INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 22, 2013) – California Chrome demolished the field in Sunday’s $200,000 King Glorious Stakes for Golden State Series eligible 2-year-olds in the final stakes race at Betfair Hollywood Park.
California Chrome is by Lucky Pulpit, out of the Not For Love mare Love the Chase, was bred by owners Perry Martin and Steven Coburn and is trained by Art Sherman.
Sherman often galloped Swaps, considered the greatest California bred of all and immortalized in a statue that has stood at Hollywood Park, where the son of Khaled earned 10 of his 19 wins, since 1958.
“It brings back a lot of memories for me,’’ said Sherman, 76. “It’s a special thing for me to be able to win here at Hollywood Park. I started here as a young kid and rode my first race when I was 18 in 1955.
“Going back through the years we had a lot of fun with the big crowds and the great horses. It’s fitting for me, but I feel very sad.
“This horse was training excellent for this race and he loves this track. He’s a nice colt, he just needs to grow up now. I think you’ll see his best races as a 3-year-old.’’
In winning for the third time in seven starts, California Chrome, who was ridden by Victor Espinoza, completed the seven furlongs over Cushion Track in 1:22.12. He paid $6.40, $4 and $3 while increasing his earnings to $214,850.
It was the fourth stakes win of the Autumn meet for Espinoza, tying him with Rafael Bejarano and Corey Nakatani for the lead among riders.
Life Is a Joy, the 9-2 fourth choice in the field of 10 – reduced by the scratch of Mass Transit – finished second, a half-length in front of 5-2 third choice Pray Hard.
Both the runner-up and the third place finisher are trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, who set an Autumn meet record Saturday when Swiss Lake Yodeler gave him a seventh stakes win with a victory in the Soviet Problem. Life Is a Joy paid $5.60 and $3.40 while the show price on Pray Hard was $3.
For California Chrome’s pedigree, click http://www.pedigreequery.com/california+chrome.