Sherman honored as Big Sport of Turfdom

TUCSON, Ariz. – Art Sherman, the trainer of 2016 Horse of the Year candidate California Chrome, was presented with the Turf Publicists of America Big Sport of Turfdom Award on Tuesday during a luncheon held at the annual Symposium on Racing and Gaming.

During his acceptance remarks, Sherman, 79, thanked his family and shared memories of both California Chrome, who won the 2104 Kentucky Derby, and Swaps, the 1955 Derby winner. Sherman was Swaps’s regular exercise rider.

“It’s been a great life for me and my family,” Sherman said.

The Big Sport of Turfdom Award is presented annually to a “person or group of people who enhance coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and racing publicists.” In introducing Sherman during the lunch, Michael Wrona, the racetrack announcer at Santa Anita and Golden Gate, credited Sherman with conducting “thousands” of interviews during California Chrome’s four-year career.

Sherman said he remains humbled by being widely recognized in public, and he thanked the “Chromies,” the term given to the fans of California Chrome.

“It’s been one of the wildest times of my life,” Sherman said.