Straight Fire Making Waves in California

With just 26 named foals in his first crop, 'TDN Rising Star' Straight Fire (Dominus – Tricky Indy, by A.P. Indy) is reeling off some impressive statistics as his young stock are making waves in California.

Last year, the son of Dominus based at Legacy Ranch produced 10 winners from 13 runners with his first crop of 2-year-olds. So far in 2022, he has had six winners from 10 runners including dual stakes winner Straight Up G and also a pair of sophomores that swept the California-bred stakes on the Santa Anita Derby undercard earlier this month. Power Surge won the Evening Jewel S. and Smuggler's Run took the Echo Eddie S. while another son of Straight Fire, What in Blazes, finished third in the Echo Eddie.

Straight Fire's three stakes winners already this year rank the sire first among North American second-crop sires by stakes winners from named foals. Among the same group of sires, he also ranks first by stakes winners from runners at 30% and is second only to Gun Runner with his average earnings of over $50,000 per starter.

Bred by Spendthrift Farm, Straight Fire was a $250,000 yearling purchase by Solis and Litt Bloodstock at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton July Sale. He was sent to Eddie Woods and showed promise from the start.

“We thought he was special,” Jason Litt recalled. “The horse always had a great attitude. He loved to train and was easy to be around. When we got him to the track, he was tremendously fast and naturally precocious.”

As a juvenile, the colt broke his maiden second time out at Del Mar by 10 ½ lengths to earn his 'Rising Star' badge. He was then second to MGSW Klimt (Quality Road) in the GI Del Mar Futurity and ran third in the GI FrontRunner S. While he suffered a career-ending injury and was unable to return to the starting gate as a 3-year-old, his connections were so impressed by his juvenile campaign that they pursued a stallion career for their precocious bay.

Straight Fire began his stallion career at Legacy Ranch in 2018 for a group of shareholders that included Legacy Ranch, Jim Rome's Jungle Racing, LNJ Foxwoods, Kim and Kevin Nish's KMN Racing, Andrew Molasky, Rigney Racing, Equine Analysis and Solis/Litt Bloodstock. In his first two years at stud, the stallion was solely supported by his shareholders and bred a total of 66 mares.

This year will look quite different for the stallion. After the success of his juveniles, Straight Fire's stud fee was increased from $3,500 to $7,500, but he already has 60 mares on his book this year coming in from an array of outside breeders.

Straight Fire's first crop did not see the sales ring as they were yearlings in 2020 so the owners opted to race them themselves to avoid the uncertain market during COVID. From Straight Fire's second crop of 20 foals, five yearlings saw the sales ring last year to average nearly $50,000. This year he was represented by a 2-year-old colt that delivered the fastest one-furlong breeze of the Texas 2-Year-Old in Training Sale and later sold for $80,000.

Litt explained that when they first launched Straight Fire's stud career, their goal was to produce quality runners for the lucrative 2-year-olds races at Del Mar. Now that the first crop has surpassed shareholders' original expectations as 2-year-olds, Litt said he believes there could be more to come this year for the stallion as his first crop continues to develop and his second crop hits the racetrack.

Power Surge claims the 2022 Evening Jewel S. | Benoit

“His offspring are like him in that they have great minds, they love to train and they have tremendous natural speed,” he said. “If you watch their races, they instantly break on top naturally. It's one thing to get one good runner, but when there are five or six from a small crop that you're happy with, that's fun.”

Power Surge, winner of the Evening Jewel S., was part of the first crop that was sent to the racetrack rather than the sales ring. She was started by Susan Montanye of SBM Training, who broke several Straight Fire progeny for LNJ Foxwoods and their partners.

“She was very cool,” Montanye recalled. “She was very easy and always had a lot of game. That's how all of the Straight Fires have been for me.  Every time you ask them to do something, they always said yes and they are wanting to do more. They seem to be forward, early horses.”

The filly was sent to trainer Blaine Wright in California along with several other Straight Fire progeny.

“From early on we thought Power Surge was one of the best ones I had in my possession,” Wright recalled. “She was very precocious and has never done a thing wrong. I've pretty much had Straight Fire fillies up to this point, but the horse throws good bone and they're good-minded and tenacious.”

Power Surge broke her maiden at second asking as a juvenile last year. Since then, she has placed in all but one of her five career starts.

“As she has gotten more races into her, she has leveled out as a racehorse,” Wright explained. “Now she can turn it off pretty easy when you ask her in the morning and turn it back on when you want her to. She has ran well on synthetic, but she showed a different level on dirt in the stakes race. After watching her gallop out after that race, it looks like she might get up to a mile. She posted good fractions and did everything the right way.”

Power Surge will be the first horse of racing age by Straight Fire offered at auction when she sells as Hip 22 this week at the Fasig-Tipton April Digital Selected Sale, which closes Tuesday, April 26 at 2 p.m.  Litt explained that because the original intention was to sell Straight Fire's first crop, Power Surge's connections believe that now is the prime time to offer the filly after her stakes victory.

