Lucky Pulpit, the sire of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, died Feb. 13 of an apparent heart attack while covering the first mare of the breeding season, according to Harris Farms, where he's stood his entire career.
"He was the picture of health all day," said Dave McGlothlin, farm manager at Harris Farms. "He had a perfectly normal day. He and the teaser were talking smack to one another like they always did. We're all stunned." Both McGlothlin and stallion manager Raul Rosa were in the breeding shed with Lucky Pulpit when he collapsed coming off the mare.
Lucky Pulpit was a son of the Blue Grass Stakes winner Pulpit, and grandson of the 1992 United States Horse of the Year A.P. Indy. Although his own racing career was limited due to respiratory issues, Lucky Pulpit was best known as the sire of California Chrome, two-time American Horse of the Year, winner of the 2014 Triple Crown races Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and all-time leading North American horse in earnings won. The 16-year-old son of Pulpit—Lucky Soph, by Cozzene, was bred and raced by Larry and Marianne Williams. He won the Smile Stakes on the turf at Arlington International Race Course and placed in two graded stakes before retiring with $209,928 in earnings.
Lucky Pulpit was a chestnut stallion with a blaze and white socks on his hind legs bred in Kentucky and owned by Larry and Marianne Williams. He was sired by Pulpit, who won the Blue Grass Stakes in 1997 before becoming a successful breeding stallion. Pulpit's other offspring include Tapit, Ice Box, Corinthian, and Stardom Bound. Lucky Pulpit's dam, Lucky Soph, was foaled in California and was sent to the United Kingdom as a yearling to race. She won one race, the class D Longhill Maiden Fillies Stakes at Ayr, as a three-year-old in 1994. Lucky Soph is a three-quarter sister to the mare Trolley Song, the dam of multiple stakes winner and sire Unbridled's Song. Lucky Pulpit's half-brother Drewman was third in the Iowa Derby and second in the Diplomat Way Stakes with combined winnings of $88,852.
When Lucky Pulpit was a weanling, he was sent to the Tree Top Ranches in Parma, Idaho. It was in Idaho that he was started under saddle by Dan Kiser, the manager and trainer for the Williamses, before being shipped to California to begin racing.
Lucky Pulpit earned $209,928 in 22 starts. He began his career by running six races as a two-year-old in 2003, winning two and finishing in the top three in all but one race. He contracted a viral infection at the beginning of his three-year-old season in 2004 which led to permanent respiratory problems. His difficulty breathing affected his ability to train before races, which often meant that his only time on the track was during races. Nonetheless, he ran seven times as a three-year-old, with his best finish a second place in the grade II Santa Catalina Stakes. Having run only in California up to that point, he was shipped east in 2005 and ran on midwestern and eastern tracks for the remainder of his career. He ran eight times in 2005, winning the non-graded Smile Stakes at Arlington Park. After a second-place finish in an allowance race at Churchill Downs in November of 2005, he only ran once in August of 2006 before retiring, finishing second in the non-graded Sneakbox Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Lucky Pulpit sired seven foal crops. At the time of his death in 2017, he had sired 148 winners from 229 starters and was credited with progeny earnings of $24 million. In addition to California Chrome, Lucky Pulpit sired several other stakes winners: Rousing Sermon, who was a California Champion Two-Year-Old Colt; as well as Luckarack, a multiple stakes winner; Gatheratthealter; and You're Late. After California Chrome won the 2014 San Felipe Stakes, Lucky Pulpit's stud fee increased from the 2013 fee of $2,500 to $10,000.
On February 13, 2017, Lucky Pulpit died at Harris Farms of a heart attack after covering his first mare of the season. His stud fee was $7500 at the time of his death.
Lucky Pulpit entered stud at Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif., for a $2,500 fee. He stood this year for $7,500.
He currently sits atop California's 2017 general sire list and was the state's leading sire last year by progeny earnings, with more than $10.7 million. He also was the state's leading sire for three of the past four years.
From seven crops of racing age, Lucky Pulpit is the sire of 148 winners, including the multiple Eclipse Award winning California Chrome. His 229 starters to date have amassed progeny earnings of $24 million.
California Chrome, Horse of the Year in 2014 and 2016, was by far and away his top runner with a record $14,752,650 in earnings for a North American-based racehorse. Lucky Pulpit's other top runners included grade 1 placed stakes winner Rousing Sermon, multiple stakes winner Luckarack, and stakes winner You're Late.
"The California and national Thoroughbred racing industry, where Lucky Pulpit has ranked at the top of the sire lists year after year with world class performers, will still have another three crops from this stellar sire yet to race," McGlothin said. "Lucky Pulpit hit homerun after homerun with his offspring both in the sales ring and on the racetrack and from early on we had a glimpse of what he would become as a sire."
