Solid Debut for Cal Chrome Sister Hope's Love
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Hope's Love, a full sister to 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome, made a strong debut June 13 at Golden Gate Fields when running a close second in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies .
The Lucky Pulpit daughter, bred by owners Perry Martin and Steve Coburn out of the Not For Love mare Love the Chase, broke awkwardly in the fourth race after being fractious in the gate and was sixth inside despite being hustled by jockey Ricardo Gonzalez early on.
While eventual winner Ourprincessmelanie sped straight immediately to the front to set the pace, she was almost collared by Hope's Love in the final strides, as the chestnut filly accelerated with an eye-catching burst once swung out from the rail to close down the stretch.
Final time was :52.75 on the all-weather track after Ourprincessmelanie went a quarter in :22.09 and set up a :46.15 half. Hope's Love finished second by a neck in the nine-horse field, bringing $3.40 and $3 as the 6-5 favorite. She earned $6,760 from the runner-up finish in a race worth $26,000.
Bred in California, Hope's Love is the first full sibling to California Chrome to compete on the track (California Chrome was the first foal out of Love the Chase). She is trained by Steve Sherman, whose father, Art Sherman trained California Chrome to victories on dirt in the 2014 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I), among others, along with a win on turf in the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) and a third-place finish in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
California Chrome, who last finished second in the March 28 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), is set to race June 17 in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot.