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Breeders’ Cup Winner Honors John Mabee Golden Pal, winner of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) at Keeneland Nov. 6, has a name that should conjure up familiarity for California breeders. Randall Lowe, who bred and races the 2-year-old colt, named him for Golden Eagle Farm and Best Pal. Te late John and Betty Mabee led California breeders for many years and raced in the name of their Golden Eagle Farm in Ramona. Teir fnest runner was the durable and popular Best Pal, three-time California-bred Horse of the Year (from 1990-92), and a member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. Best Pal earned $5,668,245 during the 1990s and is still the third-leading Cal-bred earner of all time, behind California Chrome and Tiznow. Following Golden Pal’s Breeders’ Cup win, Lowe specifcally mentioned how he named the horse. “I named him after my mentor, a gentleman named John C. Mabee, who taught me all about breeding and what to look for, how to do things,” Lowe said. Lowe bred Golden Pal in Florida, but the colt has California roots. He is by Uncle Mo from Lowe’s homebred Midshipman mare Lady Shipman, whose stakes wins include the 2016 Royal North Stakes (G3T). Lady Shipman is out of the Cal-bred mare Sumthingtotalkabt.
QUALIFYING CLAIMING LEVELS The following claiming levels for California owners premiums and stallion awards are currently in effect: GOLDEN GATE FIELDS/$20,000 LOS ALAMITOS/$40,000 SANTA ANITA/$40,000
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CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED ❙ December 2020 ❙ www.ctba.com
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© BENOIT PHOTO
Memoriam
Nancy Probert Nancy Probert, who owned and operated Rancho de los Aviadores in Annapolis, Calif., died Nov. 8 at her home. She was 87. Probert’s grandmother introduced her to racing, while her mother was a movie star who was in several westerns and her grandfather was also in the flm industry. Nancy began breeding Thoroughbreds in the early 1960s and became a member of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association in 1963. Probert met her late husband, Dick, co-owner of Catalina Airlines, when she took a ride on his seaplane to Catalina Island. He later hired her as a stewardess on the “Mother Goose,” the company’s four-engine Sikorsky flying boat. They eventually married and blended their love of aviation and her love of horses with their farm. In 1975 the couple purchased 160 acres that included both an airstrip and plenty of room for horses. The Proberts also enjoyed many of what they termed “aviation adventures” together. Through the years the Proberts kept a small band of mares that created the foundation of Nancy’s yearling market program. She supported the sales every year, often with a consignment to the CTBA Northern California yearling sale. Her niece, Colleen Turpin Boyce, helped Nancy develop the farm and the broodmare band. Horses the Proberts bred include multiple stakes winner Bon’s Joy and stakes-placed Cagey Native, both California-breds. In partnership with Robert Cowley, they bred stakes-placed Comic Queen. With Cowley they also bred Workin’ Lady Lee, one of trainer Jeff Bonde’s frst stakes winners. In addition to Boyce, Probert is survived by her sister, Shirley Watkins; another niece, Karen Thyarks; and her nephew, Kevin Ochsner.
COURTESY OF COLLEEN TURPIN BOYCE
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Golden Pal owes his name to John Mabee’s mentorship to Golden Pal’s owner/breeder Randall Lowe
Finnegans Wake will move to Whitehouse Ranch for the 2020 breeding season and stand for a $3,000 fee. Sandee Wilkinson manages the Stockton ranch. An 11-year-old son of Powerscourt—Boat’s Ghost, by Silver Ghost, Finnegans Wake earned $1,594,665 on the racetrack. He won the 2015 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1T), San Marcos Stakes (G2T), and San Gabriel Stakes (G2T); 2014 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T); and 2014 Arlington Handicap (G3T). Finnegans Wake is a half brother to stakes winner Puca, and his frst foals are 2-year-olds of 2020. © BENOIT PHOTO
SKIP DICKSTEIN/TIM LANAHAN
■ Finnegans Wake to Whitehouse
