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Stella Mark defeats Grade I winner in stakes debut!
Stalking the pace, Stella Mark launched his bid three-wide entering
the stretch and pulled away to a 1 1/2 length victory in the $150,000
Tiznow Stakes defeating graded winners Johnny Eves (G1) and
Notional (G2). His time for the 7 1/2 furlongs was 1:27, only one-fifth
over the track record set by Greg’s Gold last year.
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Benchmark ranks second among California sires
by 2008 progeny earnings
The top weight in a field of 12, Benchmark 4-year-old Stella Mark (pictured)
rallied four wide in the stretch to win a $69,260 allowance
in open company
at Santa Anita on April 12. The victory - his fourth
around two turns - boosted
his bankroll to $171,276 in 13 starts.
Benchmark is one of only two sires with seven-figure California-bred
earnings
in 2008.
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Bertrando sires 46th stakes winner
In his second start following a 33 month absence from the races,
Frankelstein (pictured) set all the fractions to win Santa Anita’s
$56,500 March Madness Starter Handicap on March 30 at one mile
by nearly two lengths.
A top three finisher in 11 of 13 lifetime starts on dirt and turf at Santa
Anita and Hollywood Park, Frankelstein has earned $161,160.
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Game run by Idiot Proof in Dubai’s Golden Shaheen-G1
Breaking from post 14 in the $2 million straightway dash, Idiot Proof
(pictured inside) surged for the early lead, lost then regained his advantage
mid-race but could not withstand the late charge of Benny the Bull
(pictured outside). In their previous meeting, Idiot Proof defeated Benny
the Bull by just over four lengths while finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup
Sprint-G1 last Fall.
The 4-year-old son of Benchmark bred and raised at River Edge Farm, has
won or placed in 11 of 12 starts for earnings of $1,263,204 and he joins
Brother Derek as their sire’s second seven-figure earner. |

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Sierra Sunset runs big at Oaklawn
Second to Denis of Cork in the 8-furlong Southwest Stakes-G3,
Sierra Sunset appeared ready for a “breakout race” in the $300,000
Rebel Stakes-G2 at 1 1/16 miles and he delivered with a 3-length win
in 1:43 4/5, 4/5 faster than Curlin’s clocking of 1:44 3/5 last year.
The Rebel was the third stakes win for the son of Bertrando who was
a $40,000 yearling purchase from River Edge Farm’s 2006 Northern
California yearling consignment. The $180,000 he earned for the win
boosted his earnings to $428,696.
For more news... |

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Third consecutive graded win for Georgie Boy
Georgie Boy passed his first two-turn test with flying colors in the
$200,000 San Felipe Stakes-G2. Sent off as the 7-5 favorite, the
son of Tribal Rule overcame traffic problems in mid-stretch, swinging
to the outside and running the final sixteenth in 5 4/5 seconds for a final
time of 1:42 1/5 on the synthetic track.
No worse than third in seven starts, Georgie Boy has won four stakes
and $496,806 for owner/breeder George Schwary.
For more news... |

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Tribesman takes Phoenix Gold Cup
Left alone on the lead, Tribesman set fractions of :21.30, :43.17 and :54.96
to win easily by 1 3/4 lengths in excellent time of 1:07.80. The $100,000
Turf Paradise feature was the second stakes victory and fifth consecutive win
for the Tribal Rule gelding who boasts a record of 6-0-2 in 10 starts and
earnings of $223,281. |

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Georgie Boy sets new stakes record in San Vicente
In his first start since winning the September 5 Del Mar Futurity-G1,
top-weighted Georgie Boy took command in the stretch and drew
off to a facile 3 1/4 length victory in the 67th running of Santa Anita’s
San Vicente Stakes-G2. He zipped the final furlong in :11 1/5 and
established a new stakes record of 1:20, a full second faster than
the previous record of 1:21 set by Ancient Title in 1973.
For more news... |