"He was the picture of health all day," said Dave McGlothlin, farm manager at Harris Farms. "He had a perfectly normal day. He and the teaser were talking smack to one another like they always did. We're all stunned." Both McGlothlin and stallion manager Raul Rosa were in the breeding shed with Lucky Pulpit when he collapsed coming off the mare.
Lucky Pulpit was a son of the Blue Grass Stakes winner Pulpit, and grandson of the 1992 United States Horse of the Year A.P. Indy. Although his own racing career was limited due to respiratory issues, Lucky Pulpit was best known as the sire of California Chrome, two-time American Horse of the Year, winner of the 2014 Triple Crown races Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and all-time leading North American horse in earnings won. The 16-year-old son of Pulpit—Lucky Soph, by Cozzene, was bred and raced by Larry and Marianne Williams. He won the Smile Stakes on the turf at Arlington International Race Course and placed in two graded stakes before retiring with $209,928 in earnings.
Lucky Pulpit was a chestnut stallion with a blaze and white socks on his hind legs bred in Kentucky and owned by Larry and Marianne Williams. He was sired by Pulpit, who won the Blue Grass Stakes in 1997 before becoming a successful breeding stallion. Pulpit's other offspring include Tapit, Ice Box, Corinthian, and Stardom Bound. Lucky Pulpit's dam, Lucky Soph, was foaled in California and was sent to the United Kingdom as a yearling to race. She won one race, the class D Longhill Maiden Fillies Stakes at Ayr, as a three-year-old in 1994. Lucky Soph is a three-quarter sister to the mare Trolley Song, the dam of multiple stakes winner and sire Unbridled's Song. Lucky Pulpit's half-brother Drewman was third in the Iowa Derby and second in the Diplomat Way Stakes with combined winnings of $88,852.
When Lucky Pulpit was a weanling, he was sent to the Tree Top Ranches in Parma, Idaho. It was in Idaho that he was started under saddle by Dan Kiser, the manager and trainer for the Williamses, before being shipped to California to begin racing.
Lucky Pulpit earned $209,928 in 22 starts. He began his career by running six races as a two-year-old in 2003, winning two and finishing in the top three in all but one race. He contracted a viral infection at the beginning of his three-year-old season in 2004 which led to permanent respiratory problems. His difficulty breathing affected his ability to train before races, which often meant that his only time on the track was during races. Nonetheless, he ran seven times as a three-year-old, with his best finish a second place in the grade II Santa Catalina Stakes. Having run only in California up to that point, he was shipped east in 2005 and ran on midwestern and eastern tracks for the remainder of his career. He ran eight times in 2005, winning the non-graded Smile Stakes at Arlington Park. After a second-place finish in an allowance race at Churchill Downs in November of 2005, he only ran once in August of 2006 before retiring, finishing second in the non-graded Sneakbox Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Lucky Pulpit sired seven foal crops. At the time of his death in 2017, he had sired 148 winners from 229 starters and was credited with progeny earnings of $24 million. In addition to California Chrome, Lucky Pulpit sired several other stakes winners: Rousing Sermon, who was a California Champion Two-Year-Old Colt; as well as Luckarack, a multiple stakes winner; Gatheratthealter; and You're Late. After California Chrome won the 2014 San Felipe Stakes, Lucky Pulpit's stud fee increased from the 2013 fee of $2,500 to $10,000.
On February 13, 2017, Lucky Pulpit died at Harris Farms of a heart attack after covering his first mare of the season. His stud fee was $7500 at the time of his death.
Lucky Pulpit entered stud at Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif., for a $2,500 fee. He stood this year for $7,500.
He currently sits atop California's 2017 general sire list and was the state's leading sire last year by progeny earnings, with more than $10.7 million. He also was the state's leading sire for three of the past four years.
From seven crops of racing age, Lucky Pulpit is the sire of 148 winners, including the multiple Eclipse Award winning California Chrome. His 229 starters to date have amassed progeny earnings of $24 million.
California Chrome, Horse of the Year in 2014 and 2016, was by far and away his top runner with a record $14,752,650 in earnings for a North American-based racehorse. Lucky Pulpit's other top runners included grade 1 placed stakes winner Rousing Sermon, multiple stakes winner Luckarack, and stakes winner You're Late.
"The California and national Thoroughbred racing industry, where Lucky Pulpit has ranked at the top of the sire lists year after year with world class performers, will still have another three crops from this stellar sire yet to race," McGlothin said. "Lucky Pulpit hit homerun after homerun with his offspring both in the sales ring and on the racetrack and from early on we had a glimpse of what he would become as a sire."
