crucial point in time.”

Reservations for the event are being accepted at (805) 467-3847 and teri.ransanmig@gmail.com.

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Grade 1 Winner Eight Rings Relocates To Rancho San Miguel

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San Miguel, California—Eight Rings, a Grade 1-winning son of Empire Maker whose first foals are well-regarded yearlings, has relocated within California to stand at Rancho San Miguel. The 8-year-old stallion’s 2026 fee is $6,000, with a live foal guarantee.

Sold for $520,000 as a Keeneland September Yearling, Eight Rings exploded onto the 2-year-old racing scene in 2019 when he parlayed a 6 1/4-length career debut win at 5 1/2 furlongs in Del Mar maiden special weight company into a six-length victory in Santa Anita Park’s $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at 1 1/16 miles for Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

The precocious colt went on to place in four additional graded stakes races on Southern California dirt over the following three years, topped by a narrow runner-up finish in Del Mar’s 2021 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at six furlongs. From 14 lifetime starts, he earned $474,451.

Eight Rings’ first foals have been highly regarded as yearlings of 2025, providing their sire with the highest median sales results among all active California stallions this year. During the 2025 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale, four of his offspring sold for gross receipts of $140,000, yielding an average price of $35,000 and median of $37,500 and led by a $60,000 colt.

“Eight Rings is truly the Adonis of stallions—a remarkable physical specimen without a single conformation flaw,” said Adrian Gonzalez, president of Checkmate Thoroughbreds LLC and managing partner of the Eight Rings Partnership. “His exceptional quality is now clearly reflected in his offspring, and we were handsomely rewarded in the sales ring with his first yearlings. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with his foals, and all of our California-based mares will be booked to him in 2026.”

Produced by Purely Hot, a graded stakes-winning daughter of Pure Prize, Eight Rings represents the same Empire Maker / Storm Cat pedigree cross as 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2016 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Classic Empire.

“We are honored and excited to have such an outstanding stallion prospect,” said Rancho San Miguel Owner Tom Clark. “We believe he has huge potential to be a leading sire in California.”

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Airdrie Stud, Marsha Naify & Rancho San Miguel Partner To Stand Grade 1 Winner Collected in California

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San Miguel, California—In a watershed announcement for the California breeding and racing industry, Grade 1 winner and prominent young sire Collected will relocate from Airdrie Stud in Kentucky to stand at Rancho San Miguel in California for the 2026 breeding season. His introductory West Coast fee is $7,500, with a live foal stand and nurse guarantee.

The 12-year-old son of City Zip enters the state as one of North America’s leading fourth-crop sires, and as the clear-cut, #1 California sire by 2025 progeny earnings with $6,307,233 in purse money amassed through November 5.

Collected will be featured during Rancho San Miguel’s 2025 Open House and Stallion Show at its San Luis Obispo County farm on December 6. Breeders are invited to attend this free event.

The unique partnership formed to relocate the stallion includes Thoroughbred owner and breeder Marsha Naify, a highly respected businesswoman, philanthropist and former chair of Thoroughbred Owners of California.

Saddled by Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert for owner Speedway Stables LLC, Collected won eight of 15 starts on dirt and turf from ages 2 through 5, earning $2,975,500. His seven stakes victories at four racetracks include five graded scores in California and Kentucky.

His signature win came in Del Mar’s $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) in 2017, in which he capped a four-race win streak by defeating reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Colt Arrogate. Next, he was runner-up to Horse of the Year Gun Runner in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), meriting a spot as one of three finalists for the Eclipse Award as Champion Older Dirt Male of 2017.

Collected was retired to Airdrie Stud prior to the 2019 breeding season. From four crops to race, he has sired 20 black-type stakes winners and the collective earners of more than $18 million.

His seven graded stakes winners include his first-crop filly Taxed, a Grade 2 winner and $1,173,919-earner who sold for $750,000 as a racing / broodmare prospect during the 2025 Fasig-Tipton November Sale last Monday. Also among this elite group is 2025 King’s Plate Stakes winner Mansetti ($773,503), one of the leading sophomore runners in Canada.

Collected is one of six winners out of Helena Bay (GB), a winning daughter of Johannesburg whose 3-year-old Uncle Mo colt Jude — a $2 million Keeneland September Sale graduate — was named a “TDN Rising Star” after his successful debut for Baffert at Santa Anita Park on October 10. Among his extended family is the European champion and leading sire Blushing Groom (Fr).

“Collected has been an absolutely rock-solid Kentucky sire, and he now has the opportunity to stand as California’s premier stallion,” said Airdrie Stud President Bret Jones. “His California training roots and the great success his progeny have enjoyed in the state should guarantee his popularity. We are thrilled to give California breeders access to a stallion that can truly help their programs.”

