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 Kentucky Derby and 2014 Preakness Stakes and all-time leading North American horse in earnings won.
[4] At the time of Lucky Pulpit's death in 2017, he had sired 148 winners from 229 starters and was credited with progeny earnings of $24 million.
[3] Lucky Pulpit was a chestnut stallion with a blaze and white socks on his hind legs[5] bred in Kentucky and owned by Larry and Marianne Williams.
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.
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.
[14] On February 13, 2017, Lucky Pulpit died at Harris Farms of a heart attack after covering his first mare of the season.