California Chrome Brought Sherman Back to Churchill

Fifty-nine years after his first trip to the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs as the exercise rider for Swaps, Art Sherman returned in 2014, this time as the trainer of the favorite, California Chrome . Again, everything came up roses, with California Chrome triumphant as Swaps was nearly six decades before.

In a conversation from California, where he is based with 11 horses at Los Alamitos Race Course, the 83-year-old Sherman reminisced on California Chrome's Derby victory and other remembrances of training the two-time Horse of the Year.

"Winning the Derby, there is nothing like it," he said. "You can win a lot of races, which we did—we won the race in Dubai, the big race at Del Mar. But you know, I think the Derby was by far my favorite because it brought back a lot of memories for me with having been there when I was a kid with Swaps. It was quite a different feeling this time."

REPLAY: California Chrome Wins Kentucky Derby 140

A different feeling, but not a different result—making Sherman the oldest trainer to win the Kentucky Derby at age 77. Previously, Charlie Whittingham held the record, training Sunday Silence to win the 1989 Derby at age 76.

Now in 2020, Sherman is still going strong, having survived a health scare last year when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

"I think I'm cancer-free now. I've had some treatments and I'm feeling pretty good now," he said.

Sherman wants to make it back to Churchill Downs and to the Kentucky Derby Museum, which he visited in 2014. He laughed, remembering that visit.

"The gal in the museum said to me, 'You know your old friend is buried behind here,'" he recalled. "And I said, 'Who in the world is that?' 

"I had no idea Swaps was buried back there, no idea. So I felt it was a real emotional kind of thing, you know, going back again. It was quite a surprise for me but yet I was sure happy I got to see him. It brought back a lot of memories as a kid, you know."

Then California Chrome went out and made more Derby memories for Sherman. Third early passing the stands for the first time, Sherman said he felt relieved, knowing his horse had avoided "that big kind of a train wreck getting into that first turn."

"At the quarter pole, I felt real good," he added. "I knew he'd kick it in and give you all he could. It was an excitement that I'll always remember."

Though none of Sherman's current trainees are of such high quality—"just horses, no superstars" was his evaluation—he is hopeful of the future for a California Chrome yearling he owns named Macho Chrome.

"He just looks a spitting image of him, four white feet, a blaze," he said. "I hope to train him and that will be my farewell, I think."

Subscribe to BloodHorse Daily to view expanded photos of California Chrome's victory in the April 28 edition!