San Miguel, California—A dozen mares bred to Grade 1 winner Collected at the start of the 2026 breeding season have checked in foal to the City Zip stallion, who relocated from Kentucky last November to stand at Rancho San Miguel in San Luis Obispo County, California. The group is part of his inaugural California book, which comprises 90 mares through mid-March — a number which is already higher than the total amount of mares that any state-based stallion covered throughout the entire 2025 breeding season. Collected’s popularity can be widely attributed to his initial success as a West Coast runner, and now as the region’s dominant sire. Winner of Del Mar’s $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) and four additional graded stakes races from 2015 through 2018 for Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Collected retired to Airdrie Stud in Kentucky prior to the 2019 breeding season with a career bankroll of $2,975,500. From his first four foal crops sired at that locale, the 13-year-old stallion has amassed more than $20 million in progeny earnings, highlighted by 22 stakes winners and seven graded stakes winners. His year-to-date progeny earnings of more than $1.1 million establish him as the leading sire in California for 2026. He also leads all California stallions by graded stakes winners, black-type winners and individual winners for the current year. “We are thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive response that Collected has received so far from regional breeders,” said Rancho San Miguel Owner Tom Clark. “He is proving popular with mare owners across the board, from our longtime clients to first-time breeders, some of whom have acquired mares specifically for him.” “His early patrons include not only California breeders, but also breeders from surrounding states,” Clark added. “These outside mares are now participating in the California breeding program, as a prelude to their Collected foals eventually participating in the California racing program. This is welcome news as our state’s Thoroughbred industry battles uphill challenges.”