Tiznow has not only served as a great inspiration to racing for his will to win, he has also given hope to all small-time breeders that Lady Luck could smile upon them as well.

The photogenic colt gave his late owner-breeder, Cecilia "Cee" Straub-Rubens, leadership for the first time as a top money-winning breeder in California by about the margin of his neck victory in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Straub-Rubens, who died three days after Tiznow's first of two consecutive Breeders' Cup Classic victories in November of last year, recorded earnings of $4,044,378 as a breeder of 14 starters, eight winners, and three stakes winners, according to statistics based on the 12-month period from October 1, 2000, through September 30, 2001. About three-quarters of that total were provided by the reigning Horse of the Year.

In another breathtaking Tiznow photo finish, the total barely shaded perennial California leaders John and Betty Mabee, whose mammoth operation amassed $3,981,044 during the period under review.

Straub-Rubens's fairy tale story involved a breeding operation with one modestly bred stallion, Cee's Tizzy, and eight broodmares. The 14-year-old stallion stands at Harris Farms near Coalinga, California, where his stud fee doubled to $15,000 this year. Most of the broodmares are also boarded there.

Michael Cooper, financial adviser to Straub-Rubens and co-owner of Tiznow, heads Cee's Stable, a racing partnership formed with her children, Pamela Ziebarth and Kevin Cochrane, following her death.

"One of the real joys of the game is it's about 98% luck, so everybody has a shot," said Cooper. "Just look at the two top older horses in earnings this year: Captain Steve, by (Fly So Free), a stallion with a $7,500 fee, and Tiznow.

"The big guys have proved you can't buy success," continued Cooper. "That's the beauty of the game. It happens all the time. Look at Best Pal. It's like the guy who puts $2 down on a 30-to-1 shot and hits once in a while. That's why we're all here."

Following is a look at the leading breeders of the West Coast, arranged roughly according to the size of their states' industries.

California

Straub-Rubens bred two other stakes winners during the past year, Cee's Elegance and Ceeband, longshot winner of the Triple Bend Breeders' Cup Invitational Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park.

Cooper said Straub-Rubens's legacy includes 27 Thoroughbreds, including seven broodmares, five weanlings, five yearlings and seven two-year-olds. One of the two-year-olds, an unraced colt named Tizbud, is a full brother to Tiznow and Budroyale, another multimillionaire she bred. Cee's Song, the dam of Tiznow, was sold at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale for $2.6-million.

John and Betty Mabee, although somewhat quiet by the high standards they have established, bred seven stakes winners, including Notable Career, a filly by Avenue of Flags who won the Oak Leaf Stakes (G1) in October 2000 at Santa Anita Park. The San Diego couple, who owns Golden Eagle Farm near Ramona, was represented by 154 starters, including 82 winners. Other Mabee-bred stakes winners were Annual Rainfall, Avenue of Style, Crowning Meeting, Favorite Funtime, Full Moon Madness, and Wild and Wise.

Marty and Pam Wygod, who live in Rancho Santa Fe and own River Edge Farm near Buellton, finished third in the state for the period under review with earnings of $1,854,086. They bred 77 starters, 37 winners, and six stakes winners, including the brilliant colt Officer and graded winners Feverish and Hoovergetthekeys.

John Harris, owner of the giant Harris Farms complex, was a close fourth with $1,733,665 earned by 77 starters. The breeder of 44 winners, including stakes winners Image of Glory and Top of Our Game, took on added responsibility during the year after being appointed to serve as a commissioner on the California Horse Racing Board.

Robert H. Walter Family Trust finished fifth with $1,594,879, a large portion of which was from the earnings of Lazy Slusan, a mare who won the Santa Margarita Invitational (G1) and Milady Breeders' Cup (G1) Handicaps.

Carl and Olivia Cannata, owners of Lakeview Thoroughbred Farm, bred multiple Grade 1-winning mare Gourmet Girl, a mare by Cee's Tizzy who led them to earnings of $983,552 with triumphs in the Apple Blossom (G1) and Vanity (G1) Handicaps. The Cannatas bred 31 starters, 14 winners, and additional stakes winner Candelotto, a gelding by Cee's Tizzy.

Straub-Rubens was not the only successful dreamer in California. Nick Cafarchia, an Italian-born baker from Pasadena who entered the sport 20 years ago with one mediocre mare, was counting the dough after breeding two Grade 2 stakes winners that traced to that humble beginning. Road to Slew, winner of the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (G2), and Rare Charmer, winner of the Buena Vista Handicap (G2), both on the Santa Anita turf, led Cafarchia to breeder earnings of $848,380 to rank ninth in California for the 12-month period that ended on September 30.

Another brilliant California-bred performer was Golden Ballet, who won four graded stakes, including the Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) and Santa Anita Oaks (G1), to almost single-handedly give breeders Jerry Dutton and Vladimir Popovich earnings of $666,610.

Washington

With 28 years of service, Guy Roberts is the longest-standing member of the board of directors of the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association. "I got interested in Thoroughbred breeding years ago through a state program in which my three daughters, 4-H members at that time, each got a broodmare," said Roberts. "With membership declining in the state, I think we need to do something like that again to get new breeders interested."

Roberts and his wife, Barbara, who live in Sunnyside, were the leading breeders in Washington for the 12 months under review with earnings of $493,208 from 55 starters, including 34 winners. Roberts owns a produce business, raising apples, cherries, pears, and grapes at six locations in the Yakima Valley, and packing apples, potatoes, and asparagus, as well.

"I started playing with horses around 1964 or '65, first with Quarter Horses, before getting interested in Thoroughbreds through the broodmare program," Roberts said. "Currently, the horses are scattered among three places that total about 100 acres. Two years ago, I had 96 horses, including 34 broodmares, but I am down to 13 broodmares and three stallions: Petersburg, by Danzig; Ihtimam, by Mr. Prospector; and Gumboy, an old horse (by Gummo).

"Breeders in the state reducing their numbers seems to be a trend," continued Roberts. "It started when Longacres shut down. Everyone is losing money. But I enjoy it, and will never get out entirely.

"I sell most of my horses," Roberts said. "My big excitement now is a filly I ran named Cocktails Anyone, who earned (more than) $240,000. She has her first baby on the ground, a Washington-bred colt by Free House from his first crop."

One Washington-bred who achieved Grade 1 glory in the period under review was Tali'sluckybusride. She was bred by the state's fifth-ranked breeder Dr. Michael Konecny, who bred his Lord At War (Arg) mare, Springhurst, to Delineator for $3,000 and sold the resulting foal, Tali'sluckybusride, as a yearling for $23,000 at a Washington sale to Californians Ron and Susie Anson. In September, she won the $250,000 Oak Leaf Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita.

Arizona

Triple AAA Ranch is about as safe a bet to be Arizona's leading breeder as a bond of that rating. During the 12 months under review, the Glendale ranch recorded breeder earnings of $688,576.

"We have two places about eight miles apart, one 60 acres, the other 25," said owner Richard Owens. "We have about 30 broodmares and three stallions: Society Max, Fool the Experts, and Chanate."

Owens, a retired framing subcontractor, is th