Wright believes the possibilities are endless with Power Surge for the remainder of her sophomore campaign and beyond.

“A filly like her, I think you could probably run her on any surface,” he said. “One thing you can't put into them is a racehorse, and she's got it.”

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Fast Draw Munnings Turns The Stables On Straight Up G In Cal Cup Derby

Soundly beaten by Straight Up G when last they met, the Jeff Mullins-trained Fast Draw Munnings turned the tables on his heavily favored rival in Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita, as they battled head and head the final three sixteenths of a mile with “Fast Draw” gaining the advantage late to prevail by a neck. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Fast Draw Munnings, a California-bred colt by the Kentucky-based stallion Munnings, got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:46.99.

The seeds of Straight Up G's defeat were sown early, as Highland Ghost, under Flavien Prat, gunned to the early lead from his rail post position with Straight Up G lapped on him to the five sixteenths pole, where he took the lead but was immediately tackled by the winner leaving the quarter pole.

“The main thing was hoping somebody went with the favorite, I mean that horse got away with an easy lead last time and we thought that if somebody goes with him, I told Drayden to make sure he gets a good jump out of there and be right off their heels,” said Mullins. “It worked out, the one horse went with the favorite and I think kind of softened him up and gave us the opportunity to get by.

“It's kind of waiting game most of the time, so we will just enjoy the moment now and see what comes up for him. Obviously, he's pretty versatile. I think he can go one turn, two turns and he may even like the turf. With these kind of Cal-breds you have to jump wherever you can and I think he's proved that he can.”

Bred in California by Glenn Porter and owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Fast Draw Munnings is out of the Bedford Falls mare Zuzu's Petals. A first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Sept. 17, Fast Draw Munnings was most recently third, beaten 5 ¼ lengths by gate to wire winner Straight Up G in the one mile King Glorious Stakes versus statebreds Dec. 12 at Los Alamitos.

Off at 4-1 in a field of six California-bred or sired sophomores, Fast Draw Munnings paid $10.40, $3.80 and $2.10.

“The main thing was to get a good break and hopefully (Straight Up G and Highland Ghost) battle like they did and just sit off of them and bide my time,” said Van Dyke. “That was exactly how it played out and we got lucky with the win. I knew it was going to be a good battle because (Straight Up G) kicked on when I asked my horse to go, but my horse dug in. I've always loved this horse, he's kind of a hard-headed horse, he doesn't give you all that he has but he showed what he could do today and I'm proud of him.”

In his fourth career start, Fast Draw Munnings notched his first stakes win and second overall victory. With the winner's share of $110,000, he increased his earnings to $170,600.

Straight Up G, off at 4-5 with Ricky Gonzalez, finished 3 ¼ lengths in front of Finneus and paid $2.60 and $2.10.

The second choice at 9-5 with John Velazquez, Finneus paid $2.10 to show while finishing 17 lengths clear of longshot Agador Spartacus.

Early pacesetter Highland Ghost tired badly and was distanced while checking in last.

Fractions on the race were 23.56, 48.01, 1:13.52 and 1:39.78.

Run as Saturday's third race, the Cal Cup Derby was the first of five stakes for California-bred or sired horses on a 10-race card.

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Straight Up G Could Try Derby Trail After Cal Cup Derby

A lights-out winner of his last two starts, Jungle Racing LLC's homebred Straight Up G appears a standout versus five sophomores going a mile and one sixteenth in Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita.

One of five California Cup Day races on a 10-race program, the Cal Cup Derby will be center stage as Straight Up G and his rivals attempt to follow in the footsteps of the Art Sherman-trained California Chrome, who used the 2014 Cal Cup Derby as a springboard to glory in the Santa Anita and Kentucky Derbies as well as the 2014 Preakness Stakes.

Like California Chrome, the Richard Baltas-trained Straight Up G, a bay colt by red hot sire Straight Fire, out of the Sky Mesa mare Gidget Girl, comes off a big win versus statebreds in the one mile King Glorious Stakes run at Los Alamitos on Dec. 12.

“He's doing everything really easily,” said Baltas on Friday morning. “Last time, he handled the two turns with no problem. He's still growing, he big, he's good looking and he's got a good mind. Hopefully he can get this done tomorrow and then maybe we can tackle open company. He's got size, he's got length. The other day, he went five eighths, I got him in 59 and four (fifths), they gave him a minute and one and he galloped out (six furlongs) in 1:13 and one. He did that all on his own, he was by himself.

“I think he wants to go farther. I really don't think he's a sprinter. He's got a lot of natural speed and he looks like a good, solid route horse. The sire's had nothing but runners, so we'll see how far this horse can go.”

Owned and bred by sports talk icon Jim Rome and his wife Janet's Jungle Racing, Straight Up G debuted as an even money favorite going 5 ½ furlongs here on Oct. 9, but finished a disappointing fourth. Subsequently off at 4-5 in a six furlong maiden special versus Cal-breds on Nov. 21 at Del Mar, he aired by 5 ¼ lengths, earning a lofty 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Off at 2-1 in the King Glorious, he led throughout in a thoroughly dominant performance, winning by 3 ½ lengths over Finneus, who he will again face on Saturday while earning a 75 Beyer.

With Ricky Gonzalez back to ride for a third consecutive time, Straight Up G appears headed for the deep waters of the Kentucky Derby Trail should he replicate his performance in the King Glorious on Saturday.

Like California Chrome, Straight Up G has to be considered a bit “light” in terms of his maternal pedigree, as his first dam, the Sky Mesa mare Gidget Girl, who although she has produced a talented half sister to Straight Up G, the Baltas-trained Gidgetta (three wins from 11 starts, earnings of $154,309) was unraced and his second dam, Rome's Brazilian-bred Surfer Girl, finished her career 11-1-5-1, with her lone win coming in her native Brazil.

As for his sire, Straight Fire, he was a highly regarded juvenile who sold for $250,000 as a yearling and finished second as the 4-5 favorite in the 2016 Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. Subsequently third in Santa Anita's G1 FrontRunner Stakes, he retired with one win from four starts and earnings of $146,400.

With the Cal Cup Derby carded early as race three on Saturday, Straight Up G will hope to issue an emphatic keynote speech on a day dedicated to California-breds. Drawn in post position four and installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite by Line Maker Jon White, Straight Up G will no doubt have the attention of all those eyeing the Derby Trail.

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Rome Homebred Straight Up G Towers Over California Cup Derby Foes

A lights-out winner of his last two starts, Jungle Racing LLC's homebred Straight Up G appears a standout versus five sophomores going 1 1/16 miles in Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

One of five California Cup Day races on a 10-race program, the Cal Cup Derby will be center stage as Straight Up G and his rivals attempt to follow in the footsteps of the Art Sherman-trained California Chrome, who used the 2014 Cal Cup Derby as a springboard to glory in the Santa Anita and Kentucky Derbies as well as the 2014 Preakness Stakes.

Like California Chrome, the Richard Baltas-trained Straight Up G, a bay colt by red hot sire Straight Fire, out of the Sky Mesa mare Gidget Girl, comes off a big win versus statebreds in the one mile King Glorious Stakes run at Los Alamitos on Dec. 12.

Owned and bred by sports talk icon Jim Rome and his wife Janet's Jungle Racing, Straight Up G debuted as an even money favorite going 5 ½ furlongs here on Oct. 9, but finished a disappointing fourth. Subsequently off at 4-5 in a six furlong maiden special versus Cal-breds on Nov. 21 at Del Mar, he aired by 5 ¼ lengths, earning a lofty 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Off at 2-1 in the King Glorious, he led throughout in a thoroughly dominant performance, winning by 3 ½ lengths over Finneus, who he will again face on Saturday while earning a 75 Beyer.

With Ricky Gonzalez back to ride for a third consecutive time, Straight Up G appears headed for the deep waters of the Kentucky Derby Trail should he replicate his performance in the King Glorious on Saturday.

A gutty half length winner of the seven furlong Golden State Juvenile at Del Mar Nov. 5, Finneus, a California-bred colt by Stay Thirsty, was off as the 9-5 favorite in the King Glorious, but he could never threaten Straight Up G, finishing second by 3 ½ lengths. Well beaten three starts back in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes here on Oct. 1, Finneus, who will be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez, will be trying two turns for the third time. Devoid of early speed, his chances would be enhanced should there be a fast pace.

Bred by Terry Lovinger, trained by Walther Solis and owned by Lovingier, Mohammed Naseer Fasihuddin and Amanda Navarro, Finneus, who is out of the Ghostzapper mare My Fiona, is the leading money earner in the field with $266,366 from an overall mark of 7-2-3-1.

A sharp two length allowance winner going 5 ½ furlongs on synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields Dec. 31, the O. J. Jauregui-trained Highland Ghost will face statebred company and go two turns for the second time in what will be his eighth career start. Quick from the blocks, this chestnut colt by 2017 Santa Anita Handicap winner Shaman Ghost could prove bothersome early to Straight Up G.

With a solid last-out Beyer of 74 to his credit, Highland Ghost is owned by his breeder, Highland Yard, LLC and is 7-2-2-1 overall with earnings of $69,506.

THE $200,000 CAL CUP DERBY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 10 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT

  1. Highland Ghost—Flavien Prat—124
  2. Sippin N Kissin—Abel Cedillo—124
  3. Fast Draw Munnings—Drayden Van Dyke–124
  4. Finneus—John Velazquez—124
  5. Straight Up G—Ricardo Gonzalez—124
  6. Agador Spartacus—Tyler Baze–124

First post time for a 10-race card, which will include a total of five California-bred or sired stakes on California Cup Day, Saturday is at 12 noon. Admission gates will open at 10 a.m.

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