Pedigree Look: California Chrome

Name: California Chrome
Year Born: 2011
Color: Chestnut
Sex: Colt
Sire: Lucky Pulpit
Dam: Love The Chase
Broodmare Sire: Not For Love

Profile: Funny Cide and Smarty Jones, both are Derby and Preakness winners who came up short in the Belmont. Both are also responsible for bringing fans (such as myself) into the sport, and both are from what horse racing elitists would say "the wrong side of the tracks". California Chrome fits that same story line. Born in California, he has won the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Next week, he will be facing the Belmont Park starting gate and possibly a mile and half away from becoming the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.

California Chrome started his career with breaking his maiden in his second start at Hollywood Park. After finishing 6th in the Willard L. Proctor, he won the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar. After two more 6th place finishes, he would win the King Glorious Stakes which was the final stakes race to ever be held at Hollywood. He has won every race since including the San Felipe in addition to the three previous races mentioned. Here is that SA Derby win:




Sire

Lucky Pulpit (Pulpit) won 3 races in 22 starts. He would win a small stakes at Arlington in 2005 after finishing 2nd in the Santa Catalina the year before. Other than California Chrome, he is the sire to stakes winners Luckarack and Gatheratthealter.

Pulpit (A.P. Indy) won both the Bluegrass and Fountain of Youth before finishing 4th in the Derby behind Silver Charm in 1997. As a sire, he has had many great horses. They include G1 winners Tapit (who has become a top class sire himself), Power Broker, Pyro, and Purge. His dam Preach (Mr. Prospector) is a G1 winner and the dam to stakes placed Tell It (Storm Cat). Her dam Narrate (Honest Pleasure) is a stakes winner and the dam to stakes placed Lecture (Seeking the Gold). Thus Preach is also a full sister to Yarn (Mr. Prospector) the dam to G1 winner Minardi (Boundary) and G2 winner Tale of the Cat (Storm Cat), Myth (Ogygian) the dam to G1 winner Johannesburg (Hennessy), and stakes winner Spunoutacontrol (Wild Again) the dam of G2 winner Fed Biz (Giant's Causeway). This  is the same female family as G3 winner Announce (Forty Niner) and G2 winner Region (Devil's Bag).

Lucky Soph (Cozzene) won once in her career which was in Europe. A Cal bred like her now famous grandson, she is also the the dam to stakes placed Drewman (Unbridled). Lucky's dam Lucky Spell (Lucky Mel) is a G3 winner. However, she is most known for being the dam of Trolley Song (Caro (IRE)) a winner of 1 start in 7 starts. However she is best known for being the dam to a pair of full brothers. Unraced Spanish Steps (Unbridled) who is the sire to G1 winner Little Mike and G1 winner as well as very successful sire Unbridled's Song (Unbridled). Also hailing from this female family is Seattle Song (Seattle Slew), the broodmare sire for Tiznow (Cee's Tizzy) and his sisters the dams of Paynter (Awesome Again) and Oxbow (Awesome Again).

Dam

Love the Chase (Not for Love) won once in six starts. California Chrome is her only runner to date, but has two full siblings (both fillies) to him as well.

Not for Love (Mr. Prospector) is stakes placed. Among his foals include G2 winner Love of Money, stakes winners Shades of Sunny and Saay Mi Name among many others. His dam Dance Number (Northern Dancer) is the dam to G1 winner Rhythm (Mr. Prospector) and G1 placed Offbeat (Fappiano). This makes Not for Love a full brother to stakes winner Get Lucky (Mr. Prospector) who is the grandam to Derby and Belmont runner up Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat) and Derby winner Super Saver (Maria's Mon). Dance Number is a 1/2 sister to G1 winner Private Account (Damascus) who is also the sire of Personal Ensign, as well as stakes placed Polish Numbers (Danzig).

Chase It Down (Polish Numbers) won once in nine starts. Her winningest and highest earner is So Ya Know (Allen's Prospect). Her dam Chase the Dream (Sir Ivor) is a stakes winner and the dam to stakes winner Amourette (El Gran Senor). The latter is the dam to G3 placed Lemonade Kid (Lemon Drop Kid). This is the same female family as G1 winner Big Jag (Klevan).