Hopes in Cambiocorsa have paid off after all

ARCADIA, Calif. - In May 2004, breeders John and Diane Fradkin were optimistic that they owned the sale topper for the Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in training. Their Avenue of Flags filly had impressed consignor Mary Knight before the sale. All that was needed was a quick presale workout to impress buyers.

Those hopes were dashed when the filly did not work to expectations. The filly did not meet her $100,000 reserve when bidding stopped at $90,000. Afterward, the Fradkins were approached by owner Ty Leatherman, who had bid on the filly. At the time, Ty and his father, Lee, raced Excessivepleasure, a multiple stakes-winning California-bred.

"I didn't know them, but I knew of them," John Fradkin said. "We decided to let her go."

A price of $90,000 was reached. Since then, the filly has developed into the best California-bred female sprinter in training.

Cambiocorsa has won her last six starts, including the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Handicap at Santa Anita last weekend on a hillside turf course where she is unbeaten in seven starts.

On May 16 in Pomona, that success will be on the minds of buyers when California Flag, a 2-year-old full brother to Cambiocorsa, sells as Hip No. 130 in the Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in training.

This time, Keith Card, a friend of the Fradkins, may be the recipient of Cambiocorsa's recent success. The Fradkins leased Ultrafleet, Cambiocorsa's dam, to Card when she produced California Flag, and it is Card who owns California Flag, John Fradkin said. The Fradkins have since retaken possession of Ultrafleet, who has risen in prominence along with Cambiocorsa in recent months.

Fradkin said that Card has been a mentor to his breeding enterprise. "I'm happy to do something nice for him," Fradkin said of the lease arrangement.

Meanwhile, Fradkin is planning for the future. Ultrafleet produced a colt by Unusual Heat this year, but does not have a yearling, Fradkin said.

With Avenue of Flags having been sent to stud in New Mexico, the Fradkins sent Ultrafleet back to Memo to be bred earlier this year. "We've had two decent Memos," said Fradkin, an institutional bond salesman with Citigroup in Newport Beach, Calif.

Ultrafleet has produced Shadow Raider, who was stakes-placed at Bay Meadows and earned $255,054, and Demo Memo, a winner of $107,653. Both are by Memo.

In 2007, Ultrafleet may be sent to Kentucky to be bred to a stallion there, Fradkin said.

Cambiocorsa has won 7 of 12 starts and $360,695 for the Leathermans and Ran Jan Racing. Cambiocorsa finished 12th in her career debut in 2004, a maiden race at Del Mar. All of those wins have come on turf.

Trained by Doug O'Neill, Cambiocorsa's current winning streak began with a win in an optional claimer last November at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting and has since included an allowance race, the Wishing Well Stakes, an optional claimer, the Irish O'Brien Stakes, and the Las Cienegas Handicap.

The Fradkins have attended many of the races. They were on hand for the Las Cienegas Handicap, in which Cambiocorsa was fully extended to win by three-quarters of a length.

"It's fun to keep going down here," Fradkin said in the winner's circle.

Cambiocorsa is likely to run in a longer race in her next start, O'Neill said. He is considering a start on the main track as well, possibly over seven furlongs. Either way, the Fradkins will be closely following her career, hoping that her younger siblings will be equally as talented.