Harris Farms has nearly completed the dispersal of its stallion roster with the recent relocation of Uptown Rythem to Rancho San Miguel near San Miguel, Calif., which was announced Oct. 23.
Only Desert Code , a 21-year-old son of E Dubai, remains on the 350-acre Harris Farms horse division north of Coalinga, Calif., that supported a roster of nine stallions through this year's breeding season. Desert Code may be pensioned, according to the farm.
Uptown Rythem is a winning son of 2013 Eclipse champion sprinter Speightstown and out of the Unbridled's Song daughter Listen to My Song. His immediate family includes 2025 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Burnham Square.
"As a fast, good-looking son of Speightstown, Uptown Rythem offers value for savvy mare owners who are aiming to compete in California's lucrative sprint program," said Rancho San Miguel owner Tom Clark. "We believe his brightest days as a sire are ahead."
Harris Farms' roster included three among the top 10 leading sires in California this year—Stanford (by Malibu Moon), Catholic Boy (by More Than Ready), and Om (by Munnings ). Over the last several months, these stallions and others have been relocated as follows:
- Acclamation and Catholic Boy to Hanson's River Ranch, near Kingsburg, Calif.
- Om and Tamarando to Legacy Ranch near Clements, Calif.
- Eight Rings and Halladay to Checkmate Thoroughbreds near Parkfield, Calif.
- Stanford to Eclipse Thoroughbred Farm, the site of the former River's Edge Farm in Santa Ynez Valley.
The changes at Harris Farms have followed the death of John Harris July 3. The farm is closing its horse division near Coalinga Nov. 3 and is no longer boarding any outside horses, according to the farm. All horses still owned by the Harris family will be kept at the 240-acre Harris River Ranch division along the Kings River, where the farm regularly raised its weanlings and yearlings and prepared horses for sales or the racetrack.
The farm also held a major reduction of 90 horses through the Fasig-Tipton Digital platform Aug. 14-19.
Harris Farms' horse division, started around 60 years ago, was the realization of a vision of Harris and his father, Jack, who were cattle ranchers, farmers, and horsemen who wanted to devote part of their extensive agricultural operation to breeding, raising, and racing high-quality Thoroughbreds.
John Harris began running the family's Thoroughbred operation in 1981 following the passing of his father. He expanded the Harris Thoroughbred operation to become one of California's premier stallion farms, standing such stallions at Cee's Tizzy, sire of two-time Horse of the Year Tiznow; Lucky Pulpit, sire of two-time Horse of the Year and 2014 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner California Chrome; Unusual Heat, leading California sire by earnings multiple times; as well as prominent California sires Moscow Ballet and High Brite.
As an owner and breeder, Harris campaigned such stars as Soviet Problem, a 10-time stakes winner who was runner-up in the 1994 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1); grade 1 winner Alphabet Kisses; and graded stakes winners Compari, Work the Crowd, Lucky J.H., and Unzip Me.
