| California Chrome | |
|---|---|
 California Chrome winning the 2014 Preakness Stakes | |
| Sire | Lucky Pulpit |
| Grandsire | Pulpit |
| Dam | Love the Chase |
| Damsire | Not For Love |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | February 18, 2011 |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Perry Martin and Steve Coburn |
| Owner | Perry Martin and Steve Coburn (2011–2015) California Chrome LLC (2015–2017)[1] |
| Racing colors | Purple, green, donkey on back, green cap (DAP Racing, 2013–2015)[2] Silver/Gray (California Chrome LLC, 2016–2017)[1] |
| Trainer | Art Sherman, Alan Sherman |
| Record | 27:16–4–1[3] |
| Earnings | US$ $14,752,650[3] |
| Major wins | |
| Triple Crown race wins:
Graded stakes wins:
Stakes wins:
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| Awards | |
| |
| Honors | |
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| Last updated on 24 April 2023 | |
California Chrome (foaled February 18, 2011) is a US Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2014 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and 2016 Dubai World Cup. He was the 2014 and 2016 American Horse of the Year. In 2016, he surpassed Curlin as the all-time leading North American horse in earnings won.
Bred in California, the chestnut-colored horse was named for his flashy white markings, called "chrome" by horse aficionados. He was bred and originally owned by Perry Martin from Yuba City, California, and Steve Coburn of Topaz Lake, Nevada, who named their partnership DAP Racing, standing for "Dumb Ass Partners"—a tongue-in-cheek response to a passerby who questioned their wisdom in purchasing California Chrome's dam, Love the Chase. In 2015, Coburn sold his minority share to Taylor Made Farm, and a new ownership group, California Chrome, LLC, was formed. The horse is trained by the father–son team of Art and Alan Sherman. Dedicated fans—called "Chromies"—actively supported California Chrome, who has been called "the people's horse".
As a two-year-old, the horse ran inconsistently until teamed with jockey Victor Espinoza. The rapport that developed between the pair led to a six-win streak in 2013–2014. After winning the San Felipe Stakes and Santa Anita Derby, California Chrome was the morning line favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Critics who downplayed his chances of winning were proven wrong when California Chrome won by 1+3⁄4 lengths even though Espinoza eased him for the final 70 yards (64 m). In the Preakness, he fended off two strong challengers in the homestretch and won by 1+1⁄2 lengths. He then shipped to Belmont Park with hopes of winning the Triple Crown in the 2014 Belmont Stakes, but was stepped on by the horse next to him at the start, tearing some tissue from his right front heel. With no one aware of his injury until the race was over, he finished fourth in a dead heat. After healing and pasture rest, he ran in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic, finishing third, a neck behind the winner. California Chrome returned to his winning form in his first start on a turf course in the Hollywood Derby in late November. California Chrome won many accolades and awards in 2014: The California State Legislature unanimously passed a resolution recognizing his outstanding performance, and the city of Fresno proclaimed October 11, 2014, as "California Chrome Day.” He won the 2014 Secretariat Vox Populi Award, his Kentucky Derby win was awarded the NTRA "Moment of the Year", and he won Eclipse Awards for American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and American Horse of the Year.
California Chrome's 2015 season was tumultuous. He began the year with second-place finishes in the San Antonio Stakes and Dubai World Cup. He then was shipped to the United Kingdom to train for the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot but was scratched a few days prior to the race due to a hoof bruise. Upon returning to the US in July 2015, he was diagnosed with bruising on his cannon bones, which ended his 2015 season. Shortly thereafter, Coburn sold his ownership interest. After a rest of several months, he returned to training with Sherman at Los Alamitos Race Course and regained his form with a six-race winning streak in 2016 which included Grade I wins in the Dubai World Cup, the Pacific Classic, and the Awesome Again Stakes before suffering a narrow loss to Arrogate in the Breeders' Cup Classic. He again won the Horse of the Year, Moment of the Year, and Vox Populi awards in 2016. Following the Pegasus World Cup in January 2017, he retired to stud.
In 2023 California Chrome was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.[5]
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Voxwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Grening, David (April 25, 2023). "Nakatani, Arrogate, California Chrome, Songbird top 2023 Hall of Fame class". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved April 23, 2023.