Steckbrief » lost wide receiver Quinton Patton and linebacker Nick B

The announcement this week that Love the Chase, dam of California Chrome, will be bred next year to American Pharoahs sire Pioneerof the Nile set the imagination alight. North Americas richest racehorse would now be step-brother to racings most recent Triple Crown winner. Or something like that.Breeding news abounds at this time of year. High-priced racemares have been changing hands like hot stocks. Broodmares in foal are counting the days. Young stallions are sniffing the air, getting in the mood for their first rites of spring.And then there is California Chrome.Any other year, California Chrome would be winding down from four seasons of competition to be dealing with his first Kentucky winter, in his case at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville.But no, the 5-year-old chestnut with the road-stripe blaze is still hard at work at Los Alamitos, exercising each morning under the lights, giving Dihigi Gladney all he can handle in the irons as the father-son training team of Art and Alan Sherman looks on, calculating each stride as a step toward the $12 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 28.To that end, California Chrome will be turned loose Saturday afternoon for a practice session in full pads around the Los Alamitos oval he knows so well. Management has cobbled together a $100,000 stakes race and named it the Winter Challenge, even though it looks more like the Globetrotters vs. the Washington Generals.Normally, it would be all hands on deck with the California Chrome syndicate whenever its hero/ATM goes postward. The bitter taste of his noble loss to Arrogate in the Breeders Cup Classic still lingers, and the Winter Challenge figures to be a good way to at least partially cleanse the palate. Unfortunately, certain Christmas plans were set in stone long before the Sherman brain trust and Dr. Ed Allred of Los Alamitos put the race in play, so it will be Chrome and several thousand of his closest friends and fans gathered in Orange County on Saturday for carols and hot toddies.Mike and Linda Stinson are sick at heart over missing the race in person. Since becoming part of the California Chrome ownership group a year ago, they have been loyal camp followers, traveling far and wide from their Fort Worth, Texas, home to fly the flag.Our annual family Christmas function is on Saturday, Linda Stinson said this week. Its about to kill us to miss the race. But the party will stop to gather around the television to watch the race, count on that.The Stinsons have been married going on 44 years and racing fans together for just as long. Mike Stinsons career in banking and financial services has allowed them to own racehorses of all creeds and colors, and one of them is Peppers Pride, the most famous Thoroughbred ever produced in the state of New Mexico. She won all 19 of her races, the climax coming on Dec. 14, 2008, at Sunland Park. Upon her retirement, the Stinsons bought into her broodmare career with owner-breeder Joe Allen.Peppers Pride took up residence at Taylor Made, which is why it made perfect sense that Mike Stinson was on the shortlist of potential partners when the farm bought an interest in California Chrome. He confessed to being a Chromie from the start.First of all, I always thought there was more to this horses pedigree than people were willing to acknowledge up front, Stinson said. But before I even got to the pedigree, his 2-year-old races showed me a tactical high cruising speed, almost push-button style. And I just love that in a horse. When youve got speed, youve got options.When he turned 3, it just looked like as you stretched him out, that speed would be even more effective, Stinson added. I remember telling Frank Taylor before California Chrome ran in the Belmont, If there was any opportunity to do anything with the horse, count us in.Partnering with owner and co-breeder Perry Martin, the Taylors of Taylor Made formed a syndicate of investors who would be able to bring quality mares to the court of California Chrome. Certainly, the Stinsons qualified on that count with Peppers Pride, whose second foal, by Distorted Humor, named Punctuate, impressively won a Del Mar maiden race for Arnold and Ellen Zetcher.As a bonus, the new partners got a racing season to remember, with victories in the Dubai World Cup and Pacific Classic, three other major stakes, and that dramatic second in the Breeders Cup.It was assumed that Peppers Pride would be among the first group of mares bred to California Chrome next year -- once he has dealt with the Pegasus World Cup -- but recent events have put that decision on hold.She lost her foal about three weeks ago, Stinson said. It was a twisted umbilical chord, one of those odd things that happens. Fortunately, she will be healthy enough to breed next year.The foal was by American Pharoah.Whether she goes to him or Chrome, we dont know yet, Stinson said. Were guaranteed in the deal to go back to American Pharoah, so wed have to work that out.In the meantime, there is still work to be done on the racetrack.Its bittersweet, these last two races for Chrome, Linda Stinson said. But we could never have imagined the year hes given us. David Peralta Jersey . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. Alex Avila Jersey . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-adam-jones-jersey/ . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Ketel Marte Jersey .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. Rob Refsnyder Diamondbacks Jersey . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. New Yorks Janoris Jenkins injured his back in Sundays game against Detroit in a blow to a standout season for the Giants corner.Jenkins was on the ground for several minutes after he was injured early in the second quarter. He eventually jogged to the sideline, left for the locker room and did not return for the second half.Jenkins was hurt knocking down a pass. He hit Eric Ebron, then spun and teammate Trevin Wades right leg collided with Jenkins back.Also Sunday, Lions corner Darius Slay left with a hamstring injury. Slay went down early in the first half and didnt come out for the start of the third quarter.Hed been battling a hamstring issue for nearly two months.Broncos tight end Virgil Green left with a concussion in the first quarter against the Patriots. And the Broncos announced early in the second half that defensive end Derek Wolfe was out with a neck injury. That left Denver with just four D-linemen to defend New Englands run game.The San Francisco 49ers lost wide receiver Quinton Patton and linebacker Nick Bellore to injuries in the first half against the Falcons.ddddddddddddFalcons linebacker DeVondre Campbell was knocked out with a concussion.Bellore was taken to the locker room with an elbow injury. He returned to the sideline, but was declared out for the game.The Titans lost cornerback Jason McCourty to a chest injury midway through the first quarter of their game in Kansas City. He was questionable to return. His injury left rookies Kevin Byard and LeShaun Sims to play alongside Rashad Johnson.Titans safety DaNorris Searcy was being evaluated for a concussion, another blow to a backfield that had already lost McCourty to a chest injury.Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters left their game against Tennessee with what appeared to be a groin injury midway through the third quarter.Tennessee lost defensive tackle Karl Klug to an ankle injury earlier in the second half.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '