Two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome will shuttle to Oussama Aboughazale's Sumaya Stud near Santiago, Chile, for the next three seasons, according to announcements March 16 from Taylor Made Farm and Sumaya Stud.
"California Chrome has generated a lot of interest from the Southern Hemisphere, so we agreed to explore the option of shuttling," said Duncan Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Taylor Made. "We are very happy to partner with Sumaya Stud, and feel extremely comfortable that it's a great situation for California Chrome. This was a decision that was not taken lightly.
"Ben (Taylor) and I flew down to see several potential farms and did an extensive amount of due diligence, evaluating whether or not there was a situation that met a very high set of standards established by our entire advisory team and our shareholders. Ultimately, the health and safety of California Chrome, quality of facilities, experience of staff, and reputation of the farm were all paramount."
The deal was brokered by Chile's Sullivan Bloodstock, in conjunction with Taylor Made Bloodstock.
Duncan Taylor's son, Marshall, met Sullivan Bloodstock's partners Juan Pablo Sullivan and Christian Benavente during the eight months he worked in Chile. Together, they saw an opportunity to improve California Chrome's chances of becoming a successful sire.
"I think Chile has become the center of Thoroughbred breeding in South America," Duncan Taylor said. "There are four to five billionaires who own the best mares and will breed a lot of mares to him. This business is a lot more global than it used to be, and we believe this deal gives the horse the best chance to hit."
Taylor Made personnel will accompany California Chrome during his time at Sumaya Stud, and protocols have been established by Rood & Riddle's Dr. Charlie Scoggin and Dr. Rolf Embertson, and the two on-location veterinarians at Sumaya Stud, led by Dr. Carolina Rojas.
The newly retired California Chrome is currently in the second month of his debut season at stud at Taylor Made in Nicholasville, Ky., where he is standing for a fee of $40,000 stands and nurses. This summer after the North American breeding season concludes, plans call for California Chrome to enter quarantine before shipping to Chile.
California Chrome is the richest racehorse based in North America. He won 10 graded or group stakes—seven of them grade/group 1. The 6-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit —Love the Chase, by Not For Love, retired with earnings of $14,752,650.
Aboughazale, who lives in Chile, races in North America as Sumaya U.S. Stable and operates a breeding business called International Equities Holding out of the former Belvedere Farm near Paris, Ky. Both the racing stable and his Chilean farm are named after his mother, Sumaya.
The Aboughazale family made their fortune in agriculture, exporting fruit they grow in Chile to locations around the world. The family is majority shareholder of the fresh produce division of Del Monte Fruit Co.
Aboughazale also raced and now stands entering-year sire and four-time graded stakes winner Protonico at Taylor Made.