California Chrome
California Chrome
Chestnut Horse / February 18th, 2011 in CA / by Lucky Pulpit out of Love the Chase
Racing Record
Career California Chrome
Starts: 26
Career Wins: 16
Career Seconds: 4
Career Thirds: 1
Career Earnings: $14,502,650
Bio
California Chrome, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2014, earned a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby that year by winning the G2 San Felipe at Santa Anita Park.
His victory in the San Felipe came after three winning efforts against California-bred horses in restricted stakes company and stamped his name as one of the top West Coast contenders on the road to the Triple Crown.
Following his success in the San Felipe, California Chrome turned what was to be a competitive Santa Anita Derby field that included the highly regarded Bob Baffert trainee Hoppertunity, into an easy 5 1/4-length romp, and the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby.
In the Derby, California Chrome gave the California owners and breeders program their fourth Kentucky Derby winner in the history and the first since Decidely in 1962. He followed with a win in the Preakness and a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. Injured at the start of the 2014 Belmont Stakes, California Chrome finished in a dead heat for fourth place dashing the hopes of the many fans who expected him to be “the one”.
Following a break in the summer of 2014 he made his first start since the Triple Crown races on Sept. 20 in the Grade 2, $1-million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing where he turned in a dull performance in his comeback.
California Chrome ended his three-year-old campaign with a third place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and a win on the turf in the G1 Hollywood Derby. And despite ending the year with less than expected performances, he was named Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male by turf writers.
In his 2015 season debut, he led turning for home only to be caught by the now deceased Shared Belief in the San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 7, settling for second in a thrilling race to the wire.
Post Dubai, California Chrome was sent to Newmarket in the U.K., with the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes over the turf at the legendary Royal Ascot meet as his next goal but injury kept him from the race and he was sent home to recover and recuperate.
Victorious in his 2016 debut, the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes, California Chrome was back on track for a return to Dubai and another shot at the $10 million prize.
His Dubai World Cup prep race was an easy win at Meydan on February 25, almost one month to the day that he took the G1 World Cup and the prize money to become the all-time highest earning North American runner with earnings of more than $12 million surpassing Curlin who won the 2008 running of the Dubai World Cup. Upon his return to the U.S. ‘Chrome’ was given an extended break before his return in July at Del Mar in the San Diego Handicap. He gamely outfinished another Baffert trainee Dortmund that day in preparation for the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic.
The $1 million TVG Pacific Classic became a showdown with three-time champion older mare Beholder whose fans expected her to be more of a challenge to Chrome. California Chrome made quick work of Beholder and drew away at the top of the stretch in a dominating performance.
In the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic, California Chrome was tough in defeat narrowly losing his only race in 2016 to Arrogate the Travers Stakes winner trained by Bob Baffert.
For the final race of his career, California Chrome will again face off against Arrogate in the inaugural $12-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28, 2017.
On January 21, 2017 California Chrome was again named the 2016 Horse of the Year by the turf writers of America.
Connections
Owner: California Chrome, LLC
Trainer: Art Sherman
Jockey: Victor Espinoza