California Chrome sharp in Saturday morning workout

CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome continued his preparation for 2016 with a sharp five-furlong workout in 1:01 at Los Alamitos early Saturday morning.
The workout was typical of California Chrome’s Saturdays in the last month – a series of pre-dawn exercises, increasing in intensity each week and leaving trainer Art Sherman satisfied with the progress of the 2014 Horse of the Year.

California Chrome returned to Sherman’s stable in October after a three-month break. The $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 9 is a likely first target.

What was missing this week, however, was the presence of a rival champion training 400 miles to the north. On Thursday, Shared Belief, who beat California Chrome in the San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita last February, was euthanized as a result of an acute case of colic. Shared Belief was the champion 2-year-old male of 2013.

The two horses met twice. California Chrome finished in front of Shared Belief in their first meeting, when they were third and fourth behind Bayern in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November 2014. They were expected to meet at some point in 2016.

“I think we would have had some super races,” said Sherman. “Down the line, we would have hooked up in the Pacific Classic or the Breeders’ Cup.”

Sherman said he spent time with Shared Belief’s trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer, on Friday morning. The two have been friends for decades.

Without Shared Belief, California Chrome is the undisputed leader of the older horse division in California, although he is likely to face a challenge from the 3-year-old Dortmund, a six-time stakes winner who won the Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 28.

Saturday’s workout by California Chrome was the longest since his return to training. Ridden by exercise rider Dihigi Gladney, California Chrome worked alone, and visibility was not ideal, with California Chrome working minutes before dawn. The Los Alamitos track was not fully lit, and a light bank of fog was present at the top of the stretch.

Typical of recent weeks, California Chrome started slow and finished quickly. California Chrome started at the half-mile pole and ran the opening quarter-mile in 25 seconds. The stretch at Los Alamitos is more than a quarter-mile in length. California Chrome was timed from the quarter pole to the finish in 22.80 and finished the work into the turn in 1:01.

“I really like the way he’s going,” said Sherman.

California Chrome has not raced since finishing second in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates in March, and the same race on March 26 is a goal for early in the 2016 season. On Saturday, Sherman emphasized California Chrome will have a prep race in Dubai in February or early March and is likely to be sent to the Middle East as early as late January.

“It will make a big difference to have a race under his belt,” said Sherman.

California Chrome is co-owned by breeder Perry Martin and Taylor Made Farms. In the summer, Taylor Made bought a minority share of California Chrome from owner and co-breeder Steve Coburn.

A California-bred by Lucky Pulpit, California Chrome has won 9 of 18 starts and earned $6,322,650. In addition to his title as 2014 Horse of the Year, California Chrome was the champion 3-year-old male of 2014. During that season, his major wins were the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Hollywood Derby.