Harris Farms News

Alphabet Kisses (Alphabet Soup out of Kiss For Six) shown here on March 3rd upon her arrival at Indian Creek Farm in Kentucky, with Todd Fisher. She is booked to Awesome Again. Alphabet Kisses is a Grade One winner of $590,271 (7 wins in 17 starts) and was bred & owned by Harris Farms, trained by Marty Jones.

from the Daily Racing Form
March 5 2006

Alphabet Kisses paired with Awesome Again
By STEVE ANDERSEN
ARCADIA, Calif. - Alphabet Kisses, the California-bred mare who won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes in 2004, has been retired and will be bred to Awesome Again this month, owner John Harris said.

Alphabet Kisses finished her career with a second-place finish in the Pro or Con Handicap for statebred fillies and mares at Santa Anita on Feb. 25. She finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Moscow Burning after leading by 2 1/2 lengths in the stretch.

Alphabet Kisses, 5, won 7 of 17 starts and $590,271.

"She's sound and all that, but she's worth quite a bit as a broodmare," Harris said. "We had to make up our minds."

Alphabet Kisses's stakes wins include the Grade 1 La Brea in December 2004, the B. Thoughtful Handicap for statebred fillies and mares in April 2005, and the Grade 2 A Gleam Handicap last July.

By Alphabet Soup out of the Saratoga Six mare Kiss for Six, Alphabet Kisses typically raced on or near the lead and was best in sprints. She disputed the pace throughout the seven-furlong La Brea, which she won by a length at 20-1.

Harris said Alphabet Kisses may return to California after being bred to Awesome Again. If she returns to California and is bred to a stallion in this state, her Awesome Again foal can be registered as a California-bred.

Harris admitted that breeding to Awesome Again was a major investment.

"He stands for $125,000, which is more than we usually pay, but he's been a top sire," he said. "We'd be leaning toward bringing her back to California to get a California-bred."

Harris said in a statement that Alphabet Kisses would be sent to Kentucky on Friday.

Harris said his farm is sending two other prominent mares to Kentucky to be bred this spring - Blind Ambition and Lucky C.H.

Blind Ambition, 8, won 4 of 10 starts and $291,705. The highlight of her career was a win in the 2003 California Cup Distaff. She was retired last year after developing a filling in a leg while training at Hollywood Park.

Blind Ambition will be bred to Sky Mesa.

Lucky C.H. is the dam of Lucky J.H., the runner-up in the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds last April. Lucky J.H. returned from a 10-month layoff to win a one-mile allowance race at Santa Anita on Feb. 20.

HARRIS FARMS HORSE DIVISION
27366 W. Oakland Avenue
Coalinga, CA 93210
Tel: 559.884.2859 or 800.311.6211
FAX: 559.884.2855
Internet: info@harrisfarms.com