Two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome returned in top form Dec. 15 to Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky., after his first Southern Hemisphere shuttle season in Chile.
"He was a pretty big hit down there, and a big lift for their breeding industry," said Travis White, stallion nominations manager for Taylor Made Stallions. "They had big open houses and fan days that attracted the media."
The dual classic winner and seven-time grade 1-winning son of Lucky Pulpit—Love the Chase, by Not For Love, was bred to 110 mares while standing at Oussama Aboughazale's Sumaya Stud near Santiago, Chile. His Southern Hemisphere mares included 12 graded/group winners, another 15 listed black-type winners, and 22 black-type producers.
Lady Pelusa (by Orpen), the dam of unbeaten Robert Bruce—last year's Chilean champion 2-year-old and a Chilean classic winner this year (the El Ensayo Mega, G1)—was among the high-profile mares he was bred to. California Chrome's book also included Chiliean-bred grade/group 1 winners Noble Belleza (Happy Hunting) and Viene Cantando (Gstaad).
Sebastian Angelillo, Taylor Made's South American representative, was with California Chrome throughout his stay at Sumaya Stud. Angelillo lived in an apartment in the barn the farm built for California Chrome, who will shuttle to Chile for at least two seasons.
California Chrome will stand for $40,000 in 2018 and is expected to cover about 145 mares, which was the size of his first U.S. book.
