Sherman Sees California Chrome Bouncing Back

While the lone start for California Chrome since the Triple Crown didn't go as planned, trainer Art Sherman likes what he sees since his dual classic winner has arrived back at his Los Alamitos Racecourse base.

Following a sixth-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) Sept. 20 at Parx Racing, California Chrome has worked each October Saturday at Los Alamitos. He started with a handy four-furlong bullet move in :47 2/5 Oct. 4, fastest of 34 works at the distance, before stretching out to a five-furlong move in :59 3/5 Oct. 11, and to six furlongs in 1:12 1/5 Oct. 18.

Sherman will send out Steve Coburn and Perry Martin's homebred for one more workout Saturday, Oct. 25, before shipping the 3-year-old Lucky Pulpit   colt to Santa Anita Park in the following day or two in advance of the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) there Nov. 1.

With just the one start between his fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), where California Chrome was attempting to sweep the Triple Crown races, and the Breeders' Cup Classic, Sherman acknowledged he had hoped for a bigger effort than the sixth-place Pennsylvania Derby finish. After stalking pacesetter Bayern, California Chrome failed to fire under regular rider Victor Espinoza after being boxed in as Bayern won easily. 

But Sherman has moved on and is thrilled with California Chrome's recent works.

"I'm so satisfied with the way he's been going," Sherman said. "He's been going as well as ever and Victor says he's training as well as ever, so I'm happy with that."

California Chrome will try to become the first classic winner since Curlin   in 2007  to start in all three Triple Crown races and, in the same year, win the Breeders' Cup Classic. Curlin earned Horse of the Year honors that season and California Chrome would figure to take that honor this year with a Classic win.

"Horse of the Year is going to be on the line in this race," Sherman said. "I'm looking forward to it. I get butterflies when I think about it."

With a victory, California Chrome would join two-time winner Tiznow   as the only California-breds to win the Breeders' Cup Classic.

While California Chrome saw a six-race win streak end in the Belmont and enters the Classic off two straight losses, he will be returning to Santa Anita where he has won three straight races, all stakes, by a combined 18 lengths. That Santa Anita streak continued with a 5 1/4-length romp in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).

Sherman is seeing signs that California Chrome is sitting on a big race.

"In his last two races he hasn't gotten the trip at all. I don't want to cry, but you haven't seen the California Chrome that I know," Sherman said.

Sherman said the draw will be important for California Chrome and Espinoza will have to move him into a position where he can deliver his run at about the three-eighths pole. Sherman said he hopes for that scenario, and then to see who is the best horse in this year's Classic.