California Chrome Sizzles in Final Workout for Comeback
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California Chrome glides through a visually impressive workout on Saturday before the start of racing at Santa Anita Park. (BENOIT photo)
by Jeremy Balan, @BH_JBalan
Immediately after California Chrome’s final workout in preparation for the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes, trainer Art Sherman stayed quiet, but his eyes widened in excitement.
The 2014 Horse of the Year exceeded all expectations running six furlongs in an eye-popping 1:10.04 under regular rider Victor Espinoza during a special late-morning workout session Jan. 2 at Santa Anita Park just before the day’s races began.
“I thought if he went in 1:11 and change or 1:12, I’d be happy,” Sherman said from the Santa Anita grandstand after watching the 5-year-old by Lucky Pulpit run quarter-mile fractions of :23.65 and :46.66, with a gallop out to seven furlongs in 1:22 4/5. “I’m happy.”
There were some changes, however, in California Chrome’s recent workout pattern. In Saturday’s drill, he not only breezed on the Santa Anita main track for the first time since returning to the Sherman barn at Los Alamitos in October, but he also had his blinkers back on. Training up to the Jan. 9 San Pasqual, he’s been without blinkers. Sherman was intending on racing without them, but those plans have changed.
“When you have a horse like him, he’s won all his races with blinkers, but I had to give it a try,” Sherman said. “He’s so cool now to train — you know, he’s a different horse. He’s going to be more focused in the race. You can just see in the workout. He’s stronger.”
RACING TERM: BLINKERS
Courtesy of Frankie Lovato's video series: 365 Days of Racing Terminology Challenge
The six-furlong time for California Chrome was the fastest at Santa Anita since the Southern California track reopened for training in September.
“This work was excellent,” Espinoza said. “He’s different from before. Soundness-wise, he’s different. He always had a little bit of weakness behind, in his back end, but with the time off, he’s come back ... he’s stronger and I could feel that the whole time he was running.”
Only two horses have worked faster than 1:11 flat at Santa Anita since September: Imperative (1:10 4/5, Nov. 9) and American Pharoah (1:10 4/5, Oct. 20).
“This is the best I’ve seen him since I’ve had him,” Sherman said. “He looks ready to me.”
California Chrome will remain at Santa Anita up to the San Pasqual, with gallops and schooling sessions scheduled. If weather permits, an afternoon paddock schooling session is tentatively planned.