Tony Cruz has hailed California Spangle as a superstar in the wake of the champion sprinter’s retirement.

Winner of 13 races, including three Group 1s, and HK$83.79 million in prizemoney from 34 starts, California Spangle bows out as the holder of three individual records – two in Griffin class at Sha Tin for 1000m (55.33s) and 1200m (1m 08.47s) and another at Meydan, where he famously won the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) in 1m 07.50s last year.

One of the most adaptable and exciting horses Cruz has handled in a long and decorated career, California Spangle won the 2022 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) under Zac Purton, defeating Golden Sixty, and presented Brenton Avdulla with career highlights with victories in the 2024 G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and the Al Quoz Sprint.

California Spangle was a revelation across his four-year-old season, finishing second to Romantic Warrior in the 2022 Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and finishing second – by a head – to Romantic Warrior in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).

“He was a superstar from the very beginning. It was fun training him because there was a lot of happiness and excitement with him,” Cruz said of the mercurial bay.

“He was a record-breaker right from the start in Griffin races at 1000m, 1200m. Then he broke the track record for 1200m in Dubai as well. He was such an easy horse to train, too. You could do anything with him.”

California Spangle’s supreme versatility was critical to Cruz’s reinvigoration of the gelding last season when, after campaigning mostly at 1600m, he reverted to sprint ranks and was immediately effective with two Group 1 triumphs, advancing to acclaim as Hong Kong’s Champion Sprinter for 2023/24.

Unbeaten in his rookie season in 2020/21, California Spangle’s remarkable consistency saw him tally 11 wins, six seconds and two thirds across his first 19 starts.

“He was a very exciting horse. No matter how fast you wanted to go, he could give it to you,” Cruz said. “Now, it’s the end of the road for him, we’ll keep him healthy and, if he’s allowed to, he can then go to Living Legends in Australia.”

Raced by the Liang family, California Spangle reached a career-high ranking of 130.

“For the Liang family and myself, he’s had an amazing career. He was a fantastic horse but now he’s reached the end of his racing career. He has been a fantastic horse.”