It seemed like ages before Cali Caliente finally began his racing career at age 4, and it turns out that the wait was worth it for trainer Eric Kruljac and owner-breeders Dennis and Norine Grenier. Cali Caliente seeks his third straight victory Friday at Del Mar, in a second-level allowance at a mile on turf. Based on handicapping, one can see Cali Caliente leading gate to wire. Cali Caliente also illustrates the reward for patience. Sired by Unusual Heat, Cali Caliente was expected to be a late bloomer. It runs in the family. His dam is Grenier-owned, Kruljac-trained Centerofattention, a multiple stakes winner who did not win a maiden race until the 13th start of her career. Cali Caliente entered training at age 2, and was up to five furlongs in workouts before Kruljac stopped on him. Same at age 3. He was up to a half-mile before another hiccup. None of the setbacks were serious – a tibia injury, another tibia injury, and a hot knee. “He fell apart three or four times on the way to his first race,” Kruljac said. “We just kept turning him out and giving him time. It took forever for his bones to set up. If I didn’t have his mother and his siblings, I probably would have given up on him.” :: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more. But he knew the family well. Kruljac and the Greniers purchased Centerofattention for $55,000 at a 1999 California yearling sale. She lost her first 12 starts, then won five of her next 12, including stakes at Turf Paradise, Santa Anita, and Santa Rosa. She retired from racing in 2003, and the Greniers kept Centerofattention as a broodmare. All eight of her foals are winners, including Cali Caliente’s full sister Best Present Ever, who won the $100,000 Campanile Stakes at Golden Gate Fields and finished third in the Grade 1 American Oaks at Hollywood Park in 2012. Kruljac has trained every foal produced by Centerofattention. “We had to give most of her babies a lot of time,” he said. “[Cali Caliente], he just took forever. And then all of the sudden, the light bulb went on.” Cali Caliente finished last in his debut in May, then third. In his next start, he won a maiden turf route in July at Del Mar and basically never looked back. Now 3 for 6, Cali Caliente has run faster each successive start, including a sizzling 1:33.10 at Santa Anita last out, second-fastest turf mile of the fall meet. Kruljac expects the gelding to reproduce his form in race 7 on Friday. “It’s a step up, but if he breaks clean he should be right there, on or just off the lead. If he runs his best race, someone’s going to have to run one of their better races to beat him,” Kruljac said. The trainer’s word is reliable. Kruljac, 67, consistently wins at a 16 percent rate and his runners produced a flat-bet profit four of the past five years. Kruljac has won more than 60 stakes races since the early 1990s; his top runners have included Grade 1 Test winner Leave Me Alone and Grade 2 winner Bauble Queen. Juan Hernandez rides Cali Caliente, who appears to be the controlling speed. His chief rivals are dropper Murad Khan, entered for the $62,500 optional claim tag; Salvator Mundi, dropping from a Grade 2; and dirt-to-turf stakes winner Gray Magician. Grade 2 winner Cleopatra’s Strike is entered for the optional claim tag. As for Cali Caliente’s family, it is nearing an end. The final foal from now pensioned Centerofattention is the 2-year-old colt Attenzione, by Acclamation. Kruljac is in no rush, nor are the Greniers, a retired couple who live in Arizona. “[Attenzione] is a really good-looking colt,” Kruljac said. “I probably won’t bring him in until maybe fall of next year.” If he is anything like Cali Caliente, Attenzione might turn out to be worth the wait.