Santa Anita: California Chrome targets San Felipe Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Art Sherman is the trainer of California Chrome, the winner of Saturday’s $250,750 California Cup Derby for statebreds at Santa Anita. He is quickly becoming the colt’s biggest fan.

On Sunday, Sherman said he was delighted by the way California Chrome burst clear in early stretch to win the race over 1 1/16 miles by 5 1/2 lengths.

“The horse kind of impressed me,” Sherman said. “I was hoping he didn’t move too quickly.”

The victory has left Sherman ready to try California Chrome in the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes over 1 1/16 miles against open company March 8. The San Felipe is a prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 5.

“It will give us a chance to run against those kind of horses,” he said.

In the Cal Cup Derby, California Chrome won his third stakes. Last year, California Chrome won two stakes for California-breds – the Graduation Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar in July and the King Glorious Stakes over seven furlongs at Betfair Hollywood Park in December. Jockey Victor Espinoza was aboard for the King Glorious and Cal Cup Derby.

Owned by breeders Perry Martin and Steve Coburn, California Chrome has won 4 of 8 starts and earned $354,850. Last September, California Chrome started in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and finished a troubled sixth, beaten two lengths by Tamarando, who was second in the Cal Cup Derby.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

The Cal Cup Derby was one of five stakes for California-breds on Saturday. Of the other four winners, Weewinnin, who won the $251,500 Cal Cup Turf Classic over 1 1/8 miles, is most likely to run in a graded stakes in his next start.

Trainer Brian Koriner said turf races such as the $350,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 8 or the $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes over 1 1/2 miles on March 22 are possibilities.

“The mile-and-a-half division is not the strongest anymore,” Koriner said. “But they’ll all come up tough at this point.”

Weewinnin missed most of his 3-year-old season after undergoing surgery to have a bone chip removed from a knee. The Cal Cup Turf Classic was his first start over 1 1/8 miles.

“He ran to the level you’re looking to see him run to have fun and make some money,” Koriner said.

Big Macher, the winner of the $126,000 Cal Cup Sprint over six furlongs, is likely to stay in one-turn races, trainer Richard Baltas said.

Susans Express will stay on turf after winning the $201,500 Cal Cup Oaks for 3-year-old fillies over a mile. Co-owner and breeder Ed Delaney praised the work of trainer Jorge Periban, who won his first stakes in the United States in the Cal Cup Oaks. Susans Express paid $132.40 as the longest shot in a field of 14.

“He’s done a great job,” Delaney said of Periban. “I think we’ll leave her on turf. She’s a different filly on the turf than the dirt.”

Ciao Bella Luna will be pointed for the $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes on the hillside turf course March 15 as a possible prep for the $300,000 Madison Stakes over seven furlongs at Keeneland on April 12, trainer Peter Miller said. Ciao Bella Luna won the $126,500 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint on Saturday.

Electric Eddie, who was pulled up in the Cal Cup Derby with a condylar fracture to his left foreleg, is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday to insert stabilizing screws, trainer Ben Cecil said.

“The prognosis is good,” Cecil said. “He won’t race again. He should be a riding horse or something like that.”

Electric Eddie suffered damage to a sesamoid, but Cecil said that does not require surgery. Initially, he feared the worst when Electric Eddie was pulled up in the final furlong.

“When I walked on the track, I thought we’d have to put him down,” he said. “The only thing they’ll operate on is the condylar. It will have three or four screws, I’m not sure of the exact amount.”

Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Electric Eddie was winless in eight starts and earned $122,080 during his racing career. He was second in two stakes last fall – the Golden State Juvenile for California-breds and the Real Quiet Stakes against open company.