California Chrome, Stellar Wind get to work

DEL MAR, Calif. – The champions California Chrome and Stellar Wind are not scheduled to race in September. They probably could be ready to run on a moment’s notice judging from the enthusiasm of their trainers on Saturday.

California Chrome and Stellar Wind are set to run in Grade 1 races worth $300,000 at Santa Anita on Oct. 1 – California Chrome in the Awesome Again Stakes at 1 1/8 miles and Stellar Wind in the Zenyatta Stakes at
1 1/16 miles.

Both had workouts at Southern California tracks on Saturday that left their respective trainers anxious for this month to fly by.

California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year, worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds at Los Alamitos, his first workout since a win in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 20.

“He looked nice,” trainer Art Sherman said. “He was just galloping. He was full of himself.”

Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Del Mar. Trained by John Sadler, Stellar Wind has not raced since winning the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on July 30.

“She’s never been better,” Sadler said. “She’s fantastic.”

California Chrome is unbeaten in five starts this year. In March, he won the Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. California Chrome will be a heavy favorite in the Awesome Again Stakes, a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.

Sherman said California Chrome has retained a high level of energy through the summer, which he said was evident in the way exercise rider Dihigi Gladney handled the 5-year-old during Saturday’s workout.

“I saw the hold he had on him,” Sherman said.

Los Alamitos is hosting a California Chrome Day this Saturday, the first Saturday of its September meeting. The season begins Thursday and runs through Sept. 25.

California Chrome is scheduled to have a public workout at Los Alamitos at 7 a.m. Pacific on Saturday.

Stellar Wind will be sent to Santa Anita with Sadler’s stable in the coming days and will continue workouts there through the month. Her next workout is scheduled for this Saturday.

“That gives her a week to get acclimated to Santa Anita,” Sadler said. “We’re very good on the calendar.”