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California Chrome
California Chrome at the 2014 San Felipe Stakes with Victor Espinoza up and assistant trainer Alan Sherman at right
SireLucky Pulpit
GrandsirePulpit
DamLove the Chase
DamsireNot For Love
SexColt
FoaledFebruary 18, 2011
CountryUnited States
ColorChestnut
BreederPerry Martin & Steve Coburn
OwnerPerry Martin & Steve Coburn
Racing colorsPurple, Green, Donkey on Back, Green Cap.[1]
TrainerArt Sherman
Record10:6-1-0[2]
EarningsUS$ 1,134,850[2]
Major wins
Last updated on April 5, 2014

California Chrome (foaled February 18, 2011) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred in California, winner of the 2014 Santa Anita Derby and the 2014 San Felipe Stakes. He is trained by the father-son team of Art Sherman and Alan Sherman, and is the first horse they have ever entered in the Kentucky Derby, though as a young man, the elder Sherman was the exercise rider for the 1955 Kentucky Derby winner Swaps. California Chrome is viewed as the favorite to win the 2014 Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2014, even though only three California-bred horses have won the Kentucky Derby, and none since Decidedly in 1962. The horse's owners are Perry and Denise Martin from Yuba City, California and Steve and Carolyn Coburn of Topaz Lake, Nevada. They call their racing stable DAP Racing.

A grandson of Pulpit, the chestnut-colored horse was named for his flashy white markings, called "chrome" in the world of horse aficionados. California Chrome was a large foal at birth and was the first foal of his dam, Love The Chase. He was nicknamed "Junior" in honor of his sire, Lucky Pulpit. He was sent to Sherman's training stable as a two year old due to the good reputation of Sherman for patiently developing young horses. The colt's first win was in his second race, but he had trouble winning consistently until he was paired with jockey Victor Espinoza for the King Glorious Stakes on December 22, 2013. He won that race and has been undefeated since. Prior to the Santa Anita Derby, his owners turned down an offer of $6 million for a 51% controlling interest that would have resulted in a change of trainer and crew. He will be shipped to Churchill Downs on April 28 and is on track to enter the Kentucky Derby.

Background

As of April 2014, only three California-bred horses have ever won the Kentucky Derby: Morvich in 1922, Swaps in 1955 and the most recent, Decidedly in 1962.[3]

California Chrome was foaled February 18, 2011,[2] at Harris Farms in Coalinga, California, the horse breeding division of the Harris Ranch.[3] He is a chestnut with four white stockings and a blaze.[4] His sire is a son of Pulpit named Lucky Pulpiit,[5] who was a stakes winner and placed in several graded stakes races, including a second place finish in the Santa Catalina Stakes.[6] California Chrome's dam is Love the Chase, and California Chrome is her first foal.[7] As a two- and three-year-old filly, she ran six times and won one race.[8]

California Chrome is owned by Perry Martin of Yuba City, California and Steve Coburn of Topaz Lake, Nevada. Their wives, Denise Martin and Carolyn Coburn, are also closely involved with the partnership, though they do not appear as owners on official records.[2][7] Martin and Coburn are also the owners of Love the Chase and thus are the breeders of California Chrome.[2] Martin owns a 70% share in the horse and is the managing owner. Coburn describes the team as "just everyday people":[9] the Martins own and operate the Martin Testing Laboratories, located at the former McClellan Air Force Base,[3] a business that does advanced product assurance testing and reliability testing of new technologies and materials.[10][11] Steve Coburn works as a press operator for a company that makes magnetic strips.[12] Carolyn Coburn retired in March 2014 from a career in the health care industry.[10] The two couples each originally owned a five percent share in Love the Chase through a horse ownership group called the Blinkers On Racing Stable.[7][8] When Blinkers On Racing Stable was dissolved, both the Coburns and the Martins wanted to buy Love the Chase for themselves, but decided to form a partnership instead.[3] Steven Coburn and Perry Martin became her official owners after her first win, which was in her fourth race at Golden Gate Park, and retired her in 2009.[8] They paid $8000 for her and hoped she would become a good broodmare.[7] When they bought Love the Chase, a casual observer remarked that only a "dumb ass" would buy her, and so Corburn and Martin decided to name their racing operation DAP Racing, which stands for "Dumb Ass Partners."[12] They created a caricature of a jackass to adorn the back of their racing silks and picked purple and green for their stable colors.[3] The initials "DAP" appear on California Chrome's blinker hood and the left front of the jockey's silks.[13]

