Harris Stallion Cee's Tizzy sire of...

When California-bred Budroyale goes to the post in Sunday’s Hollywood Gold Cup, he not only will represent his home state, he will be in a position to give his sire, Cee’s Tizzy, a big boost. Cee’s Tizzy, who stands at John Harris’s Harris Farms in Coalinga, Calif., is already enjoying a banner season. With Budroyale’s accomplishments thus far plus the Grade 1 efforts of the stallion’s daughter Gourmet Girl, Cee’s Tizzy is steadily climbing the list of the state’s leading sires.

"He’s closing in on $1 million in progeny earnings [for 1999]," said Dave McGlothlin, horse division manager of Harris Farms. "He’s had a very successful year. They’re running well in the north and the south." Cecilia Straub-Rubens owns the 12-year-old son of Relaunch–Tizly, by Lyphard, and he has stood at Harris for four years. "He stands for $2,500, which is a steal," McGlothlin said. "He has an average earnings per starter of $46,000. Mrs. Rubens owns him outright, and I don’t think she’s interested in selling him. So he’s probably destined to stay in California."

That’s good news for the state, which is holding onto more of its top stallions these days. Not too many years ago, the minute a California stallion showed some promise, he was whisked off to Kentucky. Budroyale heads into the $1 million Gold Cup with earnings of $977,310, and this year the 6-year-old has won the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap and the restricted Super Diamond Handicap. With just four in the Gold Cup, he only needs to finish to become the 21^st Cal-bred millionaire, and a victory would put him seventh on the all-time Cal-bred earners list.

Out of the Seattle Song mare Cee’s Song, Budroyale has three full siblings at Harris. McGlothlin said that Cee’s Song has produced suckling and yearling fillies and a 2-year-old colt, all by Cee’s Tizzy. Gourmet Girl, a 4-year-old daughter of Cee’s Tizzy out of the Welsh Pageant mare Rhondaling, won this year’s Grade 1 Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap. The filly was scheduled to contest the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap on Saturday, June 19, at Hollywood Park.

Harris Farms also has a daughter of Cee’s Tizzy back on the winning track. The farm bred Hide the Silver and owns her in partnership with Carl Grether. The 3-year-old filly returned at Hollywood June 12 after a nine-month layoff to capture a 6 ½-furlong allowance race by two lengths.

"We were a little surprised because we thought she was in tough," said McGlothlin, "but she’d been working well. She had a little bit of a knee problem last year, and we just stopped on her and gave her some time." McGlothlin said that Cee’s Tizzy was bred to about 60 mares this year. The stallion’s book included Cal-bred champion Materco; stakes winner Big Squaw, the dam of stakes winner Walk in Time; Dreamsbury, dam of $164,495-earner Cee Ghee, also by Cee’s Tizzy; stakes producer La Grandeza; and stakes winner Princess Royalty. Cee’s Tizzy isn’t the only successful Harris Farms stallion. The roster also includes Flying Continental, a young son of Flying Paster who is getting runners; High Brite, whose first California foals are 2-year-olds this year; and Cutlass Reality, who not only has foals winning throughout California but is the sire of Delaware Park winner Impulsive Tom.