Chrome Diaries: Preparing For the Big Day

As I sat quietly in the passenger seat of assistant trainer Alan Sherman’s truck, I was struck by the traffic we were encountering yesterday morning on the short drive from the Sherman homestead to Los Alamitos. Only because it was not yet 5 a.m., and I couldn't imagine what other people were doing up at that hour, but they may have been wondering the same thing about us as we turned off of Katella Drive and made our way toward the stables.
When we reached the barn, trainer Art Sherman was chatting with colleagues in the office, enjoying what was likely his second cup of coffee.  After some customary joking, and a quick introduction for Art to the wonders of Uber, I walked the shed row to say good morning to the horses, some of whom were already dressed and ready for their morning work, which would begin promptly when the track opened at 5:30 a.m.

Declining a ride in the golf cart, I walked to the track kitchen, enjoying the coolness of the morning and the quiet that would soon enough be replaced with the bustling activity of the day.  As the morning work progressed and day began to break, we were joined by a video crew from NBC Sports, there to interview Art, Alan and jockey Victor Espinoza, and shoot footage of California Chrome for a background piece that will air with their Breeders’ Cup coverage.  (I’ll let you know when I have more details about when the piece will air.)

When they announced the break in work at 7:30 a.m. to allow the crew to groom the track, I took a leisurely stroll back to the Sherman barn.  A smiling Victor Espinoza was chatting with Alan and gave me a fist bump as I walked past him.  Later in the morning we would chat about my developing love for his other Breeders’ Cup mount, American Pharoah, the two year old colt out of trainer Bob Baffert’s barn, who is favored in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Head groom Raul Rodriquez had California Chrome dressed and ready for the track, and as he exited his stall, the colt reared up on his hind legs in anticipation of his morning run.  In laymen’s terms, I would say he was “full of it” and ready to roll!  Based on his demeanor, he was led by hand to the gap in the track and barely waited before the lead outrider, Scott, waived him onto the track, led again by Danielle and her pony, Tilly.

As the horses backtracked around to the finish line, I parked myself in the gap in order to get a different angle for photos - to capture Chrome’s raw power as he made the final turn and headed toward home.  While we waited, the line of “rail birds” bellying up to get a glimpse of this champion racehorse reminded me that it’s just a couple weeks before the richest Thoroughbred horse race in North America, and those present had come to watch a top contender train.

Through the buzz of muffled conversations, as I waited for Chrome and Victor to come blazing past me, I heard the pure, lyrical whistle from Scott. The outrider calmly rested on his pony, keeping guard over the gap so that other horses would not enter until he gave to OK.  The melody was “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha … my favorite song from one of my favorite musicals.

Chrome was working six furlongs, so he left Danielle and Tilly under cover of the foliage and other obstructions to our view on the first turn, at the furthest point of the track from where I stood.  As he rounded the final turn, I focused my lens and fired away.  Later, when I examined the shots that I captured, I had to admit that I loved every frame.  Chrome glided through his work in 1:12.20, pleasing everyone on his team.

In horse racing there is so much that is done before and after training or racing that it seems that the “main event”, what everyone is working toward, is over too quickly.  Now we were back at the barn, the morning air still cool enough that steam rose from Chrome’s copper coat after his tack was removed.  Raul and his wife went to work, bathing and cooling down the horse before returning him to his stall, where he called out for cookies.  I’ve been unwittingly drawn into Chrome’s cookie delivery team, and he now calls to me when he sees me, then drops his head as close as he can to the container that is never far from this stall.  Not that anyone needs to guess at what he wants, now that his work is done and it’s time to rest, eat lunch, and relax.

Art arrived with an armful of breakfast burritos for his team, and we discussed heading back to the house and timing our departure for Santa Anita, as Sherman Racing had a horse in the fourth race.  It is just two weeks until the final stakes race of the season, and a week until Chrome will head to his temporary home on the backside of Santa Anita, with everyone happy with what the morning has revealed.  As I followed Alan back to his parked truck, the melody I had heard earlier was in my head, and the lyrics that always make me a little misty ....
“And the world, will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star”