Lucky Pulpit, the sire of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, died Feb. 13 of an apparent heart attack while covering the first mare of the breeding season, according to Harris Farms, where he's stood his entire career.
"He was the picture of health all day," said Dave McGlothlin, farm manager at Harris Farms. "He had a perfectly normal day. He and the teaser were talking smack to one another like they always did. We're all stunned." Both McGlothlin and stallion manager Raul Rosa were in the breeding shed with Lucky Pulpit when he collapsed coming off the mare.
Lucky Pulpit was a son of the Blue Grass Stakes winner Pulpit, and grandson of the 1992 United States Horse of the Year A.P. Indy. Although his own racing career was limited due to respiratory issues, Lucky Pulpit was best known as the sire of California Chrome, two-time American Horse of the Year, winner of the 2014 Triple Crown races Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and all-time leading North American horse in earnings won. The 16-year-old son of Pulpit—Lucky Soph, by Cozzene, was bred and raced by Larry and Marianne Williams. He won the Smile Stakes on the turf at Arlington International Race Course and placed in two graded stakes before retiring with $209,928 in earnings.
Lucky Pulpit was a chestnut stallion with a blaze and white socks on his hind legs bred in Kentucky and owned by Larry and Marianne Williams. He was sired by Pulpit, who won the Blue Grass Stakes in 1997 before becoming a successful breeding stallion. Pulpit's other offspring include Tapit, Ice Box, Corinthian, and Stardom Bound. Lucky Pulpit's dam, Lucky Soph, was foaled in California and was sent to the United Kingdom as a yearling to race. She won one race, the class D Longhill Maiden Fillies Stakes at Ayr, as a three-year-old in 1994. Lucky Soph is a three-quarter sister to the mare Trolley Song, the dam of multiple stakes winner and sire Unbridled's Song. Lucky Pulpit's half-brother Drewman was third in the Iowa Derby and second in the Diplomat Way Stakes with combined winnings of $88,852.
When Lucky Pulpit was a weanling, he was sent to the Tree Top Ranches in Parma, Idaho. It was in Idaho that he was started under saddle by Dan Kiser, the manager and trainer for the Williamses, before being shipped to California to begin racing.
Lucky Pulpit earned $209,928 in 22 starts. He began his career by running six races as a two-year-old in 2003, winning two and finishing in the top three in all but one race. He contracted a viral infection at the beginning of his three-year-old season in 2004 which led to permanent respiratory problems. His difficulty breathing affected his ability to train before races, which often meant that his only time on the track was during races. Nonetheless, he ran seven times as a three-year-old, with his best finish a second place in the grade II Santa Catalina Stakes. Having run only in California up to that point, he was shipped east in 2005 and ran on midwestern and eastern tracks for the remainder of his career. He ran eight times in 2005, winning the non-graded Smile Stakes at Arlington Park. After a second-place finish in an allowance race at Churchill Downs in November of 2005, he only ran once in August of 2006 before retiring, finishing second in the non-graded Sneakbox Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Lucky Pulpit sired seven foal crops. At the time of his death in 2017, he had sired 148 winners from 229 starters and was credited with progeny earnings of $24 million. In addition to California Chrome, Lucky Pulpit sired several other stakes winners: Rousing Sermon, who was a California Champion Two-Year-Old Colt; as well as Luckarack, a multiple stakes winner; Gatheratthealter; and You're Late. After California Chrome won the 2014 San Felipe Stakes, Lucky Pulpit's stud fee increased from the 2013 fee of $2,500 to $10,000.
On February 13, 2017, Lucky Pulpit died at Harris Farms of a heart attack after covering his first mare of the season. His stud fee was $7500 at the time of his death.
Lucky Pulpit entered stud at Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif., for a $2,500 fee. He stood this year for $7,500.
He currently sits atop California's 2017 general sire list and was the state's leading sire last year by progeny earnings, with more than $10.7 million. He also was the state's leading sire for three of the past four years.
From seven crops of racing age, Lucky Pulpit is the sire of 148 winners, including the multiple Eclipse Award winning California Chrome. His 229 starters to date have amassed progeny earnings of $24 million.
California Chrome, Horse of the Year in 2014 and 2016, was by far and away his top runner with a record $14,752,650 in earnings for a North American-based racehorse. Lucky Pulpit's other top runners included grade 1 placed stakes winner Rousing Sermon, multiple stakes winner Luckarack, and stakes winner You're Late.
"The California and national Thoroughbred racing industry, where Lucky Pulpit has ranked at the top of the sire lists year after year with world class performers, will still have another three crops from this stellar sire yet to race," McGlothin said. "Lucky Pulpit hit homerun after homerun with his offspring both in the sales ring and on the racetrack and from early on we had a glimpse of what he would become as a sire."
