The reorganization of Harris Farms, the famed California Thoroughbred breeding facility, has been underway since the death of owner John Harris last July. Gone are the stallions who stood at the Coalinga, Calif., property that is undergoing a transformation to cropland. The farm has reduced its herd of mares and moved them to nearby Sanger, Calif. A reduction sale of racing and breeding stock was conducted last August, with 75 horses selling for $1,045,000. The number of active racehorses on the Harris Farms team has been reduced, but still play a meaningful role in California racing. On Saturday, Start the Ride, a 13-1 outsider, was the surprise winner of the $175,500 California Cup Derby. “This is part of the heritage and legacy of Harris is going to continue,” farm chief executive officer Darren Filkins said in the winner’s circle, his voice tinged with emotion. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Start the Ride is one of approximately 25 racehorses owned by Harris Farms. The farm has horses with Dan Blacker, Carla Gaines, Sean McCarthy, Sheldon Paldanius, Dean Pederson, and Debbie Winick in Southern California, and with Debbie Peery at Turf Paradise. Start the Ride, trained by Blacker, had his first official start on Saturday, his third appearance on the track for a race. Start the Ride was entered in a maiden race at Del Mar on Oct. 30, but was listed as a late scratch because of injury. On Nov. 16 at Del Mar, Start the Ride was declared a non-starter from a maiden race for California-breds after the stewards ruled that the colt was held by an assistant starter the moment the gates opened and was not afforded a clean start. In the California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles for statebreds, Start the Ride (13-1) closed from sixth in a field of nine to win by 1 3/4 lengths over 2-1 favorite Sammy Davis. For the 43-year-old Blacker, a six-figure stakes win for Harris Farms had particular significance, and brought him back to the early years of his training career, which began in 2011. “There was a point in my career I had like four horses and they were all Harris Farms, so I owe them a lot,” Blacker said. In an interview in the winner’s circle, Filkins described the current operation at Harris Farms, which is following plans developed last summer after the death of John Harris. “There has been a lot of consolidation,” he said. “We’ve been focusing on quality California-breds.” Harris Farms was at the pinnacle of California racing for decades, particularly as a stallion farm. Many of the stallions that stood on the property last year have been dispersed to other farms. John Harris owned such prominent runners as Soviet Problem, a winner of 15 of 20 starts and the 1994 California-bred Horse of the Year; and Closing Remarks, a five-time stakes winner from 2021 to 2023 who earned $1,000,820. The national Horses of the Year Tiznow (2000) and California Chrome (2014, 2016) were raised for clients at Harris Farms. On Saturday, Filkins said Harris Farms plans to retain approximately 25 to 30 mares. In November, Harris Farms bought three mares at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for prices ranging from $20,000 to $37,000. “The last three or four years, we’ve gone back to Keeneland to buy mares and breed them to California sires,” Filkins said. Harris Farms will have approximately 15 2-year-olds reach the track in coming months. At Tuesday’s Winter Mixed Sale in Pomona, Harris Farms had a consignment of 15 2-year-olds. Harris Farms will not have as significant of an impact on entries as it has in past decades, but is not leaving the sport. While Filkins acknowledged that there “has been a lot of speculation” about the future of the Harris Farms operation, he had a quick response when asked if Harris Farms would have a breeding or racing presence in three years. “Yes,” he said. “There is no doubt in my mind.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.