Steve Coburn said he had a dream two weeks prior to the horse's birth that the foal would be a colt with four white feet and a blaze.[14] At birth, California Chrome was relatively large for a newborn horse, weighing 137 pounds (62 kg). His foalhood nickname was "Junior."[3] The Coburns and Martins chose his official name at a restaurant; they wrote several potential names on pieces of paper and asked a waitress to draw one out of a hat.[12] The word "chrome" in his name comes from slang for a horse with flashy white markings.[4] The colt was started under saddle by Harris Farms' trainer Per Antonsen.[15] The partnership dubbed California Chrome their "Derby horse" and placed the colt in race training with 77 year old Art Sherman, who liked the enthusiasm of the owners. The horse was the first Kentucky Derby prospect Sherman trained in his career, though not his first experience with the Derby: in 1955 at the age of 18,[12] Sherman worked for Rex Ellsworth,[16] and was the exercise rider for Swaps, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1955.[12] Sherman's assistant is his son, Alan Sherman, age 45,[17] who is also a licensed trainer.[13] Martin and Coburn placed the horse with Sherman because of his "old school" reputation for patience with young horses and his small barn of about 15 horses, allowing the colt to be given individualized attention.[18]

Unlike most high-end California Thoroughbred trainers, Sherman stables and works out of Los Alamitos Race Course,[12] which is better-known as a track for Quarter Horse racing and minor Thoroughbred claiming races. Sherman had stabled at Hollywood Park Racetrack, but when it closed in December 2013, Los Alamitos picked up some of the racing trainers who had stabled horses at the defunct track, including Sherman.[19] Los Alamitos also took over some of Hollywood Park's racing schedule, and will host all-Thoroughbred meets for the first time in 2014. Due to the impending arrival of major Thoroughbred races, the manager of the track was happy with the success of California Chrome and his ability to bring good publicity to their track, saying, "[b]y having Art's horse here, it jump-started our credibility."[4]

Racing history

2013: Two-year-old season

California Chrome came in second by a length in his first start, which was at Hollywood Park Racetrack in April 2013, when he was two years old.[20] Three weeks later, he won his second race by 2-3/4 lengths.[21] In both races he was ridden by Alberto Delgado. His next race was less than a month later when he was entered in the Willard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes, where he was one of the four horses given the highest wikt:impost assigned in the race, 120 pounds (54 kg), and had a jockey change, to Corey Nakatani. He fought for the lead in the first three furlongs, but then weakened and finished fifth in a field of nine.[22] Given a six-week break from competition and moving to Del Mar racetrack for his next two races with Delgado back as his rider,[23] he won the Graduation Stakes, a race limited to California-bred horses,[24] by a solid 2-3/4 lengths. While he once again was assigned 120 pounds (54 kg), he wore blinkers for the first time and also ran on the medication lasix for the first time in his career.[23] The next time out he ran a longer, seven-furlong race, was assigned 122 pounds (55 kg) and though he ran strongly, he got caught in traffic in a large field of 11 horses, and finishing sixth. This was his first graded stakes race, the Grade I Del Mar Futurity.[25] He was given almost two months before he ran again, in the Golden State Juvenile Stakes on November 1 at Santa Anita Park. This race was on the undercard for the Breeders' Cup,[26] and at one mile, was the longest race he had ever run. He carried 121 pounds (55 kg), he had a bad start from the number 1 post position, was last out of the gate, struggled throughout the race and faded at the end.[27] Sherman viewed his "rough trips" simply as evidence that he was still growing and learning how to be a race horse.[24]

