'Chrome' Back to Los Al After San Diego Win

"Congratulations, Mr. Sherman!" one exercise rider yelled out. "You're a legend, Mr. Sherman!" announced a pony rider. "Atta boy, Art," a jockey agent said as he walked by.

Walking around the Del Mar barn area July 24, seemingly everyone who got within earshot of trainer Art Sherman wanted to express their appreciation for what they experienced the day before, when California Chrome   and Dortmund did battle in the stretch during the San Diego Handicap (gr. II).

BALAN: 'Chrome' Edges Dortmund in Del Mar Battle

"That was a nice prep, right?" Sherman said jokingly of the head-and-head stretch duel that ended up just 0.84 seconds off the Del Mar track record for 1 1/16 miles.

What Sherman was most impressed with Sunday morning was how his star chestnut came out of his hard-earned, half-length victory.

"Chrome looked good this morning," the trainer said. "I was really happy with the way he recovered. I thought he'd be dead in the water after that trip. I was amazed by his vitality this morning."

Chrome took an early van ride north to his Los Alamitos Race Course base Sunday, departing Del Mar at 8 a.m. PDT.

"He told me he was homesick," Sherman said with a laugh.

The plan for now is to give the 2014 Horse of the Year a couple breezes at Los Al before shipping back to Del Mar about a week before the TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I), a race that should include Dortmund and defending winner Beholder.

"We'll get a couple easy drills into him," Sherman said. "Now that we've got this prep into him, both (he and Dortmund) will come back to the Pacific Classic as better horses. It's going to be a hell of a race. You put these horses in with Beholder—that's some kind of group."

Sherman opted to train up to the Pacific Classic at Los Al after observing how California Chrome behaved leading into the San Diego. At Del Mar, the 5-year-old chestnut gets a bit worked up, which is all right a few days leading into a race, but not something Sherman wants to deal with for almost a full month. At Los Al, he's noticeably more relaxed.

"With all the hustle and the bustle, and everybody wanting to come by all the time, I think for him—with all the action around here—he gets so stirred up," Sherman said. "It's just too much action for him. He doesn't fret or anything, but walking past some of these pens—he's a stud horse and gets keyed up"