School in Session for Chrome on Thursday
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California Chrome gets a bath after his schooling session today. (Photo by NYRA/Chelsea Durand)
California Chrome on Thursday continued preparations for the Belmont Stakes on June 7, when he will attempt to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to complete a sweep of the U.S. Triple Crown.
The chestnut Lucky Pulpit colt schooled in the paddock on Thursday for the first time since he arrived at Belmont Park on May 20. He walked around the paddock shortly after 6 a.m. before standing in a stall for about five minutes.
He then walked through the tunnel and onto the main track where he jogged clockwise to the half-mile pole before beginning his usual counter-clockwise, two-mile gallop.
“He pretty much goes at his own pace,” said Alan Sherman, who assists his father, trainer Art Sherman. “Like, you see him the first time around, he's real easy, and then he hits the half-mile pole and starts to pull on [exercise rider] Willie [Delgado] pretty good. Today he was pulling on him a little more than usual.”
Alan Sherman said California Chrome probably will school in the paddock multiple times next week before his regular exercise.
“We don't do a lot of schooling in the afternoon, hardly at all,” he said. “We always school in the morning. It's just something we do. Whether it's right or wrong, I don't know. It's just the way we do it.
“I just don't like to interrupt his feeding, his dinner,” Sherman added.
California Chrome is scheduled to school at the starting gate at 6:30 a.m. on Friday. His Saturday breeze is now scheduled for 6:30 as well, according to Sherman.
CALIFORNIA CHROME SLIDESHOW
POTENTIAL BELMONT STARTERS
Horse
Owner
Trainer
California Chrome
Steven Coburn & Perry Martin
Art Sherman
Commanding Curve
West Point Thoroughbreds
Dallas Stewart
Commissioner
WinStar Farm
Todd Pletcher
Kid Cruz
Vina Del Mar TBs & Black Swan Stb.
Linda Rice
Matterhorn
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
Todd Pletcher
Matuszak
C R K Stable
Bill Mott
Medal Count
Spendthrift Farm
Dale Romans
Ride On Curlin
Daniel J. Dougherty
Billy Gowan
Samraat
My Meadowview Farm
Richard Violette Jr.
Social Inclusion
Rontos Racing Stable
Manny Azpurua
Tonalist
Robert S. Evans
Christophe Clement
Wicked Strong
Centennial Farm
Jimmy Jerkens