The fortunes of Sherman and California Chrome changed for the better when he returned to Hollywood Park for his final race of the year, the King Glorious Stakes on December 22. Carrying 119 pounds (54 kg), back to running seven furlongs and with a new rider, Victor Espinoza,[28] who won the 2002 Kentucky Derby on War Emblem,[29] he won by a decisive 6-1/4 lengths.[28] He was, coincidentally, the final stakes winner at Hollywood Park Racetrack, which held its final races that day and then closed permanently.[30] Sherman was impressed with the way Espinoza rode the colt, and Espinoza was impressed with the colt, saying to the trainer, "Please put me on more of those."[24] Alan Sherman later said that it was after this race that he first began to think about whether California Chrome could be a Kentucky Derby contender.[31]

2014: Three-year-old season

California Chrome began his 2014 season with the California Cup Derby on January 25. Espinoza returned as his jockey, and the horse went off as the second favorite and carried 124 pounds (56 kg), the same impost as the favorite. California Chrome was slow coming out of the gate, but quickly moved up to third place, then took the lead coming into the homestretch and won easily by 5-1/2 lengths.[32] Sherman noted that it was the second race in a row where the horse pulled clear and won by a decisive margin, stating, “It’s like the light bulb has gone on.”[33]

His first graded stakes win came in his next race, the March 8 Grade II San Felipe Stakes. The race was over the same distance as his previous race, but he was dropped down to 118 pounds (54 kg) in spite of being the favorite.[34] Espinoza tried a different riding tactic and simply let him go to the lead right out of the gate.[35] As a result, California Chrome led wire to wire, and after Espinoza gave him a tap on the shoulder with the whip, the horse pulled away from the field at the top of the homestretch and won by 7-1/2 lengths with only mild urging by his rider.[34] This was also his first win in a race open at all three-year-olds and earned him 50 points in the Road to the Kentucky Derby system, making him a viable contender for the Kentucky Derby.[35] Alan Sherman said, "my jaw dropped,"[36] and Espinoza explained in an interview, "I wanted to try something new today, so I let him go right out of the gate. I don't know if people expected me to go right to the lead, but I wanted to let him enjoy his race."[37]

His first Grade I win was the Santa Anita Derby on April 8.[38] Prior to the race, Coburn and Martin turned down a $6 million offer for a 51% controlling interest in the colt that would have included putting the horse with a different trainer.[29] In the Santa Anita Derby, California Chrome was, once again, slow out of the gate and then was briefly caught between two horses, but once clear, he moved up to first by the quarter pole and went on to win the $1 million race by 5-1/4 lengths, again with minimal urging.[38] He defeated Rebel Stakes winner Hoppertunity,[39] who came in second, and another 3-1/2 lengths back in third was another potential Kentucky Derby contender, Candy Boy.[38] His time of 1:47.52 [13] earned him a Beyer Speed Figure of 107, which was the fastest speed figure in any of the final prep races for 2014.[40] It was also the fourth fastest time in the history of the Santa Anita Derby; the only horses to have run faster were Lucky Debonair, Sham, and Indian Charlie.[41]

California Chrome's decisive win made him an early favorite to win the 2014 Kentucky Derby and raised speculation that he had the talent to potentially win the Triple Crown.[42] Pundits noted that only four other horses have won both the Santa Anita Derby and the Kentucky Derby: I'll Have Another, Sunday Silence, Winning Colors and Affirmed.[43]

After the Santa Anita Derby win, Sherman began to call the colt "my Swaps."[12] Prior to the Kentucky Derby, Bob Baffert compared California Chrome to War Emblem, and commented, "As long as he breaks and he's in the clear...he just keeps going."[44]

