Harris Farms

John C. Harris, Ty Green and Andy Mathis have been appointed to the board of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC). Owner of Harris Farms, Harris was inducted into the California Racing Hall of Fame in 2008 and was honored last year by the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation for his industry service. Harris Farms has been connected to over 50 California divisional champions, including eight California Horses of the Year. He is a former California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) Commissioner and currently serves on the board of the California Thoroughbred...

Stop us if you've heard this a time or a thousand. Horses trained by Chad Brown figure tough in the GI Matriarch S. on closing day of the Bing Crosby Meet at Del Mar. Undisputable though that is--he has, after all, sent out the winner all but once since 2017--Harris Farms homebred Closing Remarks (Vronsky) will look to have the final say Sunday afternoon. The chestnut has yet to strike in three tries at the top level, though she was runner-up in the 2021 Del Mar Oaks while finishing just...

by Dan Ross & Jill Williams A $250,000 colt by late California sire Vronsky led Tuesday's one-session Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of Racing Age Sale, topping a dozen lots to sell for six figures. While the $5,751,500 gross for 185 head and $15,000 median (-11.76%) declined somewhat from the 2022 edition, average was up slightly from $30,522 in 2022 to $31,089 (+1.86%) this year. The buy-back rate, 25.7% in 2022, rose to 34%. "Buy-backs may be up a little bit," said Fasig-Tipton's California representative Mike Machowsky. "But the...

Thoroughbred owner and breeder John C. Harris will be honored at a charity fundraising dinner hosted by the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation. The event will take place Thursday, August 17, 2023, at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, in Rancho Santa Fe, CA, located just a few miles east of Del Mar Racetrack. "We're delighted to honor John, not only for the accomplishments of his Harris Farms Horse Division, one of the country's leading racing stables and utmost influential owner/breeder operations, for which he has been inducted into the California...

Harris Farms' GISW Cistron (The Factor) sired his first reported foal, a filly born at the California farm Jan. 30. A fourth-generation Harris Farms homebred, the filly is out of Patriot Mission (Acclamation). The mare's extended family includes MGISW and young sire City of Light (Quality Road). Cistron will stand his second season at Harris Farms for $3,500, live foal.

Harris Farms and Santa Anita Park have announced the creating of new scholarship opportunities to promote the Thoroughbred in the Sporthorse disciplines. Two scholarships in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded annually, one for the Junior rider Thoroughbred and the other for the Amateur rider Thoroughbred partnership. The recipient shall receive an award of $1,000, to further their training and competition opportunities. Eligible expenses include lessons or clinics, travel expenses directly related to receiving instruction, competition fees, etc. The recipient must attest that he/she will continue to pursue training...

Halladay (War Front--Hightap, by Tapit), winner of the 2020 GI Fourstardave H., has been retired from racing and will stand the 2022 breeding season at Harris Farms in California as the property of a syndicate led by Adrian Gonzalez of Checkmate Thoroughbreds. He will stand for an introductory fee of $7,500, live foal stand and nurse guarantee, with shares available. Racing for Harrell Ventures and trainer Todd Pletcher, Halladay also won the 2019 Tropical Park Derby and 2020 Sunshine Forever S. On the board in 12 of 17 starts, the...

Grade I winner Cistron (The Factor--Major Allie, by Officer) has been retired from racing and will stand stud at Harris Farms in California. He is now available for inspection and a stud fee will be announced in the fall. Scoring his first black-type win in Oaklawn's Northern Spur S. in 2017, the Hronis Racing colorbearer's other career highlights include victories in the GI Bing Crosby S., GII Kona Gold S. and GIII San Simeon S. The $180,000 KEESEP buy retires with 30-6-7-6 and earnings of $768,719.

Successful California-based stallion Vronsky (Danzig--Words of War, by Lord at War {Arg}), the sire of Grade I winner What A View, passed away from an apparent heart attack after successfully covering a mare at Harris Farms, according the farm's General Manager Jonny Hilvers. Vronsky was 22 years old. Bred by Arthur Hancock and Stonerside Ltd., Vronsky was a $1-million purchase out of the 2000 Keeneland September Sale and was a three-time winner at the races before entering stud in 2005 at E. W. 'Buddy' Johnston's Old English Rancho in Sanger,...

The first reported foal by multiple graded winner Om (Munnings--Rare Cat, by Tabasco Cat) was born Jan. 18 at Harris Farms in Coalinga, California. Bred by Al and Saundra Kirkwood, the chestnut filly is the third foal from the Unusual Heat allowance winner All the Heat, who is a full sister to Inflamed, dam of Grade I winner Mo Forza. Om, who broke his maiden in his second start at two defeating subsequent Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, continued to excel at three through his 7-year-old seasons, winning four graded...

8th-Del Mar, $57,500, (S), Msw, 8-23, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:04.91, ft. NEEDLESS TO SAY (f, 2, Not This Time--Camille C {MSW & GSP, $400,205}, by Roman Dancer), favored at 3-2, gave her freshman sire (by Giant's Causeway) his ninth winner, his second of the day, and his second impressive debut victress of the weekend at Del Mar. The dark bay filly was away sharply and was soon at the head of affairs, setting fractions of :21.93 and :45.90. She extended her advantage down the lane without being asked and...

Harris Farms resident stallion Tizbud (Cee's Tizzy--Cee's Song, by Seattle Song), the California-bred sire and full-brother to Hall of Famer Tiznow, was euthanized July 20 due to an overall decline in health. Tizbud was pensioned in 2018 at Harris Farms, where he was foaled, raised and stood at stud. Tizbud was bred by Cecilia Straub Rubens and raced for Cee's Stable LLC under the tutelage of trainer John Sadler. Owner Pamela C. Ziebarth stood Tizbud at Harris Farms, where he sired Grade I winner Tiz Flirtatious as well as popular...