On September 3, California Chrome's son Chromium became his sire's first Grade/Group 1 winner by getting his nose down first on the post in the Premio Dos Mil Guineas (CHI-G1) at Hipódromo Chile. The colt is from California Chrome's first Southern Hemisphere crop and was bred by Haras Santa Olga, which has been developing his female family into one of the country's top lines for close to half a century.
Chromium is from a family that has been in Chile since the importation of the Irish-bred mare Century in 1954. It began blossoming with Century's great-great granddaughter Laurea (by the Never Say Die horse Lead the Way), who won the 1975 Premio Arturo Lyon Pena (CHI-G2) before becoming a broodmare for Haras Santa Olga. She produced a runner better than herself in Carita Tostada, who was sired by Haras Santa Olga's premier stallion, the Nijinsky II horse Gallantsky, who proved an important sire and broodmare sire in his adoptive country. Carita Tostada won two Chilean Group 1 races and was a multiple stakes winner in the United States. Remaining in the United States as a broodmare, she produced Grade 3 winners Jadada (by Jade Hunter) and Shaconage (by El Prado), listed stakes winner Mutadda (by Mutakddim), and multiple Grade 1-placed Chile Chatte (by Storm Cat), dam in turn of 2006 Del Mar Futurity (USA-G2) winner Horse Greeley (by Mr. Greeley).
It was left to Carita Tostada's half sister Laurentina (by the high-class Argentine runner Kamen) to maintain the family in Chile. She did so in a fruitful association with Gallantsky, producing 1991 Chilean champion 2-year-old filly Nina Balconera, winner of the 1991 Tanteo de Potrancas (CHI-G1), and listed stakes winner Trae Suerte to covers by that sire. Nina Balconera, in turn, produced multiple Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Tia Exis (by Tumblebrutus), while her older full sister Lanza Flores is the dam of 1994 Chilean champion sprinter Apreton de Manos (by Sari's Baba), winner of that year's Premio Velocidad (CHI-G2).
Laurita Game, Laurentina's 1982 daughter by Saratoga Game, also became a good broodmare and continued the pattern of beneficial crosses between this Laurea's family and Gallantsky, foaling 1992 Gran Premio Haras Chile (CHI-G1) winner Llama La Atencion and multiple Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Anda Contenta as a result of matings to Gallantsky, as well as Group 3-placed Lleva La Batuta, dam of 1998 Gran Premio de Honor (CHI-G2) winner Apolo Dorado (by Sari's Baba), and Toma La Palabra, dam of 1997 Premio Otoño (CHI-G2) winner Sahumerio (by Sam M.).
Anda Contenta took the family even higher, producing 2006 Chilean Horse of the Year Feliz de La Vida (by the stakes-winning Sadler's Wells horse Election Day) and 2007 Gran Premio Criadores (CHI-G2) winner Domingo Siete (by Dynamix). Chromium is out of Feliz de La Vida's full sister Alegria Profunda, and Domingo Siete's full sister Muy Apetecida has also gotten into the family act, producing 2018 Chilean champion juvenile dirt filly Sale a Amanecer (by the Storm Cat horse Gstaad), winner of that year's Tanteo de Potrancas.
Chromium still has some work to do to reach the heights achieved by some members of this family, but he appears to be progressing nicely. After breaking his maiden over 1500 meters at second asking, this on July 23, he was second in a Group 2 race over the same distance on August 13 before his Guineas win, and on pedigree he should have the potential to stretch out further. California Chrome fans will undoubtedly be pleased at knowing that their hero is finally represented by a son who may have inherited a significant portion of his talent, and Chilean aficionados of the sport can bask in yet another laurel wreath won by one of the country's great families.
Chromium is from a family that has been in Chile since the importation of the Irish-bred mare Century in 1954. It began blossoming with Century's great-great granddaughter Laurea (by the Never Say Die horse Lead the Way), who won the 1975 Premio Arturo Lyon Pena (CHI-G2) before becoming a broodmare for Haras Santa Olga. She produced a runner better than herself in Carita Tostada, who was sired by Haras Santa Olga's premier stallion, the Nijinsky II horse Gallantsky, who proved an important sire and broodmare sire in his adoptive country. Carita Tostada won two Chilean Group 1 races and was a multiple stakes winner in the United States. Remaining in the United States as a broodmare, she produced Grade 3 winners Jadada (by Jade Hunter) and Shaconage (by El Prado), listed stakes winner Mutadda (by Mutakddim), and multiple Grade 1-placed Chile Chatte (by Storm Cat), dam in turn of 2006 Del Mar Futurity (USA-G2) winner Horse Greeley (by Mr. Greeley).
It was left to Carita Tostada's half sister Laurentina (by the high-class Argentine runner Kamen) to maintain the family in Chile. She did so in a fruitful association with Gallantsky, producing 1991 Chilean champion 2-year-old filly Nina Balconera, winner of the 1991 Tanteo de Potrancas (CHI-G1), and listed stakes winner Trae Suerte to covers by that sire. Nina Balconera, in turn, produced multiple Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Tia Exis (by Tumblebrutus), while her older full sister Lanza Flores is the dam of 1994 Chilean champion sprinter Apreton de Manos (by Sari's Baba), winner of that year's Premio Velocidad (CHI-G2).
Laurita Game, Laurentina's 1982 daughter by Saratoga Game, also became a good broodmare and continued the pattern of beneficial crosses between this Laurea's family and Gallantsky, foaling 1992 Gran Premio Haras Chile (CHI-G1) winner Llama La Atencion and multiple Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Anda Contenta as a result of matings to Gallantsky, as well as Group 3-placed Lleva La Batuta, dam of 1998 Gran Premio de Honor (CHI-G2) winner Apolo Dorado (by Sari's Baba), and Toma La Palabra, dam of 1997 Premio Otoño (CHI-G2) winner Sahumerio (by Sam M.).
Anda Contenta took the family even higher, producing 2006 Chilean Horse of the Year Feliz de La Vida (by the stakes-winning Sadler's Wells horse Election Day) and 2007 Gran Premio Criadores (CHI-G2) winner Domingo Siete (by Dynamix). Chromium is out of Feliz de La Vida's full sister Alegria Profunda, and Domingo Siete's full sister Muy Apetecida has also gotten into the family act, producing 2018 Chilean champion juvenile dirt filly Sale a Amanecer (by the Storm Cat horse Gstaad), winner of that year's Tanteo de Potrancas.
Chromium still has some work to do to reach the heights achieved by some members of this family, but he appears to be progressing nicely. After breaking his maiden over 1500 meters at second asking, this on July 23, he was second in a Group 2 race over the same distance on August 13 before his Guineas win, and on pedigree he should have the potential to stretch out further. California Chrome fans will undoubtedly be pleased at knowing that their hero is finally represented by a son who may have inherited a significant portion of his talent, and Chilean aficionados of the sport can bask in yet another laurel wreath won by one of the country's great families.
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