Bear Fan back to the races after failing to get in foal

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Bear Fan, one of the nation's top female sprinters of 2004, has returned to training after failing to get in foal earlier this spring.

A 6-year-old California-bred, Bear Fan worked three furlongs at Santa Anita in 35.20 seconds Thursday. She has been nominated for the $75,000 Valkyr Stakes for statebred fillies and mares over six furlongs at Hollywood Park on July 16. Trainer and co-owner Wesley Ward has mentioned the $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap over 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 19 as a goal.

Bear Fan has won 8 of 16 starts and $808,150. She finished fifth in the $2 million Golden Shaheen at Nad al Sheba in Dubai on March 26 in her most recent start. Following that race, she was sent to Kentucky to be bred to A.P. Indy. After being bred twice and failing to get into foal, Bear Fan was brought back to California.

"She gets ready really fast," Ward said. "She's had enough of a break since Dubai."

Ward said in April that Bear Fan would return to training if she was not pronounced in foal by late spring.

By Pine Bluff, Bear Fan has won five stakes, including four in consecutive starts last year. She fought a quarter crack in the second half of 2004, which limited her starts.

In early 2004, Bear Fan won the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel, the Irish O'Brien Stakes for California-breds at Santa Anita, and the Genuine Risk and Vagrancy handicaps, both Grade 2's, at Belmont Park.

Bear Fan has never raced beyond seven furlongs.

Salt Lake one of three new stallions

California breeding farms have announced the addition of three stallions for 2006, including Salt Lake, who previously stood in Kentucky.

Salt Lake, a six-time stakes winner in his two-year racing career, will enter stud next year at Golden Eagle Farm in Ramona. He previously stood at Walmac International in Lexington, Ky.

Race for Glory, a California-bred stakes winner, and Ministers Wild Cat, a multiple stakes winner, are expected to enter stud in 2006.

Race for Glory, by Cape Town, will stand at Geocel Ranch in Bakersfield.

Ministers Wild Cat, who is entered for Sunday's $125,000 Bold Venture Handicap at Woodbine, will stand at Tommy Town Thoroughbreds in Santa Ynez.

Salt Lake has sired such stakes winners as Canadian champion Fantasy Lake, Grade 1 winner Ordway, and Indiahoma, who won the 1998 California Cup Mile. Salt Lake has progeny earnings of more than $36.5 million.

By Deputy Minister, Salt Lake won 7 of 21 starts and 6 stakes, including the 1991 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.

Salt Lake stood for $12,500 at Walmac this year, down from $15,000 in 2003. His stud fee for 2006 has not been announced.

Ministers Wild Cat, by Deputy Minister, has won 6 of 19 starts and $356,048. He won the 2003 Golden State Mile and the Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine earlier this year.

A fee has not been determined for Ministers Wild Cat.

Ministers Wild Cat is a half-brother to War Chant, the winner of the 2000 Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs, and is out of Hollywood Wildcat, the champion 3-year-old filly of 1993.

Race for Glory won 2 of 11 starts and $74,930. He won the 2003 Cavonnier Stakes at Santa Anita, and was ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in his following start. Race for Glory made three more starts in stakes, but was unplaced.

Bought for $600,000 at the Keeneland 2-year-olds in training sale, Race for Glory has not started since finishing seventh in a $40,000 claimer at Hollywood Park last November.