Statistics

Date Age Distance * Race Grade Track Odds Time Field Finish Margin Jockey Trainer Owner Ref
Apr 26, 2013 2 4-1/2 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Maiden Hollywood Park Racetrack 6.90 52:47 9 2 1 length Alberto Delgado Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [20]
May 17, 2013 2 4-1/2 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Maiden Hollywood Park Racetrack 1.20 52:42 9 1 2-3/4 lengths Alberto Delgado Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [21]
June 15, 2013 2 5-1/2 furlongs Willard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes Listed Stakes Hollywood Park Racetrack 5.10 NA 9 5 NA Corey Nakatani Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [22]
Jul 31, 2013 2 5-1/2 furlongs Graduation Stakes Listed Stakes Del Mar racetrack 6.20 1:03:48 7 1 2-3/4 lengths Alberto Delgado Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [23]
Sep 4, 2013 2 7 furlongs Del Mar Futurity I Del Mar racetrack 5.70 NA 11 6 NA Alberto Delgado Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [25]
Nov 1, 2013 2 8 furlongs Golden State Juvenile Stakes Listed Stakes Santa Anita Park 3.2 NA 9 6 NA Alberto Delgado Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [27]
Dec 22, 2013 2 7 furlongs King Glorious Stakes Listed Stakes Hollywood Park Racetrack 2.20 1:22:12 10 1 6-1/4 lengths Victor Espinoza Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [28]
Jan 25, 2014 3 8.5 furlongs California Cup Derby Listed Stakes Santa Anita Park 2.50 1:43:22 10 1 5-1/2 lengths Victor Espinoza Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [32]
Mar 8, 2014 3 8.5 furlongs San Felipe Stakes II Santa Anita Park 1.40 1:40:59 7 1 7-1/2 lengths Victor Espinoza Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [34]
Apr 5, 2014 3 9 furlongs Santa Anita Derby I Santa Anita Park 0.70 1:47:52 8 1 5-1/4 lengths Victor Espinoza Art Sherman Martin & Coburn [38]

* A furlong is one-eighth of a mile (0.125 miles (201 m)).

Pedigree

Pedigree of California Chrome, chestnut colt, 2011[45]
Sire
Lucky Pulpit (USA)
2001 		Pulpit (USA)
1994 		A.P. Indy Seattle Slew
Weekend Surprise
Preach Mr Prospector
Narrate
Lucky Soph (USA)
1992 		Cozzene Caro
Ride The Trails
Lucky Spell Lucky Mel
Incantation
Dam
Love The Chase (USA)
2006 		Not For Love (USA)
1993 		Mr Prospector Raise A Native
Gold Digger
Dance Number Northern Dancer
Numbered Account
Chase It Down (USA)
1992 		Polish Numbers Danzig
Numbered Account
Chase The Dream Sir Ivor
La Belle Fleur ((Family A4
  • California Chrome is inbred 3 x 4 to Mr Propector, meaning that this stallion appears in both the third and fourth generations of his pedigree. He is also inbred 4 x 4 to the mare Numbered Account.

