A Gem of a Broodmare ozzene and California- Star Gem, dam of m . ll . n . r Sta r of C z w a_z � h been voted California's bred stakes winner]. R Williams, as Broodmare of the Year.

by DEBRAGINSBURG hap­ "A lot of the positive things that ue o pened to us in this business �re � � , this mare," said Jack Goodwm. She s all been very lucky for us and deserves the credit." . Goodwin was speaking of his 16-year- o she old broodmare Star Gem. Alth ugh bred is now living in Kentucky and was _ earlier this year to Storm Cat, she is a California-bred and has earned the vote as the state's Broodmare of the Year for 1994. Defeating a strong group of candi- dates that included the likes of Luck's Fancy and Cheyenne Birdsong, both of whom produced four stakes winners, Star Gem won the title for the achieve­ men ts of two o utstanding West Coast Star Gem at Winter Quarter Farm in Kentucky. performers. Multimillionaire Star of gave (Fr) and five seasons and had won or placed in to Mt. Livermorethe following year and a run for an Eclipse Award in 1993, and 38 of them forearnings of $152,941. She produced the filly Livermore Lil in 1987. Cal-bred J. F. Williams was a dual even ran third in one stakes, the 1984 A tiny delicate filly, Livermore Lil stakes winner this past spring at Holly­ Children's Hospital Handicap at Bay began racing for the Goodwins, winning wood Park. Meadows. a $12,500 maiden claiming race at Bay Nine years ago, in 1985, Star Gem G oodwin fo llowed Star Gem's Meadows in the fall of her three-year­ first entered the lives of Jack and Joan exploits for some time. He admired her old season. She concluded her career Goodwin of Napa, Calif., and rekindled durability and gritty will to win, quali­ by running for $3,500 tags in Minnesota theirinterest in racing. ties he felt would make a good brood­ and Nebraska, winning three of 30 "None of the horses were doing any­ mare. When she showed up for a starts forearnings of $18,058. thing at the track," Goodwin recalled. $25,000 tag at Golden Gate Fields on Star Gem hit pay dirt with her next ''We were losing our shirts and sinking Feb. 18, 1985, Goodwin put in a claim foal,a handsome son of Cozzene named fast. I told my wife that I wanted out of forher, only to lose the shake to Barton Star of Cozzene. theh orse business." Heller. Heller had claimed Star Gem Agents Monty and Pat Roberts con­ They sold their Double J Farm, with the intention of racing her, but signed Star of Cozzene to the 1990 Cali­ along with most of their young horses when she came out of that race with an fornia Thoroughbred Sales March and broodmares. two­ Joan did persuade her ankle injury, he offeredher to Goodwin. year-old sale, and Jean-Laurent Andre­ husband to hold onto a few horses, just "She is a rangy mare," said Goodwin ani's Lonimar Stable bought him to keep his interest alive for in thesport. of Star Gem, "and not very pretty to $35,000. Then, when Andreani started ''We went from being large breeders look at. But underneath that rough experiencing financial difficulties,Team with dozens of horses to being very small exterior lurks the heart of a lion. It's Valor bought the colt for $125,000 and breeders with only a handful of horses," one attribute she has passed on to her turned him over to n Goodwin said. "But think that's trainer D. Way I where foals.They're all fighters,like her." Lukas. our good luck began. We were able to Star Gem was shipped to Kentucky Star of Cozz b am tak concentrate more on what we had." and put in the ne a care of Don Robinson, winner at thre in 1991, apturing th One horse they decided to keep was manager of Wint er Quarter Farm. A grad d Choi and K I o Handi ap on Star Gem. John Coffee and Dr. George longtime friend of the Goodwins, Robin­ th H al third in th Spelman bred the daughter of Pia son evaluated the mare's turf. o ran Breed· injury and rs' up thaty ar. Aft r an unsuc­ Star-Soonerland, by Fleet N asrullah, advised holding offbr eding Mil Star G m ful campaign in France at four, he in California. She made 82 starts over until the ankle h al d. Sh wa