Win the Space Archives - Thoroughbred U

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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September 30, 2016October 1, 2016

Chrome Again

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California Chrome is ready again to prove that he is the most awesome male in Thoroughbred racing today! Tomorrow, 10/1/16, Chrome will race in the Xpressbet Awesome Again Stakes. Chrome is undefeated in all 5 of his 2016 races and based on his recent workouts he is looking like every bit of the champ that will keep the wins coming. He is 5 at 5!

California Chrome is the flashy 5 year old son of Lucky Pulpit and Love The Chase. Chrome is a California bred Thoroughbred with some Kentucky connections. In 23 starts he has won 14 times. He won 2 of the 3 legs of the Triple Crown in 2014. He finished 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Classic as a 3 year old, as well. Chrome earned 2 Eclipse Awards that same year, Horse of the Year and Champion 3 Year Old Colt. With 2 nice finishes at 2nd in 2015, Chrome traveled a bit and then got some rest and relaxation at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky. That is where I visited him on 2 occasions. He will retire there soon to make beautiful Chrome babies. He is affectionately called Junior and he is both an amazing race horse and just a joy of an animal at the same time. He loves his cookies and hamming it up for the camera and his fans, even babies. Chrome will race in the Awesome Again Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Pegasus World Cup before he returns to his ~~old~~ Kentucky home, to stay.

One race at a time, California Chrome is focused on another win in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Chrome calls nearby Los Alamitos Race Course his current home. His last race was 8/20/16 when he won the Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar. He has been resting and prepping nicely ever since then. He got in a fast 7 furlongs at Los Alamitos on 9/24/16. This morning he galloped and schooled at Santa Anita. All signs show, Chrome is at his best at age 5. It is worth noting that the Stronach group put up a $1 million dollar bonus for the connections of the horse that could sweep the Pacific Classic, the Awesome Again and the BC Classic. 1 down, 2 to go!

The Awesome Again Stakes was inaugurated as the Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap in 1982. The Goodwood name came from England’s Goodwood Racecourse. In 2008 the race became the Goodwood Stakes. Named once again in 2012, it became the Awesome Again Stakes for Awesome Again, the horse that won the BC Classic in 2008. The race is 9 furlongs (1 and 1/8 mile) on the dirt for Thoroughbreds age 3 and up with a purse of $300,000. Some of my personal winners include Ferdinand and Silver Charm. Last year, Smooth Roller won. Posting at 3:37 P.M PDT (6:37 EST) , the Grade 1, Awesome Again Stakes is the 7th race on a card of 11. The first post is at 12:30 P.M. PDT. It is a Breeders’ Cup “Win And You’re In” berth race for the 2016 BC Classic. NBC will begin its television coverage at 5:30 P.M. EST. The preceding race, the G1 FrontRunner Stakes, brings a BC berth into the BC Juvenile Division race. Actually, every race from the 6th to the 10th is a BC berth. Those should be fun to watch and/or bet as well.

The field for the Awesome Again Stakes is as follows by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner:

California Chrome/Victor Espinoza/Art Sherman/California Chrome LLC.
Dortmund/Rafael Bejarano/Bob Baffert/Kaleem Shah
Hoppertunity/Flavien Prat/Bob Baffert/Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman
Win the Space/Gary Stevens/George Papaprodromou/Kretz Racing LLC
Soi Phet/Kent Desormeaux/Leonard Powell/Benowitz Family Trust, Mathilde Powell and Paul A. Viskovich
El Huerfano/Martin Pedroza/Peter Miller/Wachtel Stabel and Gary Barber
Hard Aces/Santiago Gonzalez/John Sadler/Hronis Racing LLC.

I’ll be pulling for California Chrome for his 6th straight win while I’m praying for a safe ride for all. I believe Chrome will be awesome again. My bet will be placed from Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY where I will be simulcasting and taking in some live racing. Mr. Z returns in race 9 at Churchill Downs tomorrow and I love him. He hasn’t raced since November, 2015. I will always remember the day I met Mr. Z, at D. Wayne Lukas’ barn, in the early morning hours and he gave my bestie a love bite on the arm. That is just too funny for me. Check back soon for more photos and commentary from my adventures and education in racing.

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August 19, 2016August 24, 2016

Classic Chrome

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There is always a special feeling of anticipation when our California Chrome is scheduled to race! We will get another spectacular view of this champ tomorrow, 8/20/16, in TVG’s Pacific Classic.