"He was the picture of health all day," said Dave McGlothlin, farm manager at Harris Farms. "He had a perfectly normal day. He and the teaser were talking smack to one another like they always did. We're all stunned." Both McGlothlin and stallion manager Raul Rosa were in the breeding shed with Lucky Pulpit when he collapsed coming off the mare.
Lucky Pulpit was a son of the Blue Grass Stakes winner Pulpit, and grandson of the 1992 United States Horse of the Year A.P. Indy. Although his own racing career was limited due to respiratory issues, Lucky Pulpit was best known as the sire of California Chrome, two-time American Horse of the Year, winner of the 2014 Triple Crown races Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and all-time leading North American horse in earnings won. The 16-year-old son of Pulpit—Lucky Soph, by Cozzene, was bred and raced by Larry and Marianne Williams. He won the Smile Stakes on the turf at Arlington International Race Course and placed in two graded stakes before retiring with $209,928 in earnings.
Lucky Pulpit was a chestnut stallion with a blaze and white socks on his hind legs bred in Kentucky and owned by Larry and Marianne Williams. He was sired by Pulpit, who won the Blue Grass Stakes in 1997 before becoming a successful breeding stallion. Pulpit's other offspring include Tapit, Ice Box, Corinthian, and Stardom Bound. Lucky Pulpit's dam, Lucky Soph, was foaled in California and was sent to the United Kingdom as a yearling to race. She won one race, the class D Longhill Maiden Fillies Stakes at Ayr, as a three-year-old in 1994. Lucky Soph is a three-quarter sister to the mare Trolley Song, the dam of multiple stakes winner and sire Unbridled's Song. Lucky Pulpit's half-brother Drewman was third in the Iowa Derby and second in the Diplomat Way Stakes with combined winnings of $88,852.
When Lucky Pulpit was a weanling, he was sent to the Tree Top Ranches in Parma, Idaho. It was in Idaho that he was started under saddle by Dan Kiser, the manager and trainer for the Williamses, before being shipped to California to begin racing.
Lucky Pulpit earned $209,928 in 22 starts. He began his career by running six races as a two-year-old in 2003, winning two and finishing in the top three in all but one race. He contracted a viral infection at the beginning of his three-year-old season in 2004 which led to permanent respiratory problems. His difficulty breathing affected his ability to train before races, which often meant that his only time on the track was during races. Nonetheless, he ran seven times as a three-year-old, with his best finish a second place in the grade II Santa Catalina Stakes. Having run only in California up to that point, he was shipped east in 2005 and ran on midwestern and eastern tracks for the remainder of his career. He ran eight times in 2005, winning the non-graded Smile Stakes at Arlington Park. After a second-place finish in an allowance race at Churchill Downs in November of 2005, he only ran once in August of 2006 before retiring, finishing second in the non-graded Sneakbox Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Lucky Pulpit sired seven foal crops. At the time of his death in 2017, he had sired 148 winners from 229 starters and was credited with progeny earnings of $24 million. In addition to California Chrome, Lucky Pulpit sired several other stakes winners: Rousing Sermon, who was a California Champion Two-Year-Old Colt; as well as Luckarack, a multiple stakes winner; Gatheratthealter; and You're Late. After California Chrome won the 2014 San Felipe Stakes, Lucky Pulpit's stud fee increased from the 2013 fee of $2,500 to $10,000.
On February 13, 2017, Lucky Pulpit died at Harris Farms of a heart attack after covering his first mare of the season. His stud fee was $7500 at the time of his death.
Lucky Pulpit entered stud at Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif., for a $2,500 fee. He stood this year for $7,500.
He currently sits atop California's 2017 general sire list and was the state's leading sire last year by progeny earnings, with more than $10.7 million. He also was the state's leading sire for three of the past four years.
From seven crops of racing age, Lucky Pulpit is the sire of 148 winners, including the multiple Eclipse Award winning California Chrome. His 229 starters to date have amassed progeny earnings of $24 million.
California Chrome, Horse of the Year in 2014 and 2016, was by far and away his top runner with a record $14,752,650 in earnings for a North American-based racehorse. Lucky Pulpit's other top runners included grade 1 placed stakes winner Rousing Sermon, multiple stakes winner Luckarack, and stakes winner You're Late.
"The California and national Thoroughbred racing industry, where Lucky Pulpit has ranked at the top of the sire lists year after year with world class performers, will still have another three crops from this stellar sire yet to race," McGlothin said. "Lucky Pulpit hit homerun after homerun with his offspring both in the sales ring and on the racetrack and from early on we had a glimpse of what he would become as a sire."
Family Members
Parents
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
