Though California was for a few years the favored dumping ground for stallions which almost but not quite made it in Kentucky (then followed Texas, now Pennsyalvania), five of the top seven sires on the 2007 California sire list have stood there for their entire careers. California's number one sire in 2007 was Bertrando, whose runners earned $4.2 million (ranked 45th nationally), and included eight stakes winners.

With the advent of mandated all-weather surfaces to replace dirt at the Southern California tracks, it looks significant that all five of the top California homegrown sires in 2007 had between 30 and 37 percent of their 2007 progeny earnings on synthetic surfaces.

Bertrando had 37 percent, and three of his eight 2007 stakes winners (also 37 percent) came on the allweather. Second in California was another of the state's perennial leaders, In Excess (37 percent of earnings AW, 25 percent of 2007 stakes winners). Fourth in California was Unusual Heat (3.71 APEX A Runner Index), a virtual unknown even in California until the APEX figures uncovered him a few years ago. His runners earned over $3.5 million last year; 36 percent of his 2007 progeny earnings came on all-weather, including three of his five (60 percent) 2007 stakes winners. Fifth in California was Swiss Yodeler, who was California's top sire in 2006, when he had GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Thor's Echo. Now aged 14, he's the only one of California's current top five homegrown sires under 17 years of age. He had 30 percent all-weather earnings, and one of his three 2007 stakes winners was on a synthetic surface.

This top five is rounded off by Benchmark (30-percent AW, 33-percent AW stakes winners in 2007/two of six), sire of dual Grade I winner and $1.5-million earner Brother Derek; and top 2007 sprinter, Idiot Proof, a Grade I winner and second in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Deputy Commander (third) and Salt Lake (sixth) were the two Kentucky imports to also top $3 million in 2007 progeny earnings.

Horses which raced in California are naturally logical candidates to stand there, and there are two interesting prospects with their first two-year-olds this year. Momentum won only once in California, in the GIII Native Diver H. at three, but he also placed in five stakes there, including Grade I seconds in the Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic, running Beyers as high as 116. That would earn him a place at stud anywhere, which makes him an especially interesting prospect for the Golden State.

Marino Marini, a $1.8-million yearling by Storm Cat, was Group 1-placed at two in Ireland. He placed in four graded stakes in America, including when second by a head in the GI Malibu S. in his dirt debut. He was a real speedball, with serious form ranging from five to seven furlongs.

Singletary was a top grass horse in California over four seasons. He also won the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Lone Star in one of his rare forays outside California. He won or placed in 15 grass stakes in 22 career starts, and will have his first yearlings in California in 2008.