Collected’s move to California extends the recent outreach that Airdrie has already made to the state. Two of his top runners — the multiple graded stakes winners Conclude ($570,100) and Thought Process ($380,200) — were bred by late Airdrie founder Brereton C. Jones, and have been campaigned in partnership by his estate exclusively at Del Mar and Santa Anita.

“California’s success is so critical to our overall industry,” Bret Jones explained. “This is a great deal for both our syndicate members and the California breeding and racing communities.”

In addition to supporting Collected with her band of broodmares boarded at Rancho San Miguel, Naify plans to purchase additional mares this fall to specifically fit the incoming stallion.

“Partnering with Airdrie and Rancho San Miguel is a natural extension of the strong commitment I have made to the California breeding and racing industry over the past 25 years,” Naify said.

Collected’s move was brokered by California-based bloodstock agent Lisa Groothedde.

“We are overjoyed and extremely honored to have been entrusted by Airdrie to take the reins of Collected’s breeding career,” said Rancho San Miguel Owner Tom Clark. “In addition to being a familiar runner to our target audience from his years of competing at the highest levels here in California, he is in peak form as a stallion thanks to Airdrie’s expert management. We are proud to now do our part along with our longtime friend and client Marsha Naify to help cement Collected’s legacy.”

“With his proven credentials, we are confident that Collected will make a big splash in our regional market,” Clark said. “He is coming in as the state’s leading sire by a towering margin, which should make him a top choice for mare owners in 2026.”

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Mo Holland Drive Coasts To Victory As First Winner For California’s Grade 1-Winning Millionaire Mo Forza

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Arcadia, California—Two-year-old Mo Holland Drive proved much the best in a $63,000 maiden special weight race at Santa Anita Park on September 28 to become the first winner for the young stallion Mo Forza, a Grade 1-winning son of Uncle Mo who stands at Rancho San Miguel in San Miguel, California.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez for trainer Peter Miller, the California-bred colt took the lead at the half-mile mark of the six-furlong turf test and steadily improved his advantage to two lengths at the wire, stopping the clock in a snappy 1:08.49 while outperforming 10 rivals as the 5-2 wagering favorite.

View Race Replay

Mo Holland Drive is the first foal out of the multiple winner Awesome Drive, by Summer Front. He was bred by River Oak Farm LLC, and has earned $58,680 to date for the ownership group of Altamira Racing Stable, California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing LLC, Tom Kagele and Nathan McCauley.

He hails from the inaugural foal crop of 9-year-old Mo Forza, an elite runner whose seven graded stakes victories in Southern California included the 2019 Hollywood Derby (G1).

Mo Forza entered stud at Rancho San Miguel in 2022 as one of the most successful sons of the late leading sire Uncle Mo with a 15-race bankroll of $1,034,460. He has subsequently been embraced by regional breeders as California’s top-ranked stallion by number of mares bred in 2023 (102) and 2024 (90).

Mo Forza’s 2025 fee at Rancho San Miguel was $7,500.

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$150,000 Colt Leads The Way For Rancho San Miguel Consignment At 2025 Fasig-Tipton California Yearling Sale

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Pomona, California—A Smiling Tiger colt from the immediate family of 2025 Grade 1-winning juvenile Ted Noffey commanded a final bid of $150,000 to top the Rancho San Miguel consignment at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale on September 23.

Signing the ticket for the strapping youngster — who ranked as the fifth-highest-priced horse of the single session — were longtime California-based owners Samantha Siegel and Phil Lebherz.

The colt was bred in California by the mother-daughter team of Jenny Webber and Rachel Jochimsen.

He is out of the multiple winner Valeria, a 100% producer by Elusive Quality whose four winning offspring include the multiple graded stakes-placed stakes winner Streak of Luck, dam of undefeated Ted Noffey. The Into Mischief colt gained national attention two months ago with his 8 1/2-length domination of Saratoga’s $300,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) for 2-year-olds, a likely steppingstone to the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar.

Rancho San Miguel ranked fourth by gross among the sale’s 13 consignors, with 17 yearlings sold for a cumulative $333,500.

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Quality Permeates Rancho San Miguel’s 32-Strong Consignment To Southern California Yearling Sale On September 23

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Pomona, California—A quality draft of 32 racing prospects will be offered under the Rancho San Miguel banner during the 2025 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale in Pomona on Tuesday, September 23, including one youngster with a recent and immediate Grade 1 family update. The auction’s single session starts at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

All Rancho San Miguel entrants will be available for on-site inspection in Barn 7 at the Fairplex sales complex starting on Saturday morning, September 20.

The vast majority of yearlings in this consignment — 30 horses — are California-breds who are eligible to compete in the state’s restricted racing program. The remaining two yearlings were bred in Kentucky and Washington, respectively.

Hip #139 — a Smiling Tiger half-brother to the multiple graded stakes-placed stakes winner Streak of Luck — received a major catalog boost two weeks ago when his sibling’s undefeated 2-year-old colt Ted Noffey won Saratoga’s $300,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) by 8 1/2 lengths to stamp himself as one of the early favorites for the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar.

Also among Rancho San Miguel’s assembly are yearlings by the prominent California farm’s resident stallions Danzing Candy, Editorial, Mo Forza and Sir Prancealot (Ire), as well as the state’s leading sire of 2025, Grazen. In addition, the group includes several representatives from the first California-sired foal crop of Grade 1 winner Jack Milton and the last crop of the late leading California sire Mr. Big.

Youngsters by notable out-of-state stallions Army Mule and Yoshida (Jpn) are also available in the collection.

“We are proud to offer a strong group of yearlings for California buyers this year,” said Rancho San Miguel Owner Tom Clark. “In addition to pedigree power, our consignment features superior physicals across the board. We invite owners and trainers of all price points to come pull them out for early inspection, and find their future winners in our diverse consignment.”

Catalog pages, photos and walking videos for the horses in Rancho San Miguel’s 2025 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale consignment are available online.

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Rancho San Miguel Offering 12 Yearlings At Washington Sale On August 26

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Auburn, Washington—The prominent California farm Rancho San Miguel is consigning a dozen young racing prospects to the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association Summer Yearling & Mixed Sale on Tuesday, August 26.

The 2025 edition of the annual Washington auction will be conducted at the Morris J. Alhadeff Sales Pavilion on the grounds of Emerald Downs, starting at 1 p.m. All Rancho San Miguel entrants are currently available for on-site inspection prior to the sale.

Anchoring the group of yearlings selected for consideration by Pacific Northwest buyers are eight colts and fillies by current Rancho San Miguel stallions: Danzing Candy, Editorial, Mo Forza and Sir Prancealot (Ire).

Also featured in the consignment are yearlings sired by Acclamation, Gold Rush Dancer, Jack Milton and Southern Image.

Photos, videos and catalog pages for the horses in Rancho San Miguel’s 2025 Washington sale consignment are available online.

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Rancho San Miguel Offers Race Prospects For Sale

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Rancho San Miguel is open for visitors! We invite you to come check out the horses entered in the CTBA Winter Mixed Sale, as well as our impressive line up of stallions. Here are just a few of the yearlings and 2 year olds that are available at the farm.

Go Argento 23

California Moon 23

Miss Graziella 23

Cecileabration 23

Princess Hillary 23

Gauff 23

Artfully 23

Soul Pilot 23

Poker Gal 23

Sugar Apple 23

Champagneandcaviar 24

She’s My D Gorgous 24

Star Dreamin 24

Gauff 24

First Foal Is A Colt For California’s Undefeated Bolden

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San Miguel, California— Southern California sprint sensation Bolden, a dual-surface winner who exhibited sub-1:08 speed during his undefeated racing career, was represented by his firstborn foal on January 4: a bay colt who was foaled at Rancho San Miguel in California.

Weighing in at a strapping 125 pounds, the colt is the second foal out of the eight-time winner and $144,010-earner Trina, by Peppered Cat. He was bred by Rancho San Miguel.

“Bolden is a big, good-looking and classy stallion who has us excited for the future,” said Rancho San Miguel owner Tom Clark, whose farm stands the 7-year-old son of Grade 1 winner, 6 1/2-furlong Santa Anita Park track recordholder and leading California sire Square Eddie, by Smart Strike. “If all the Boldens look like this first one, we are going to have a lot of fun.”

Racing exclusively on the challenging Southern California circuit, Bolden won all four of his career starts by a combined margin of 21 lengths: two victories on dirt at five and six furlongs and two victories on turf  at the same distances. Highlighting these wins was a 7 3/4-length romp in a smashing final time of 1:07.50 for six furlongs on the grass at Santa Anita.

His natural speed and overall abilities prompted trainer Phil D’Amato to offer the highest compliment to his charge upon his retirement to Rancho San Miguel in late 2023.

“Bolden is the most talented horse I have ever trained,” D’Amato said. “He was equally good on either surface.”

Bolden stands for a $3,500 fee in 2025, with live foal guarantee.

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(Photo by Rachel Jochimsen)