The colt who knocked the Florida road to the Kentucky Derby askew Saturday is named for Ireland, is by a Kentucky stallion, and has roots in European breeding. But his actual birthplace is from a state not often thought of as producing top Thoroughbreds – New Jersey.
Champion sprinter Big Drama will relocate to Stonewall’s Prestige Stallions in Ocala, Fla., for the 2017 breeding season, where he will be offered at an advertised fee of $7,500 for an introductory period.
Grade 1-placed New York-bred Tencendur will return to his home state to stand at stud, beginning his stallion career at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater.
Two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome is settling into his new life at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., and is about to begin the next phase of his career after passing a physical exam.
Meadow Star was not dominant as a broodmare, but she has paid it forward in the magnificent form of her great-grandson Arrogate, easy winner of the inaugural Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup last Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Love the Chase, dam of California Chrome, delivered a Tapit half-brother to her two-time Horse of the Year at midnight Thursday at Atlas Farm in Nicholasville, Ky.
Taylor Made Farm hopes California Chrome can end his racing career with a bang in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup before shipping to their farm the next day to begin his stud career. But the Taylor family may have a soft spot in their hearts for two of the two-time Horse of the Year's challengers, as well.
Juddmonte Farms manager Garrett O'Rourke hopes to make the walk Saturday at Gulfstream from his seat to the winner's circle, as Arrogate starts in the inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup.
Nic Roldan is captain of the U.S. polo team. Roldan's appreciation for the Thoroughbred was further evident as he had a meet-and-greet with California Chrome on Monday at Gulfstream Park, where the two-time Horse of the Year is set to start Saturday in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup.
Curlin and Lookin At Lucky have much in common – both are Preakness Stakes winners by the late Smart Strike, and both put together consecutive championship seasons. Both will have classic-performing starters in the inaugural Pegasus World Cup, with Keen Ice and Breaking Lucky, respectively. Both also are among the highest-ranked stallions on Daily Racing Form’s Beyer Sire Performance Standings.
