Art Sherman Archives - Thoroughbred U

December 15, 2016December 15, 2016

A New Challenge for Chrome

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California Chrome at Taylor Made Farm, 2015 — **California Chrome** at Taylor Made Farm, 2015

What a nice surprise! It has been well known that California Chrome would have the last race of his career in the Pegasus World Cup but it came as an unforeseen announcement that we would get to see Chrome race this December too! In fact, this race was created just for Junior (A.K.A. California Chrome) and his Chromies. The mighty Chrome will race at home!

Before Chrome established a home in Kentucky for rest and his future retirement from racing, he was bred and raised in California. He stayed at Harris Farms until the ripe racing age of 2. Then, he moved to the barn of trainer, Art Sherman, at Los Alamitos Race Course. He worked at Los Alamitos but never raced there in all 25 of his career starts. Despite that oversight, Chrome has had so much success at other CA tracks and worldwide that he attracts a large group of dedicated fans, Chromies, when he does his preps and gallops at his home base of Los Alamitos.

Knowing that his trainer had some interest in keeping Chrome’s head in the game and that Junior’s local fans would love to watch him, the track officials of Los Alamitos decided to design a race to suit Chrome’s needs, The Winter Challenge Stakes. Chrome last raced in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on 11/5/16. It was a shock to most that he lost his first race as a five year old that day. Arrogate managed to surpass Chrome and thus he came in second. If they face off in the Pegasus on 1/28/16, I don’t think that will happen again. Chrome will use his Los Alamitos race for one more practice, as a winner. In his final prep for the Winter Challenge, Chrome worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.60.

Why would any horse compete against Chrome at home? In fact 33 nominations were made for The Winter Challenge. 12 Thoroughbreds stepped up as entries, only 9 will be permitted to face off with Chrome. With a purse of $180,000 (if 10 horses race, $100,000 if less) and a guaranteed $10,000 to any horse that finishes, the race looked too good to miss for these contenders by post/horse/jockey trainer:

Howdy/Chantal Sutherland/Peter Eurton
Wrightwood/Jose L. Verenzuela/Brian J. Koriner
Presidentsky/Brayan Pena/John Brocklebank
Point PiperMario Gutierrez/Jerry Hollendorfer
Ain’t Misbehavin/Kent J. Desormeaux/Vladimir Cerin
Lucky J Lane/Jamie Theriot/Brian J. Koriner
Avanti Bello/Drayden Van Dyke/Doug F. O’Neill
Unusual Meeting/Tiago Jose Pereira/Gary Stute
Papacoolpapacool/Tyler Baze/Phillip D’Amato
California ChromeVictor Espinoza/Art Sherman
Air Pocket/Noberto Arroyo, Jr./Rafael DeLeon
Ground Rules/Noberto Arroyo, Jr./Clifford W. Sise, Jr.

Please, note the final two entries are actually just “also eligible” should a horse have to scratch. Unfortunately, if it rains we may see that. I even read a rumor Chrome could forfeit if the track became sloppy, let’s hope that doesn’t happen. Recent material has suggested the weather should improve prior to post time.

The Winter Challenge will post on Saturday 12/17/16. It is race 9 on the card that day,at Los Alamitos. The distance is 1 and 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) on dirt for horses 3 years old and upward. Post time is 4:28 P.M. for CA locals (7:28 P.M. EST).

Following the Winter Challenge, Chrome will work at Los Alamitos around 12/31/16 again and then ship to Gulfstream in Florida on 1/6/17 to prepare for the Pegasus.

Chrome's future home — **Chrome’s** future home

Go, Chrome Go! I will be pulling for California Chrome in The Winter Challenge and I will be posting more about him prior to the Pegasus. In other Chrome related news. His dam, Love the Chase, who is currently in foal to Tapit, North America’s leading sire for years, will be bred in 2017 to Pioneer of the Nile, American Pharoah’s sire. We can look forward to some well bred Chrome siblings soon.

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November 1, 2016November 1, 2016

A “Cup”le More Wins for Chrome and Other BC16 News

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Undefeated in 2016, our happy boy, California Chrome, is preparing for the last “Cup”le races of his career. Chrome will race for the Breeders’ “Cup” and the Pegasus World “Cup” before retiring to stud.

California Chrome is the favorite to win the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Chrome has had an amazing career that has done so much for the Thoroughbred industry and for charity. California Chrome has only improved with time over his 5 year life span.

Chrome, also known as Junior, was foaled on 2/18/11. He was born of Lucky Pulpit and Love the Chase. Junior has won 15 of 24 career starts. He is trained by Art Sherman, and his jockey is Victor Espinoza. Bred by Perry Martin and Steve Coburn he is now owned by California Chrome, LLC.

