California Chrome’s first foal arrives at Calumet Farm

Two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, who entered stud at Taylor Made last season, now has his first foal on the ground. The blessed event occurred at Calumet Farm Saturday night, when Pay the Man delivered a “big, strong colt,” according to the Taylor Made Facebook page.

Considering California Chrome’s own blue-collar success story, it’s apropos that his first foal is out of Ohio-bred millionaire Pay the Man. The daughter of Bernstein campaigned for a remarkable nine seasons, from the ages of two to 10, and made 76 lifetime starts. Among her 27 wins were 21 restricted stakes titles, and she also amassed 14 stakes placings.

Pay the Man is a half-sister to two other multiple Ohio-bred stakes scorers, Bold Captain and Bright Pyrite. Their dam, the winning Magesterial mare Pyrite Captain, is also responsible for multiple restricted stakes-placed Pyrite Marci and multiple non-black type stakes victress Ebby. Another of Pyrite Captain’s daughters, Master’s Megan, produced Ohio-bred stakes hero Master Mick.

The family has had success much further afield too, with French Group 2 heroine Bernimixa producing Hong Kong champion Mighty High (formerly known as Berouni). Bernimixa is in turn a full sister to French Group 3 winner Miraculous and a half to Group 2-placed stakes scorer Winkle.

The California Chrome newborn is Pay the Man’s third foal. A $95,000 Keeneland November buy a few months after her last race, Pay the Man began her broodmare career at Calumet by visiting two of the farm’s stallions – Musketier (sire of her newly-turned two-year-old colt named Hiho) and Oxbow (sire of her yearling filly).

Here is the California Chrome-Pay the Man foal’s five-cross pedigree:

A year ago at this time, California Chrome was preparing for his career finale in the Pegasus World Cup (G1), winding up an uncharacteristic ninth. He retired with earnings of $14,752,650 – a North American record until rival Arrogate eclipsed him in the Dubai World Cup (G1) – from a mark of 27-16-4-1.

The flashy chestnut earned his first Horse of the Year title in 2014, on the strength of notable victories in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness (G1), Santa Anita Derby (G1), Hollywood Derby (G1), and San Felipe (G2). Bone bruising curtailed his 2015 campaign after his runner-up effort in the Dubai World Cup, ruling out an anticipated start at Royal Ascot, but California Chrome returned with a vengeance to regain the crown in 2016. He went one better in the Dubai World Cup and added further scores in the Pacific Classic (G1), Awesome Again (G1), San Pasqual (G2), San Diego (G2), and Winter Challenge in track-record time at Los Alamitos.

Now seven years old, California Chrome recently returned from his stint at Chile’s Haras Sumaya, where he stood the Southern Hemisphere season. He’ll commence his second year at Taylor Made soon, for a fee of $40,000, stands and nurses.

California Chrome was in the news only last week when his sophomore full brother, Faversham, finished second in his debut at Santa Anita January 15. Like California Chrome, Faversham was bred in the Golden State by Perry Martin and Steve Coburn and hails from the barn of Art Sherman. The chestnut ridgling races for the Martins.