California Chrome schools at gate for turf debut

DEL MAR, Calif. – California Chrome, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, on Wednesday had his most extensive day of training since arriving at Del Mar over the weekend, his morning tasks including schooling in the starting gate and then galloping a bit more than 1 1/2 miles around the main track.

Later Wednesday morning, his trainer, Art Sherman, marched over to the racing office to enter California Chrome in the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby, which will be run Saturday and will mark the first start for California Chrome on turf.

California Chrome has done well since arriving here from his regular base of Los Alamitos. He worked on the turf Sunday and walked, per usual, on Monday, but he was feeling so frisky Tuesday morning that he galloped with exercise rider Willie Delgado instead of the jog that Sherman usually gives him the second day after a workout.

On Wednesday, California Chrome initially made his way to the starting gate, which is placed in the 1 1/4-mile chute, before his gallop.

“He looked down that ‘V,’ schooled perfect,” Sherman said. “That’s the only time I worry about him, when he gets to the gate.”

Early in his career, California Chrome had a tendency to rock back and forth when awaiting the start. He has broken fine in recent races, but Sherman doesn’t want any backsliding.

“The last two or three times, he’s been really good,” Sherman said. “I hope it continues. That’s why I school him right before he runs.”

Soon after California Chrome got back to the barn, Sherman was visited by Tom Robbins, Del Mar’s executive vice president of racing, and David Jerkens, the track’s racing secretary.

“I guess they thought I might forget the entry,” Sherman said, laughing.

The Hollywood Derby field also was expected to include Lexie Lou, the filly who defeated boys when winning the Queen’s Plate.

If both California Chrome and Lexie Lou run, it will be the first meeting of Kentucky Derby and Queen’s Plate winners since Funny Cide (who finished eighth) and Wild Desert (sixth) both ran in the 2006 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga.

Weekend stakes action

The Hollywood Derby is one of five graded stakes races that will be run Saturday and Sunday, with three Saturday and two more, including the Grade 1 Matriarch, on Sunday.

The supporting features Saturday are the $200,000 Native Diver for older horses and the $150,000 Jimmy Durante for 2-year-old fillies, both Grade 3 races.

The Native Diver, at 1 1/8 miles on Polytrack, was expected to include Big Cazanova, who set two track records here during the summer, as well as Blue Tone and Tamarando.

The Durante, formerly known as the Miesque when run at Hollywood Park, was expected to lure a large field, including Conquest Harlanate and Rainha Da Bateria, for the one-mile grass race.

The $300,000 Matriarch, at one mile on turf for older females, was expected to have a small field headed by Discreet Marq, La Tia, Queen of the Sand, and Strathnaver.

Also Sunday is the Grade 3, $150,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes, a one-mile grass race for 2-year-olds that was known as the Generous when it was run at Hollywood. Among those expected for the DeMille were Conquest Typhoon, Daddy D T, Papacoolpapacool, and the Peter Miller-trained duo of Rock Shandy and St. Joe Bay.

Tribute planned for Himmel

Del Mar on Friday will name a race in honor of Larry Himmel, the popular local television journalist and passionate racing fan who died Nov. 5 at age 68.

Himmel, who worked for the local CBS affiliate, was a frequent visitor to Del Mar and would spend a week at Saratoga every summer.

During Friday’s card, the infield video board will show several of Himmel’s racing features. There also will be a presentation in the winner’s circle by Del Mar for his wife, Joan, and son, Miles, a former summer intern at the track and aspiring broadcast journalist in his own right.

◗ Trainer Paula Capestro was fined $250 by Del Mar’s stewards after two of her runners tested positive for excessive amounts of the legal medication phenylbutazone, known as Bute, during the fall meeting at Santa Anita.

◗ Del Mar will have a craft beer and cider fest near the Seaside Concert area on Saturday. Gates open at 11 a.m. Pacific, first post is 12:30 p.m., and more than 100 local and international beers will be available from noon until 4 p.m. Admission to the beer fest is $18 and includes five 7 oz. samples.

– additional reporting by Ron Gierkink