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Third California Champion for Benchmark
Mr. and Mrs. Martin J. Wygod’s Eclipse Award finalist and
Grade I winner Idiot Proof ($843,204) was named 2007
champion California-bred 3-year-old and champion sprinter
by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.
Benchmark is also the sire of previous California champions
Brother Derek ($1,593,458) and Don’tsellmeshort ($402,365). |

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Tribal Rule sires 2-year-old Champion
Tribal Rule’s Del Mar Futurity-G1 winner Georgie Boy was
voted California-bred champion 2-year-old male of 2007.
The $286,806 juvenile earner from his sire’s second crop also
won the Graduation Stakes (pictured) as a maiden and was
second in the Best Pal Stakes-G2 in five starts at two.
Congratulations to owner/breeder George Schwary and
trainer Kathy Walsh. |

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Final Fling earns Graded Win in Stakes Debut
In her fourth start and first around two-turns, Final Fling caught
Grade I-placed Grace Anatomy in deep stretch to win the $108,900
Santa Ysabel Stakes-G3 by just over a length defeating fillies by
Aldebaran, Dynaformer, Deputy Minister and Empire Maker.
The California-bred 3-year-old daughter of Grade 2-placed multiple stakes
winner Lily La Belle is the 45th stakes winner and ninth Graded winner
for Bertrando. Congratulations to breeder William Peeples, owner Michael
House and trainer Jeff Mullins. |

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Fourth Consecutive win for Tribesman
In his first start since winning the November 23 Sausalito Stakes and
setting the Tapeta track record of 1:08.32, Tribesman notched his fourth
consecutive victory on January 13 winning a $47,500 allowance wire-to-wire
at Golden Gate in 1:08.34. The first-crop son of Tribal Rule has now won five
of nine starts and $163,281.
Congratulations to owner/breeder Kjell Qvale and trainer Roger Hansen. |

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New Stakes Winner
for Tribal Rule
Winner of his 2-year-old debut November 30 defeating a field
of
Cal-bred maidens on Hollywood Park's Cushion Track, Italian
Rules
stepped up to open stakes company on January 5th at Golden Gate
and won the $65,000 Stinson Beach Stakes (pictured) in 1:09 2/5.
Congratulations to owner/breeder Nick Cafarchia and trainer Mark Glatt.
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Benchmark 3-Year
Idiot Proof is 2007 Eclipse Award
Finalist for Champion Male Sprinter
Grade I winner and Breeders' Cup Sprint
runner-up Idiot
Proof
is the only 2007 Eclipse Award finalist sired by a California-based
stallion. Bred and raised at River Edge Farm, the son of Benchmark
out of the Bertrando mare Perfectly Pretty, is
one of three Eclipse
Award finalists bred by Marty and Pam Wygod, who are finalists
for the 2007 champion breeder award.
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Bertrando tops
California's sire list by money won
The leading sire in California for the second time in three years, Bertrando
concluded 2007 with progeny earnings of $4,235,168 - $437,349 ahead of
his closest competitor. Additionally, Bertrando was the leader
among the
state's sires by Cal-bred stakes winners (8) and dam sire earnings. |
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13 two-year-old winners for Benchmark
in 2007
On December 21st, Hollywood Park maiden special weight debut winner
Waafi (pictured) became Benchmark's 13th
two-year-old winner of 2007.
Congratulations to owner/breeder Janavar Thoroughbreds and trainer
Marty Jones.
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With his second crop to race, Tribal
Rule is
California's leading sire of 2-year-olds
Represented by 11
two-year-olds winners from 23 starters, 25% wins from
starts and juvenile earnings of $605,944 in 2007, Tribal
Rule is the fourth
River Edge Farm stallion to lead California's 2-year-old sire
list.
The leading California freshman sire of 2006 and top second crop
sire of
2007, Tribal Rule ranked 14th nationally among
the leading second crop
sires of 2007 with lifetime earnings of $1,944,894.
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