Share This: California Chrome’s saddlecloth from his 2016 Pacific Classic win!
The Breeders’ Cup Classic field is filling up fast! Who will earn the next berth? We will find out this coming Saturday following the great Pacific Classic Stakes. After the 2016 edition, when California Chrome won, the Pacific Classic will always be a favorite stakes race of mine. Does this stakes hold a special memory for you or will you have a new found interest after this 2018 running?
Rise and shine! It’s another beautiful day in sunny Del Mar, California. The race track will soon be packed with fans from all over the earth to watch the last day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Today, the final 9 races will take place where each contending Thoroughbred will stake their place in history.
Share This: Zing Zang, competes in a maiden for Steve Asmussen at Keeneland.
Although it seems we have only just begun, Keeneland initiates its final week of the Fall meet today. The meet is brief but jam packed with quality racing. Thoroughbreds took to the track for live racing on October 7th and will continue to race there until the 28th. I will be present for the final two days of action. There have been several stand out horses, trainers, jockeys and owners involved in this October racing season. I met and had my picture made with one of my long time favorite jockeys, Big Money Mike Smith. A stand out trainer I have been following this Fall, at Keeneland, is Steve Asmussen.
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!