References

  1. ^ "California Chrome". Kentuckyderby.com. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  2. ^ a b c d e Staff. "California Chrome (CA)". Equibase. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Arrington, Debbie (2014-04-04). "Local horse California Chrome a favorite to win Santa Anita Derby before Run for the Roses". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  4. ^ a b c Rees, Jennie (2014-04-05). "California Chrome a big draw for Los Alamitos track". Courier-Journal. Lexington. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  5. ^ Staff. "Harris Farms 2014 Stallions". Harris Farms. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  6. ^ "Lucky Pulpit". Equibase. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  7. ^ a b c d Arrington, Debbie (2014-04-06). "California Chrome Ready to Crunch KY Derby". Blood-Horse. BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  8. ^ a b c "Love the Chase". Equibase. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  9. ^ Angeli, Burt (2014-04-19). "Kentucky Derby bound". Iron Mountain Daily News. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  10. ^ a b Zieralski, Ed (2014-04-02). "California Chrome has the shine of a Derby champ". UTSanDiego.com. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  11. ^ "Martin Testing Laboratories". Retrieved 2014-04-27.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Dwyre, Bill (2014-04-05). "California Chrome a down-home Derby favorite". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  13. ^ a b c Brisnet.com (2014-04-06). "California Chrome basks in limelight". Kentucky Derby Racing News. Kentuckyderby.com. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  14. ^ Forney, Mary (2014-03-26). "Derby Dreams: California Chrome". Paulickreport.com. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  15. ^ Staff (2014). "team-members". harrisfarms.com. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  16. ^ HRRN, 6:48.
  17. ^ HRRN, 7:42.
  18. ^ Garder, Sam (2014-04-16). "It's a lock: California Chrome's owner guarantees Kentucky Derby win". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  19. ^ KD140, 0:35.
  20. ^ a b "Betfair Hollywood Park - April 26, 2013 - Race 2" (PDF). Equibase. 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  21. ^ a b "Betfair Hollywood Park - May 17, 2013 - Race 8" (PDF). Equibase. 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  22. ^ a b "Betfair Hollywood Park - June 15, 2013 - Race 8" (PDF). Equibase. 2013-06-15. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  23. ^ a b c "Del Mar - July 31, 2013 - Race 7" (PDF). Equibase. 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  24. ^ a b c Anderson, Steve (2013-12-22). "Hollywood Park: California Chrome dominates King Glorious Stakes". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  25. ^ a b "Del Mar - August 25, 2013 - Race 8" (PDF). Equibase. 2013-08-25. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  26. ^ "Historical Charts for Santa Anita Park, November 1, 2013". Equibase. 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  27. ^ a b "Santa Anita Park- November 1, 2013 - Race 3" (PDF). Equibase. 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  28. ^ a b c "Betfair Hollywood Park - December 22, 2013 - Race 10" (PDF). Equibase. 2013-12-22. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  29. ^ a b Zieralski, Ed (2014-04-05). "California Chrome Kentucky Derby-bound". Union-Tribune. San Diego, California: U-T San Diego. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  30. ^ Associated Press (2013-12-23). "Hollywood Park closes after 75 years". USA Today. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  31. ^ HRRN, 5:31.
  32. ^ a b "Santa Anita Park- January 25, 2014 - Race 10" (PDF). Equibase. 2014-01-25. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  33. ^ Jay Privman (2014-01-25). "Sant Anita: California Chrome enters Kentucky Derby picture with big Cal Cup Derby win". drf.com. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  34. ^ a b c "Santa Anita Park- March 8, 2014 - Race 5" (PDF). Equibase. 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  35. ^ a b Jack Shinar (2014-03-08). "California Chrome Shines Again in San Felipe". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  36. ^ HRRN, 3:15.
  37. ^ Staff (2014-03-08). "California Chrome leads wire-to-wire to win San Felipe". USA Today. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  38. ^ a b c d "Santa Anita Park- April 5, 2014 - Race 8" (PDF). Equibase. 2014-04-05. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  39. ^ "Hoppertunity". Equibase. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  40. ^ Watchmaker, Mike (2014-04-19). "Grading the Final Derby Preps". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  41. ^ Clay, John (2014-04-12). "Derby picture clears up as Dance With Fate steps out". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  42. ^ Haskin, Steve (2014-04-07). "Derby Dozen - April 7, 2014". Blood-Horse. Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  43. ^ Chairusmi, Jim (2014-04-05). "Wicked Strong, California Chrome Triumph Ahead of Derby". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  44. ^ Lintner, Jonathan (2014-04-23). "Kentucky Derby update | Baffert praises California Chrome". Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
  45. ^ "California Chrome". Equineline. 2014-03-07. Retrieved 2014-04-08.

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to California Chrome.
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