California breeders have an interesting selection of new stallions to choose from in 2006. Some are stakes winners just off the racetrack - such as Our New Recruit, Ministers Wild Cat, and Singletary - while others have been relocated from other states, including Crafty C. T., Gentlemen, and Salt Lake. This year, there are fewer newcomers than in previous years.

Here is a glance at the seven first-year stallions for 2006 as well as six stallions that were relocated to the state since the conclusion of the 2005 breeding season.

First-year stallions

Last winter, Tom Stull was in the market for a new stallion for his breeding farm, Tommy Town Thoroughbreds in Santa Ynez, Calif. Stull came close to purchasing one stallion, but when the financial aspects could not be finalized, he decided to wait a year.

What Stull found for Tommy Town for the 2006 breeding season has more than satisfied his goals.

Ministers Wild Cat, a stakes winner in California and Canada, enters stud in February for a stud fee of $7,500, live foal.

ARCADIA, Calif. - In a cruel twist, Southern California had one of its driest falls on record, yet there could be no turf racing at Hollywood Park because its new course was declared unsatisfactory. As a result, there has not been any turf racing on this circuit since the Oak Tree meeting ended on Nov. 6.

LAS VEGAS - This is the third installment on the 2006 freshman stallions, featured alphabetically from M through P with particular emphasis on how to bet their offspring. The sires' names are followed by their pedigree, where they stand, the stud fee, and their designation (SP means speed; ST stamina; T turf; HT hidden turf).

A bit of Christmas magic has swirled around Patricia Runyon ever since she first made the huge leap to become a horse owner back in 1998. And the magic blew in again when the Runyon-bred 2-year-old filly Christmas Stocking shipped to Calder Race Course on Dec. 10 and rallied for her first stakes victory, in the $100,000 Cherokee Frolic Stakes.

Christmas Stocking is the first stakes winner out of the first horse Runyon ever owned.

Read the Footnotes is coming home.

A brilliant New York-bred runner in 2003 and 2004, Read the Footnotes will move from Becky Thomas's Sequel Stallions in Ocala, Fla., to her companion New York farm at Lakland North in Hudson, where he will stand his second season at stud in 2006. Read the Footnotes's fee remains at $8,500.

There will be at least 24 new stallions standing in Florida for 2006. All but a few of these are entering stud for the first time. Six of these newcomers are Grade 1 stakes winners, including Pico Central (by Spend a Buck) and Proud Accolade (Yes It's True), who will stand at Padua Stables. High Fly (Atticus) enters stud at Live Oak Stud. Wildcat Heir (Forest Wildcat) has been retired to CloverLeaf Farm II.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Korea Racing Association made news last week by completing deals for two young Kentucky stallions, 2002 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Volponi and Grade 1 winner Yankee Affair. The acquisitions were made possible in part by a change in Korean equine import regulations, another sign that Korea's developing racing and breeding industry is upgrading in much the same style that Japan's has under the Japan Racing Association. The KRA is similar to the JRA in that it is a government body that handles its nation's stud book and racing regulations.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Breeders who send mares to Momentum for the 2006 breeding season will be given an opportunity to sell the yearling back to the farm in 2008 for $15,000 without obligation, stallion owner Paul Reddam and Vessels Stallion Farm announced this week.

Momentum, who entered stud in 2005, will stand at Vessels in Bonsall for $5,000 in 2006. The promotion is designed to increase Momentum's book of mares, which Reddam said numbered 58 in 2005.

Irving and Marjorie Cowan have retired their multiple Grade 1-winning filly Society Selection to Lane's End in Versailles, Ky.

Irving Cowan said that breeding plans for the filly have not been finalized but that the couple is considering sending Society Selection to either Lane's End stallion A.P. Indy or Ashford stud Giant's Causeway. The Cowans own shares in A.P. Indy.