The 26th running of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes will take place at Del Mar Racetrack in the city by the same name, in California. The inaugural race took place there in 1991. The track is 1 and 1/4th miles (10 furlongs) on dirt. Thoroughbreds age 3 and older may compete for the $1 million dollar purse. This is Del Mar’s finest race to date, I believe . They will host the Breeders’ Cup for the first time in 2017 and in my opinion, the BC Classic is one of the few races that has nearly as much proven talent. The Pacific Classic is one of the qualifying races to earn a chance at the BC Classic, “Win and You’re In.”

Many of the best horses have participated in the Pacific Classic. Cigar, Shared Belief, Game on Dude, Lava Man, Tinners Way and Beholder are a few of my favorites. Making a return this year, Beholder with her 8 competitors are just as talented and impressive as the stars of this historical race. The field is as follows by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/age/gender:

California Chrome/Victor Espinoza/Art Sherman/California Chrome, LLC/5YO/male
Hoppertunity/Flavien Prat/Bob Baffert/Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman/5YO/male
War Story/Ricardo Mejias/Dean Greenman/Loooch Racing Stables, Inc. and Glenn K. Ellis/4YO/gelding
Hard Aces/Santiago Gonzalez/John W. Sadler/Hronis Racing, LLC./6 YO/male
Win the Space/Joe Talamo/George Papaprodromou/Kretz Racing LLC./4YO/male
Imperative/Noberto Arroyo, Jr./Richard Baltas/JK Racing Stables/6YO/gelding
Beholder/Gary Stevens/Richard E. Mandella/Spendthrift Farms/6YO/female
Dortmund/Rafael Bejarno/Bob Baffert/Kaleem Sgah, Inc./4YO/male
Dalmore/Kent Desormeaux/J.K. Desormeaux/ Big Chief Racing, LLC., Rocker O Ranch, LLC. And J.K. Desormeaux/3YO/male

In post position one is my number one pick, as well as the morning line favorite, California Chrome. All of the pictures in this story are of Chrome. Each were taken over a precious weekend when I visited him last year, while he rested at Taylor Made Farm in KY. He holds 2 Eclipse Awards, has won 13 of 22 races and holds a record for racing earnings. He is the solo California bred horse in the race, sired by Lucky Pulpit and his dam is Love the Chase.

Hoppertunity, bred in Kentucky, is the progeny of Any Given Saturday and Refugee. He has won 5 of 20 career starts. He was 3rd to Chrome in the 2016 Dubai World Cup. Last year he ran 4th in the Pacific Classic. Hoppertunity is a multiple graded stakes winner.

War Story, also KY bred, is the son of Northern Afleet and Belle Watling. He has placed first in 3 of 12 races. He has had a lot of experience in graded stakes races but not much success.

Another KY boy, Hard Aces is sired by Hard Spun, his dam is All in With Aces. He has won 7 times in his career of 33 starts. He is a multiple graded stakes winner. He was 6th place in the Pacific Classic in 2015. He won his last race/stakes out at Del Mar late July. Perhaps he is on an upswing in California?

The son of Pulpit and Teamgeist is the lovely grey, Win the Space. This horse was bred in KY by Spendthrift Farm. He has won 3 in 12 races. He has not won a graded stakes race.

Imperative is the KY bred offspring of Bernardini and Call Her. He has raced 32 times and has 3 wins. He has not won since 2014 but it was a graded stakes race. He finished 5th in the Pacific Classic in 2015.

Beholder has won an amazing 17 of her 23 races, yet I have never beheld her live myself. She holds 3 Eclipse Awards and finished 1st in the BC Juvenile Fillies, 2012 and BC Distaff, 2013. She is the only filly in the race. Beholder holds a high rank in earnings. She won the Pacific Classic last year. She is the second choice to win per the odds as I write this. Beholder is the KY bred daughter of Henny Hughes and Leslie’s Lady.

In his last race out, Dortmund ran a close 2nd to Chrome in the San Diego Handicap this past July. Dortmund is the KY bred son of Big Brown and Our Josephina. He has won an impressive 8 of 11 races. Dortmund was 3rd in the KY Derby and 4th in the Preakness both up against American Pharoah in 2015. With plenty of talent and California racing experience this guy brings strong competition and is 3rd for the favorite. He shares his trainer, Baffert, with Hoppertunity.

