Fasig-Tipton to conduct significant reduction of Harris Farms
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Harris Farms, a stalwart in California Thoroughbred racing and breeding for decades, will conduct a significant reduction of its bloodstock holdings in a digital sale this month and will close its high-profile stallion operation in coming months, two leading farm officials said on Wednesday.
The auction, which involves 82 horses, will be conducted by Fasig-Tipton from Aug. 14-19. Of the horses to be offered, there are 41 mares, 26 2-year-olds, 13 3-year-olds and two 4-year-olds. Among the mares, 24 sell with foals at their side.
The sale comes slightly more than a month after the death of farm owner John Harris on July 3 at the age of 81 after a lengthy illness. Harris developed Harris Farms into a major operation in the state, and himself took a leadership role in California and national racing.
Harris Farms in Coalinga, Calif., stood nine stallions earlier this year – Acclamation, Catholic Boy, Desert Code, Eight Rings, Halladay, Om, Stanford, Tamarando, and Uptown Rhythem. They stood for advertised fees ranging from $1,500 to $7,500. They will be sent to other farms, according to Jonny Hilvers, the general manager of the horse division of Harris Farms.
Tamarando will move to Legacy Ranch in Clements, Calif., according to Dan Kiser, a racing and breeding manager for Larry and Marianne Williams, who own the stallion.
In a state that has seen a consolidation of stallion farms in the last two decades, Harris Farms has been widely considered California’s premier facility.
Aside from the digital sale, Harris Farms will have a consignment of approximately 14 horses as the Fasig-Tipton California yearling sale in Pomona on Sept. 23, Hilvers said. Other foals of 2024 may be offered at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s January mixed sale in Pomona or at auctions outside of California, he said.
According to Hilvers and Harris Farm chief executive officer Darren Filkins, Harris Farms intends to retain 25 broodmares and an equal number of yearlings and racehorses.
“We’ll try to get a smaller group of good quality broodmares we can keep and breed and try to carry on the legacy of Harris Farms,” Hilvers said.
“We’ll keep some nice yearlings as well.”
The horse operation will be relocated from Coalinga to the company’s 220-acre River Ranch in Sanger, Calif., northeast of Coalinga, Filkins said. The River Ranch facility has been used as a base for yearlings in recent years.
Going forward, the 330-acre horse property in Coalinga will be used as farmland for row crops such as carrots, garlic, onions and tomatoes, Filkins said.
“We’re not going to have any boarding or breeding at our main farm in Coalinga,” Hilvers said.
The transition to cropland will take approximately 12 months, Filkins said.
The catalog for the digital sale includes a 2-year-old by Tamarando who is a half-brother to the multiple stakes winner Chancery Way; a colt by Om who is out of the two-time stakes winner Camille C, the dam of Washington state stakes winner Muncey; and the 7-year-old mare Hennys Crazy Train, who was third in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes in 2024 and sells in foal to Epicenter.
Harris Farms has sizable holdings in broodmares, yearlings and horses of racing age. Through Wednesday, Harris Farms had won 22 races from 142 starters this year, with runners active at Del Mar and Emerald Downs in Washington state. Last Saturday at Del Mar, the Harris-owned Glorious Life won a maiden race on turf at Del Mar.
On Wednesday, Filkins insisted that Harris Farms will retain a role in California racing.
“We are committed to run in Harris Farms silks,” Filkins said. “We may have a reduction, but we want to elevate our game in terms of quality. We want to solidify that position going forward.”
Regardless, a smaller Harris Farms without a stallion facility is a setback for California breeding and racing.
“The impact on California is tremendous,” Kiser said. “It’s a devastating blow to California. I think a lot of those horses will go out of state.
“John Harris loved racing so much. My gosh, he will be missed.”
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