Lennyfromalibu Passes Away at 21

Multiple stakes winner, former course record holder and important California horse retirement figure Lennyfromalibu passed away due to complications from colic on Thursday evening at his home at Tranquility Farm in Cottonwood, CA. He was 21.

Bred in California by owners Jim and Madeline Auerbach, Lennyfromalibu hailed from the first crop of California's All Time Leading Sire Unusual Heat and was the first foal of the Half A Year mare Style of the Year. Lenny is widely recognized as the horse who put Unusual Heat on the map as his first star runner. Unusual Heat would go on to become a 7 time leading sire in California while Lenny's dam Style of the Year would become an important foundation mare of 15 foals amassing over $1.6 million in earnings and producers of black type runners.

A versatile athlete with pure speed, Lenny won races on dirt and turf and both sprinting and around 2 turns. Trained by Barry Abrams, he won the 2003 California Cup Mile at Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park in wire to wire fashion and followed it up with a victory in the 2004 Crystal Water Stakes at Santa Anita. In the meantime, he set the course record at 6.5 Furlongs down the Hill at Santa Anita in a time of 1:11.00 and had career earnings of $442,165. During his 4 and 5 year old campaigns, Lenny ran 6 straight races with Beyer Speed Ratings of over 100.

Even with his impressive racing resume, Lennyfromalibu's most important contribution to California racing comes from being the "Godfather of CARMA". Upon his retirement, owner Madeline Auerbach was stunned to learn of the lack of organized information and funding for retired racehorses. As a director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, she made it her mission to do something about it. She engaged the help of CHRB Commissioner John Amerman and was able to start California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) through and owner optional purse contribution. Since it's inception in 2007, CARMA has raised over $6 Million in funding for retired racehorses, started an off-track placement program and sponsored thoroughbred horse shows.

After retiring from racing, Lenny spent the last 15 years living at Tranquility Farm Retirement Sanctuary in Tehachipi, CA and later Cottonwood, CA under the care of longtime General Manager Priscilla Clark.

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