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California Chrome (foaled February 18, 2011) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2014 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. He was named the 2014 American Horse of the Year. Bred in California, he is a grandson of Pulpit, with two lines in his pedigree to the California-bred 1955 Kentucky Derby winner Swaps. The chestnut-colored horse was named for his flashy white markings, called "chrome" by horse aficionados. As a foal, he was nicknamed "Junior" in honor of his sire, Lucky Pulpit. 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 in the horse to Taylor Made Farm. California Chrome's trainers are the father–son team of Art and Alan Sherman. The colt's first win came in his second race as a two-year-old, but he ran inconsistently until being paired with the jockey Victor Espinoza. The rapport that developed between Espinoza and California Chrome led to a six-win streak that included the San Felipe Stakes and Santa Anita Derby as well as the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Coming into the Kentucky Derby, California Chrome was the morning line favorite. Critics downplayed his chances of winning, but these doubts were rebutted when California Chrome won by lengths even though Espinoza eased him for the final to avoid over-exertion. In his next race, the Preakness, he fended off two strong challengers in the homestretch, won by lengths, and was dubbed "America's Horse". He then shipped to Belmont Park with hopes of winning the Triple Crown in the 2014 Belmont Stakes. In that race, California Chrome 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 with Wicked Strong. After his foot injury healed and a month of pasture rest, he returned to racing in September and ran in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic on November 1, 2014, finishing a respectable third, only a neck behind the winner, Bayern. He returned to his winning form in his first start on a turf course in the Hollywood Derby on November 29, becoming the only horse in the United States with Grade I wins in 2014 on both dirt and turf tracks. As early as the Santa Anita Derby, dedicated fans—soon to be called "Chromies"—actively supported California Chrome, who was called "the people's horse". He won many accolades and awards for his 2014 season: Both chambers of 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 shipped from Dubai to the United Kingdom, and was stabled at Newmarket 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. He was scheduled to return to the US and run in the Arlington Million in August, the requirements of quarantine upon his return to the United States and setback to his training foreclosed a UK start. 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, but in the same week, Art Sherman announced that instead of being retired to stud at the end of the year, the horse would return to racing in 2016. ==Background== California Chrome was foaled on February 18, 2011,〔 near Coalinga, California, at Harris Farms, the horse breeding division of the Harris Ranch.〔 He is a chestnut with four white stockings and a blaze.〔 At four years old, he stood tall.〔> As a foal, the Martins gave him the nickname "Junior"〔 because of his resemblance to his sire, Lucky Pulpit.〔 Lucky Pulpit had won three races, placed in several graded stakes races, and hit the board in 13 of his 22 starts.〔 However, a viral respiratory infection damaged his breathing and limited him to racing over short distances.〔 California Chrome's dam is Love the Chase, and he was her first foal.〔 She was purchased for $30,000 as a two-year-old by an agent for a horse ownership group called the Blinkers On Racing Stable.〔 As a two- and three-year-old filly, she was often so anxious in the saddling paddock, that she was, in effect, losing races before she ever got to the starting gate.〔 She ran six times and won on her fourth try in a February 2009 maiden claiming race at Golden Gate Fields. After her win, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin became her owners,〔 ran her two more times, then retired her later that year.〔〔 They hoped she would become a good broodmare,〔 as she had a promising pedigree. When she retired, it was discovered that she had raced with a breathing problem—an entrapped epiglottis that restricted her air intake,〔 but which could be corrected with surgery.〔 , she has given birth to four foals, the two fillies and a colt are all full siblings to California Chrome.〔 After California Chrome became a Kentucky Derby contender, Martin and Coburn turned down an offer of $2.1 million for Love the Chase.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「California Chrome」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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