California Chrome weanlings make market debut on the big stage

Two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome was among the most popular racehorses of recent years. His progeny are also sure to draw a following when they reach the racetrack – but first, they’ll test their commercial popularity. Weanlings from California Chrome’s first crop will debut before a world stage at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale and Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

California Chrome, whose seven Grade 1/Group 1 victories included the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness and 2016 Dubai World Cup, bankrolled more than $14.7 million before retiring to stud at Taylor Made Farm. His stud fee was set at just $40,000 for his initial Northern Hemisphere season at Taylor Made, partially because the son of Lucky Pulpit had pedigree highlights that were not “obvious,” said Duncan Taylor of Taylor Made. California Chrome covered 145 mares in his first season, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred.

“Even though I think he has a very good pedigree, it’s not an obvious pedigree,” Taylor said when California Chrome’s stud fee was set. “I think it’s going to take some explaining, and I think, hopefully, with the price where it is, people will want to learn more. The pedigree is there, which is great to talk to people about, and it’s a fun platform to do it. The production is there, but if you look behind just California Chrome, there’s a reason why that happened. The genetics are there.”

California Chrome has 14 weanlings from his first crop cataloged at Keeneland November. He has one in the select group of weanlings for Fasig November – a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Colonist – who will be consigned as agent by Taylor Made.

With only 116 weanlings in the original catalog for the Fasig-Tipton November sale, it is a feather in the cap of a new stallion to have a youngster selected for the boutique session in a market that generally trends toward proven stallions for younger stock. Leading the way among first-crop weanling sires with the most foals cataloged at Fasig-Tipton are graded stakes winner Speightster, who stands alongside sire Speightstown at WinStar Farm, with six, and Darley’s multiple Grade 1 winner Frosted, by Tapit, with five.

Other first-crop weanling sires with entrants at Fasig-Tipton include Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and champion Nyquist, Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner and champion Runhappy, Cartier Award European champion Air Force Blue, Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator, Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Tourist, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hit It a Bomb, Grade 1 winner Brody’s Cause, and graded stakes winners Cinco Charlie, Not This Time, and Upstart.

All of those stallions are well represented at the longer Keeneland November sale, with Taylor Made’s Not This Time, with 38 weanlings, and Speightster, with 35, leading the way with the largest groups.

Other first-crop weanling sires of this season with representatives at Keeneland November are champion turf males Big Blue Kitten and Flintshire; Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red; Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Tamarkuz; Grade 1 winners Mshawish, Outwork, and Slumber; and graded stakes winners Anchor Down, Firing Line, Ironicus, Laoban, Mosler, Optimizer, Producer, Protonico, and War Dancer.