Unusual Heat reaches $50 million milestone

California leading sire Unusual Heat has passed the $50 million mark in career progeny earnings, becoming the first stallion to achieve the milestone while standing his entire career in California.

The 26-year-old Nureyev horse, who stands at Harris Farms in Coalinga, Calif., was put over that mark when his son Boozer won the Sensational Star Stakes on Feb. 27 at Santa Anita.

From 16 crops of racing age – including current 2-year-olds – Unusual Heat is the sire of 389 winners from 535 starters for earnings of $50,162,110. His 51 stakes winners are led by five-time Grade 1 winner Acclamation, the Eclipse Award champion older male in 2011. Unusual Heat is also the sire of Grade 1 winners The Usual Q.T., Unusual Suspect, and Golden Doc A; Grade 2 winners Lethal Heat, Tucked Away, Gervinho, Burns, and Pretty Unusual; and Grade 3 winners Lightmyfirebaby and Bettys Bambino.

Unusual Heat is California's all-time leading sire by total progeny earnings, California-bred earnings, and progeny turf earnings. He also set the all-time single season California record for progeny earnings of $5.8 million.