Finally, the last post position is the baby of the bunch, Dalmore. He has 3 wins in his 11 starts. He is the only Florida bred horse in the race. He is the son of Colonel John and Silver Breeze. He won in his last race/graded stakes. He was 5th this year in the California Chrome Stakes.

I have plenty of nerves built up for this showdown. Watch the Pacific Classic live on TVG for Del Mar’s 9th of 11 races on 8/20/16 at 6:15 PM PT. Add 3 hours to that for Eastern Time. Go Chrome!

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July 22, 2016July 22, 2016

Where Our Chrome Is In A League Of His Own

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After much anticipation, our champ, California Chrome, returns to race tomorrow, 7/23/16! In his last race, on 3/26/16, in the $10 million dollar Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in UAE, Chrome finished in first place. I feel strongly that he will be triumphant again Saturday when he races at Del Mar.

Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, CA was inaugurated in 1937. The San Diego Handicap, a stakes race for Thoroughbreds ages 3 and older, began at Del Mar the same year. This race has a purse of $200,000. It is a Grade II race on the dirt at a distance of 1 and 1/16 miles, 9 furlongs. The San Diego Handicap is a favorite prep race for the $1 million dollar Pacific Classic which takes place at Del Mar as well. Del Mar has a few slogans. Most people are familiar with “Where the Turf Meets the Surf”, as Del Mar sits beautifully right on the beach. More recently, the track goes by “Cool as Ever”, to attract a new, young and fashionable crowd. I like my new slogan, “Where Our Chrome is in a League of His Own”!

A field of 7 horses will compete at 6:10 p.m. PT (9:10 p.m. EST) in race 9 tomorrow in the San Diego Handicap. The contenders are as follows by post position/horse/age, gender, state of birth/jockey/trainer/owner/sire,dam

Hard Aces/6YO, H, KY/Santiago Gonzalez/John W. Sadler/Hroni’s Racing, LLC/Hard Spun, All In With Aces
Dortmund/4YO, C, KY/Gary L. Stevens/Bob Baffert/Kaleem Shah, Inc/Big Brown, Our Josephina
Soi Phet/8YO, G, CA/Kent J. Desormeux/Leonard Powell/Benowitz Family Trust, Mathilde Powell, Paul A. Viskovich/Tizbub, Summer Jersey
Crittenden/4YO, G, KY/Martin Garcia/Eoin G. Harty/Godolphin Racing, LLC/Distorted Humor, Calla Lilly
Follow Me Crev/4YO, G, KY/Alonso Quinonez/Vladimir Cerin/Holly and David Wilson/Quality Road, Vicki Vallencourt
California Chrome/5YO, H, CA/Victor Espinoza/Art Sherman/California Chrome, LLC/Lucky Pulpit, Love the Chase
Win the Space/4YO, C, KY/Mike E. Smith/George Papaprodromou/Kretz Racing, LLC/Pulpit, Teamgeist

Hard Aces has won just 6 of 32 races. He has raced at Del Mar. His trainer, John W. Sadler, won the San Diego in 2013.

Dortmund is probably Chrome’s strongest competitor. He has a 8 in 10 record and has experience at Del Mar as well. His trainer, Bob Baffert and owner, Kaleem Shaw, won the San Diego in 2014. His jockey, Gary L. Stevens won the San Diego in 2015.

Soi Phet has a 5 in 33 record. He has not raced at Del Mar.

Crittenden has raced and won at Del Mar. He has a 4 in 15 career. Martin Garcia, his jockey, won the San Diego in 2014.

Follow Me Crev has a 5 in 17 record. He has raced 5 times at Del Mar.

I believe California Chrome will win as he is the favorite and looks to be the strongest contender. He has won 12 times in his 21 career races. I am ready to see him with lucky 13! He has raced at Del Mar 3 times. His jockey, Victor Espinoza, won the San Diego Handicap in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2013.

Win the Space has won 3 of 11 races. He has started at Del Mar 3 times. His jockey, Mike E. Smith won the San Diego in 2006.

Good luck to California Chrome! I hope he wins this race. He is expected to do so. He is our 2014 Horse of the Year and is on top and on the road to grabbing that title in 2016. He has just these last 5 races. After the San Diego Handicap, he will race in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on 8/20/16, the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on 10/1/16, the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on 11/5/16 and finally, the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream on 1/28/17. Following that, he will retire to stud at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky.

Enjoy week 2 of Del Mar and opening day of Saratoga. I won’t make it to the track this weekend so tell me all about your adventures. I will post again next week. Until then, have fun at the races!

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