'Chrome' Eyes BC Classic, Bayern Has Options
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Dual classic winner California Chrome came out of his unplaced finish in the Sept. 20 Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) in good order and is on course for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
The Lucky Pulpit colt was none the worse for wear following his disappointing sixth-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby behind powerful, front-running winner Bayern, who was ridden and rated perfectly by Martin Garcia.
"He came back fine," trainer Art Sherman said from his base at Los Alamitos Race Course. "He looks good. He didn't have the greatest trip in the world, but we'll live to fight another day."
That would be Classic, which is set for Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
"I was blocked a little bit," said California Chrome's regular rider, Victor Espinoza, at Clockers' Corner Tuesday morning at the Arcadia, California, track. "They slowed down pretty good on the first turn (going the first quarter in a leisurely :24.07). That kind of hurt me right there.
"It was a little stressful for me because I wanted to let him go, but I had nowhere to go and no room to go. Nevertheless, he ran a good race, and for his being away for such a long time (since June 7, when the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands gr. I and Preakness Stakes gr. I winner dead-heated for fourth in the Belmont Stakes gr. I when trying to sweep the Triple Crown), things like that will happen.
"Now he has a month before his next race. I think he'll be 100%."
Fresh from his track record-setting victory in the Pennsylvania Derby, Bayern thrust himself into the Breeders' Cup Classic picture as a major player, although trainer Bob Baffert didn't rule out other options on Breeders' Cup Day for Kaleem Shah's son of Offlee Wild , who won the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) in July at Monmouth Park.
"He could run in three races," the Hall of Fame trainer said: "the Sprint (gr. I), the (Dirt) Mile (gr. I), or the Classic. That's how versatile he is. That's how good he is. He's a pretty good horse if he can do all that, right? All the great ones can do that, though."
Bayern (pronounced BY-earn) has won at distances from seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. Of his five victories from nine starts, his combined margin of victory is just under 40 lengths, an average of nearly eight lengths per triumph.
The next race for grade II winner Candy Boy, third in the Pennsylvania Derby, is on hold.
"No plans," trainer John Sadler said Tuesday morning. "He came back fine Sunday, but no plans yet."
Sean McCarthy, who had planned to run Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr. I) winner Majestic Harbor in the Classic off his sixth-place finish in the TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) , said Sept 23 that the son of Rockport Harbor would run in the Awesome Again (gr. I) Sept. 27.
"There's just no reason not to run him," the trainer said. "There's no reason to be sitting around waiting two months in between races and working and working and working when you can go ahead and race, so that's what we're doing.