California Chrome has entered the home stretch. The Dubai World Cup winner will make his first and last competitive appearance at Los Alamitos racecourse on Saturday when he takes on nine rivals in the $180,000 (Dh661,000) Winter Challenge.
The 1,700-metre race has been set up by the racecourse to give California’s most famous equine resident a home prep ahead of his curtain call run in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup next month at Gulfstream Park.
Although Breeders’ Cup conqueror Arrogate has yet to be fully pitched in to what will become the world’s richest race on January 28, there is every chance the two are on course for a rematch of their thrilling battle at Santa Anita in Florida.
For now, there is the small matter of Saturday’s run out.
For a horse who has raced in Dubai, attempted to do so in England and has criss-crossed the North American continent for the past three seasons it will be a strange sensation to simply cross the racecourse from his stable in order to compete.
Come rain or shine his legion of fans, known as Chromies, will be out in force but even though the five-year-old has displayed versatility enough to win on dirt and turf there is still a possibility that too much rain in the Golden State could scupper the chances of him running.
Rain was forecast for much of Friday but trainer Art Sherman has stated that only if the track is unsafe will he scratch. California Chrome has never even run on a sloppy track and after 25 starts and $14,452,650 in career earnings it seems a bit late in the day to start teaching an old dog new tricks.
Running in a race worth just $50,000 to the winner is hardly worth the risk when the biggest payday of the horse’s career is only around the corner, and with some choice mares booked for his imminent stallion career that applies doubly so.
Those who are primed to flock to the racecourse will be buoyed by the forecast sunny weather on Saturday and Sherman’s comments, however.
"I feel good about getting to run him here with all the people," Sherman told the Los Angeles Daily News. "We've trained here for three years, travelled all over the world from here. It's just nice when you can have your horse in front of the public, and you hope to have a clean race with no problems."
California Chrome has been drawn wide in Gate 10 and has been allotted 126 pounds. He gives weight to all his rivals, with Group Three winner Point Piper and the promising Avanti Bello all that really stands in his and Victor Espinoza’s way.
It will be not long until Sherman will have an empty box at Los Alamitos and huge hole in his life, and the 79-year-old trainer was in a reflective mood this week. Nothing will ever replace California Chrome’s victory in the 2014 Kentucky Derby, but Sherman looks back fondly at his success at Meydan.
“They had 60,000 people there at the Meydan racetrack, and with no betting,” he added. “He got a standing ovation when he got back to the winner’s circle. It was quite a sight, to see the people standing up and clapping.
“He’s got quite a following from all over the world. I get all sorts of (stuff) from all over Europe. They just love Chrome. It’s really remarkable.”
Just two to go.
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