A dispersal of broodmares, horses of racing age, yearlings, and 2-year-olds owned by the estate of Don Valpredo is among the high-profile consignments at Tuesday’s winter mixed sale in Pomona, Calif. Valpredo, a third-generation owner and breeder, died in October. He was 85. Valpredo was a former chairman of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, which conducts Tuesday’s sale through its CTBA Sales division. Aside from his extensive involvement in breeding and racing, Valpredo served in leadership roles as a California Horse Racing Board commissioner in the 1990s and as a member of the board of directors of the Thoroughbred Owners of California from 2000 to 2011. On the track, Valpredo was best known for campaigning Soviet Problem, a famous mare he co-bred and co-owned with Harris Farms. Soviet Problem won 15 of 20 starts from 1992 to 1995 and won seven consecutive starts, including match races at Golden Gate Fields and Del Mar, from mid-May to mid-October of 1994. The winning streak ended with a head loss to Cherokee Run in the 1994 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs. On Saturday at Santa Anita, the Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint was to be run as one of five stakes for statebreds. The Valpredo family has operated a produce farm in central California for decades. At Tuesday’s sale, which begins at noon at the former Barretts Sales Pavilion at Fairplex, the Valpredo dispersal consists of 21 of the 143 horses in the catalog, including nine horses of racing age, six yearlings, four broodmares, and two 2-year-olds. The consignment is offered through Adrian Gonzalez’s Checkmate Thoroughbreds. Three of the horses of racing age were entered to race at Santa Anita on Saturday – Mayacama and Naturally Blonde in a $50,000 claimer for maiden statebreds, and Shocking Grey in the $125,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint on turf. Shocking Grey, 6, was third in the Fran’s Valentine Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in March 2023. Aside from the Valpredo dispersal, the auction is dominated by 31 2-year-olds consigned by Lovacres Ranch, as agent. The Lovacres 2-year-olds are by Collected, Govenor Charlie, Smokem, and Stay Thirsty. Stay Thirsty was second to Grazen among California stallions in progeny earnings in 2024. Grazen led the list with more than $4.3 million, while Stay Thirsty’s foals earned more than $4.2 million. Stay Thirsty led the list five times from 2017 to 2022 and was second to Grazen in 2023. At Tuesday’s sale, there are 22 2-year-olds by Stay Thirsty and two by Grazen. There are two yearlings by Grazen. Andy Havens, as agent, is offering 20 horses, 13 through his bloodstock agency, and seven on behalf of Liberty Road Stables. Havens, who has been a fixture at California auctions since the mid-1980s, lost his home in the devastating wildfires that struck Altadena, Calif., earlier this month. “This is the most devastating thing I’ve ever seen,” he said Friday. “It was apocalyptic, really. It’s quite heartbreaking. You have to start all over.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.