Chrome has won many races and awards. In 2014, after winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, he was given Eclipse Awards for Horse of the Year and Champion 3 Year-Old Colt. He was 4th in the Belmont Stakes in 2014, thus missing a Triple Crown achievement. Chrome ran 3rd in the BC Classic in 2014 and he was recovering from a bruised cannon bone when BC15 took place. I had a couple of visits with him during the end of his recovery, at Taylor Made Farm, in Nicholasville, KY. Taylor Made is part of his current LLC. group of owners and it will be this farm that keeps him in his retirement.

California Chrome has won all 6 of his 2016 races. He won the San Pasqual Stakes, the Trans Gulf Electromechanical Trophy, the Dubai World Cup, the San Diego Handicap, the Pacific Classic Stakes and the Awesome Again Stakes.

I am very interested in California Chrome’s return to KY for two reasons. I will enjoy the ease of local visits and second I am so excited for Chrome babies. I won’t be attending BC16. I did take the week off from work. I’ll head out to see the races at The Red Mile, near home. Unfortunately, I have never seen Junior race live thus I want to slow down time and enjoy the last of his races. He has 2 to go with the BC Classic at Santa Anita in CA on 11/5/15 at PDT 5:35 PM (8:35 PM EST) and the first ever Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream in FL on 1/28/17.

While in CA, California Chrome and his connections are continuing to raise money for charity. Chrome is the richest Thoroughbred in North American history but he gives back too. Espinoza is a very charitable jockey. He generally gives up a percentage of his earning and when he won the Triple Crown last year on American Pharoah he gave all of his earnings away. Taylor Made is also generous with charity. They use Chrome power to raise money for multiple charities. Tomorrow they are allowing for a very nice “An Evening With Team California Chrome” where Perry Martin, Art Sherman, Frank Taylor and Victor Espinoza will all speak and donate all the money from the event to Thoroughbred Charities of America. Chrome has the influence to win the hearts of racing fans and to bring attention and funding to many works of charity.

Without further ado, here are the post positions for the Grade 1 BC16 Classic by post/horse/jockey/trainer:

Effinex/Flavien Prat/James A. Jerkins
Frosted/Joel Rosario/Kiaran P. McLaughlin
Keen Ice/Javier Castellano/Todd A. Pletcher
California Chrome/Victor Espinoza/Art Sherman
Win the Space/Gary L. Stevens/George Papadromou
Melatonin/Joseph Talamo/David E. Hofmans
War Story/Scott Spieth/Mario Serey, Jr.
Shaman Ghost/Irad Ortiz, Jr./James A. Jerkens
Hopportunity/John R. Velazquez/Bob Baffert
Arrogate/Mike E. Smith/Bob Baffert

The BC16 Classic is a dirt race of 1 and 1/4 miles (10 furlongs) with a $6,000,000 dollar purse for Thoroughbreds age 3 and upward. I wish all ten horses a safe ride and I will be pulling for Chrome to win.

Don’t miss a race. There are 13 Breeders’ Cup races in 2016. NBC and NBC Sports Network will cover them all. TVG will show select races. On Friday, 11/4, the Juvenile Turf posts at 2:25 PM PDT, the Dirt Mile at 3:05, the Fillies Turf at 3:50 and the Distaff at 4:35. On Saturday, 11/5, all posted in Pacific Time, is the 12:05 PM Juvenile Fillies, 12:45 Filly and Mare Turf, 1:21 Sprint, 2:05 Turf Sprint, 2:43 Sentient Jet Juvenile, 3:22 Longines Turf, 4:01 Filly and Mare Sprint, 4:40 Mile, and finally the 5:35 Classic. The NBC Sport Network will host a 3 hour show on Friday and a 6 and 1/2 hour program on Saturday. The Classic has a special show from 8 to 9 P.M. EST on NBC. Be careful to watch for variances in time zones!

Please, enjoy the last of California Chrome’s races and all of the 2016 Breeders’ Cup. If you are lucky enough to attend live, share a picture or a comment. Check back for results and more adventures.

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May 14, 2016May 14, 2016

California Chrome Concisely

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It’s back to work for California Chrome! Today, 5/14/16, Chrome returned to the Los Alamitos Quarter Horse track in California to work 3 furlongs. He was clocked on the fast dirt with a time of 36.20 and rank 13/36. This is his first workout since he won the $10 million dollar Dubai World Cup on 3/26/16.

California Chrome was foaled at Harris Farms in California on 2/18/11. He is the champion son of Lucky Pulpit and Love the Chase by Not For Love. His breeders are Perry Martin and Steve Coburn. Martin and Taylor Made Farm are his current owners. Chrome is trained by Art Sherman and his jockey is Victor Espinoza. California Chrome is a good looking and well behaved horse. That made him attractive to fans early on. Chrome, also known as Junior, was thrust into stardom when he won the Kentucky Derby in 2014. He has had 21 career starts that have made him the wealthiest in earnings for any Thoroughbred in North America, in all of racing history. He has earned $12,532,650 in his lifetime. He holds two Eclipse Awards. Following the Dubai World Cup, Junior came to Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky to rest up but after last weekend’s Kentucky Derby he headed back to California.