book d r turn d to thi ountry and was placed 18 The Thoroughbred of Cal(fomta in the care of Mark Hennig, a former "J. F. Williams ha a breathingprob­ dam, the Goodwins' current Thorough­ assistantto Lukas. lem, Goodwin explained. "'That's what bred holdings also include Star Gem's Star of Cozzene emerged a a near account for ome of the bad perfor­ four-year-old Hoist the Silver filly Por­ champion in 1993, winning six. of 12 mance he throw in every now and tugese Starlet. The Cal-bred filly was startslast yearfor earnings of 1,755,589. then. H had urgery for an entrapped retired with a cracked cannon bone ear­ He defeated 1993 Horse of the Year epiglotti . That' th ame operation lier this year after earning $53,425 in Kotashaan in the San Gabriel and San p rfonned on Aly h ha b for he won allowance company. Thecouple recent­ Marcos Handicaps and two-fun Breed­ th 19 7 K ntucky D rby, but some­ ly purchased Gin Rummy Judy, a Cal­ ers' Cup Mile winner Lur in th Earl how it did not work on J. F. Williams." bred stakes winner of $190,000. Good­ Tunes Manhattan and a sars Int ma- t th no fi y ar-old' breathing win was attracted to her because she is out of a half-sister to Star Gem. Because of her advancing age, Star Gem will most likely remain in Ken­ tucky. Goodwin hopes to bring the other two mares home from time to time to foal in California. 'That's what the plan is anyway," he ... said. "As Star Gem gets older, I will keep more of her foals to race and breed. What I'm hoping for is a classic fillyto carry on Star Gem's line." Meanwhile, California's newest Broodmare of theYear has an unraced three-year-old Apalachee colt named Diamond ·Club and a yearling colt by Capote. Earlier this year she dropped ]. F. Williams winningthis year's Snow Chief Handicap at Hollywood Park. another colt by Dixieland Bandin Ken- tional Handicap . For good measure, Star of Cozzene also threw in victories in the gradeI andMan o' War Stakes and placed in four other turf stakes. This year at six, he has already re­ corded two third-place :finishes for new owner Tomaeato Farm, including a third behind Lure in this year's Caesar International. With lifetime earnings of $2,280,021, Star of Cozzene is aiming forthe Breeders' Cup and Japan Cup in this, his finalseason of competition. J. F. Williams, a son of 1987 Santa Anita Handicap winner Broad Brush, was Star Gem's third foal, born at Old Bridge Farm in Buellton, Calif., on March 24, 1989. The Goodwins named him for their grandson, John Francis Star Gem has a 1994 colt by Dixieland Band. Williams, and sold a half-interest in him to longtime business associate John problem has not stopped him fromwin­ tucky and is in foal to Storm Cat, sire of Carr. J. F. Williams races for Carr and ning seven of 21 starts and compiling 1994 classic winners Tabasco Cat and Double J Farm (the Goodwins' stable $318,100 in earnings. He is also practi­ Sardula. name) and is trained by Ron McAnally. cally unbeatable at Hollywood Park, ''There's been talk of people trying Unraced at two, J. F. Williams won where he has won six of 10 starts life­ to push the small breeder out of busi­ his first three races as a three-year-old time and scored back-to-back stakes vic­ ness," Goodwin said. "But what a great at Hollywood Park and then ran second tories in the Los Angeles and Snow boost it is for a small breed r to pro­ in the Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Chief Handicaps this spring. duce foalslike Star of Cozzene and J. F. Mar. Entered next in the California Cup "Ron has really gotten the horse to Williams. Joan and I are in our sixties. Sprint, he drew the outside post and relax and rate this season," Goodwin Our biggest thrill is to follow the accom­ broke badly, but still got up to finish said. "But I think the key to his success plishments of Star Gem's 'children.' " fourth. He bounced right back fromthat is the fact that he likes Hollywood Park. effort to win another allowance race at The cooler air helps his breathing." - Hollywood. In addition to J. F. Williams and his ■ 19 August 1994