California Chrome withdrawn from Prince of Wales's Stakes

California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year, was confined to his stall in Newmarket, England, on Tuesday while undergoing treatment for a foot abscess that will prevent him from starting in Wednesday’s Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Trainer Art Sherman said in a phone interview that the abscess in California Chrome’s right front foot had yet to be relieved, but X-rays taken on Tuesday showed no structural damage to the foot.

“The prognosis looks good,” Sherman said. “I X-rayed his foot, and he looks good. He’s just got an abscess. Sometimes it’s three or four days before it pops out, sometimes it’s 10 days before it pops. I was worried it was something else coming on.”

Sherman said California Chrome will be confined to his stall at trainer Rae Guest’s stable until the abscess can be relieved.

“He can’t put any pressure on it,” Sherman said. “He stays in his stall. It will come to a head. I’ve had a lot of horses over the years that have had it.”

The abscess was detected Monday. Sherman said he believes California Chrome bruised his foot during recent training in Newmarket. California Chrome has been based with Guest in Newmarket since early April, shortly after finishing second in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 28.

Sherman stayed in contact with Guest in recent months in the buildup to the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Sherman traveled to England last week to oversee the final days of California Chrome’s training.

Majority owner Perry Martin had hoped to run California Chrome in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, England, on May 16, and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on Wednesday. The Lockinge Stakes was eliminated from California Chrome’s schedule when it was decided that the horse needed more time to recover from Dubai and adapt to training in England.

California Chrome was a 10-1 shot for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes until the injury led to the scratch.

Sherman said plans for California Chrome have not been determined, pending discussions with Martin. Options include remaining in England for the Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park on July 4 or returning to the United States for races such as the Arlington Million at Arlington Park or the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August.

California Chrome, who won the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, has won 9 of 18 starts and earned $6,322,650 for Martin and Steve Coburn.

California Chrome is not traveling until his foot improves, Sherman said.

“He can travel as soon as the infection comes out,” Sherman said. “I haven’t talked to Perry Martin yet as to what his plans are.”