California Chrome works seven furlongs with Espinoza aboard

CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome worked seven furlongs in 1:25.40 Sunday at Los Alamitos, the first time jockey Victor Espinoza had been aboard the colt since a second-place finish in the $10 million Dubai World Cup last March.

Espinoza found himself doing a bit more than expected to encourage California Chrome in the final furlong Sunday. Working with stablemate Unusually Big, California Chrome started three lengths behind, drew alongside in the stretch, and was urged late to draw away.

California Chrome worked without blinkers, as he has in recent months. Espinoza said that would suggest to trainer Art Sherman that he fit California Chrome with blinkers for his 2016 debut in the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 9.

“He’s coming back better than before,” Espinoza said. “I feel he works better with blinkers on. Without them, I had to ask him a little bit. I know with the blinkers he’s more focused.”

In the final furlong of Sunday’s workout, Espinoza urged California Chrome more vigorously than exercise rider Dihigi Gladney had done in recent workouts.

From Sherman’s perspective, this was a key workout, the longest of California Chrome’s preparation and a chance for Espinoza to become reacquainted with the 2014 Horse of the Year.

“This is the first time he’s really stretched his legs, too,” Sherman said. “I needed to get a good work.”

Sherman indicated after the workout that he is leaning toward fitting California Chrome with blinkers for the San Pasqual. California Chrome has worn blinkers in all but the first three of his 18 starts.

Unusually Big was timed in 1:27. According to Los Alamitos clocker Russ Hudak, California Chrome worked the first half-mile in 48.20 seconds and the last three furlongs in 37.20. He was timed in 1:12.20 for the first six furlongs.

California Chrome has not raced since finishing second in the Dubai World Cup. Races at Royal Ascot in England in June and the Arlington Million in Chicago in August were abandoned because of minor injuries.

California Chrome was rested for 90 days at Taylor Made Farms in Kentucky in late summer and early fall before rejoining Sherman’s stable at Los Alamitos in October. California Chrome has worked steadily since late November.

Sunday’s workout was geared toward having California Chrome ready for his 2016 campaign, the focus of which is firmly on a return trip to Dubai for the World Cup on March 26. After the San Pasqual, California Chrome is scheduled to be shipped to Dubai in late January for a prep race there in late February or early March.

Steve Coburn and Perry Martin bred California Chrome, but Coburn’s minority share was acquired by Taylor Made Farms in the summer. A California-bred, California Chrome has won nine races and earned $6,322,650. He is best known for winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2014.