California Chrome has many more races to win before he retires to stud. His connections have him pointed towards a 3 race bonus opportunity. Santa Anita and Del Mar tracks will reward an additional $1 million dollars to the horse that can win the Pacific Classic, the Awesome Again Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Chrome was third in the 2014 BC Classic. To prepare for the bonus threesome Chrome will first take on the $200,000 Grade II San Diego Handicap. Following the BC Classic he may race in the inaugural Pegasus World Cup. This race will top the Dubai World Cup by becoming the world’s richest race, offering a purse of $12 million dollars. Here is Chrome’s predicted path:

San Diego Handicap 7/23/16 at Del Mar in California
Pacific Classic 8/20/16 at Del Mar
Awesome Again Stakes 10/1/16 at Santa Anita in California
Breeders’ Cup Classic 11/5/16 at Santa Anita
Pegasus World Cup 1/28/17 at Gulfstream Park in Florida

Earlier this week Longines announced that California Chrome is still tied for the World’s Best Racehorse with Winx. They are both ranked number one with a rating of 126. Last week’s KY Derby win by another California bred horse put Nyquist on the chart in a 4 way tie for rank 2 and an 124 rating.

Let’s hope Chrome continues to be all smiles as he continues his impressive career. I wish that he will sweep all of these races and then I look forward to the day he begins his stud career at Taylor Made. I can’t wait to cast my eyes upon some Chrome babies! Until then keep sharing and as always, thank you for reading my posts!

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December 31, 2015December 31, 2015

Kisses for Chrome

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Happy New Year to all of you wonderful horse racing fans! I hope that each of you have a safe and pleasant evening followed with good luck in all of 2016. The New Year is a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. It is also a time for celebration and tradition. I will be going to my same favorite bar and grill as I have done for 15 years now. Many folks will exchange a kiss at the stroke of midnight. As I think back on this year, I remember a very special kiss. I stole a kiss from California Chrome!

That’s right, I kissed Chrome this September. I was advised after not to do so, by a staff member at Taylor Made Farm in KY, but I have zero regrets and I look forward to the day he retires to stud there and I might sneak another peck! In fact I am very excited for the new year to see what the future has in store for California Chrome.

Right after I saw Chrome twice in late September, which I covered in my story below, he shipped back to California in October and began training in November. After healing his bruised cannon bone in Kentucky, that occurred sometime after his last race in March of 2015, he is just about ready to race again. The plan for California Chrome appears that he will hopefully race January 9, 2016 at Santa Anita Park in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes for a $200,000 purse. He may then ship to Dubai for another chance at the $10 million dollar Dubai World Cup at Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse on March 26, 2016.

Kentucky Chromasomes

Chrome has had seven workouts on dirt since 11/14/15. All of these workouts were at the Los Alamitos Quarter Horse track in California. His last workout was 12/27/15 and was 7 furlongs. He is gradually running further. This champ is the son of Lucky Pulpit and Love the Chase. Chrome was born in 2011. He has earned over $6 million dollars in his 18 career starts. This horse has won 9 times, placed 3 times and showed once. California Chrome is trained by Art Sherman. He will use his regular jockey in Santa Anita. The jockey is Triple Crown winner, Victor Espinoza. Victor was the jockey when Chrome won the 1st 2 legs on the Triple Crown and then disappointingly came in 4th in the final race, the Belmont Stakes. Chrome has raced 6 times at Santa Anita in California and has won 3 times there including graded stakes wins. Chrome placed 2nd in the Dubai World Cup last March. I am hopeful that in 2016 we will see him excel again. He was the Eclipse Award winner in 2014 for both Horse of the Year and Champion 3 Year Old Colt. It would be wonderful if 2016 brought him another Eclipse Award!

The 2015 Eclipse Award finalist will be announced at Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino in Florida on January 6, 2016. Then the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters and the Daily Racing Form will together vote on the winners. The winners will be announced at Gulfstream on 1/16/16. Tickets can be purchased here: Eclipse Award. The Eclipse Award, founded in 1971, is named for the successful race horse and sire from the 18th century, Eclipse. These awards are given to both human and horse champions in the Thoroughbred racing industry. This year there are 17 categories from which a winner will be named for each.

Happy New Year! Leave a comment on which horse you would like to smooch in 2016! Tomorrow marks the birthday for all Thoroughbreds and for my blog, Thoroughbred U.

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