Del Mar, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – It’s not often that a third-place finish
offers redemption for a thoroughbred, but that’s exactly what happened for
California Chrome.
The 3-year-old colt, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes,
finished third in last week’s Breeders’ Cup Classic just a neck behind winner
Bayern and runner-up Toast of New York.
Trained by Art Sherman, California Chrome got a lot of praise for his race in
the $5 million, 1 1/4-mile Classic and the colt is doing just fine back at his
Los Alamitos home.
“He came out of the race super,” Sherman said Saturday at Del Mar. “I just
talked to (son and assistant trainer) Alan at Los Alamitos and he said he’s
jumping and playing and feeling good. I think he’d run an awesome race if I
could get him one before the end of the year.”
California Chrome broke from post 13 in the 14-horse Classic and was the 4-1
co-second choice along with Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist behind 5-2 favorite
Shared Belief.
With Victor Espinoza again riding, the colt stalked pacesetter Bayern from
third-place in a favorable spot away from the rail. Nearing the wire,
California Chrome made up ground to finish just a neck from claiming victory.
The Classic was California Chrome’s best race since winning the Preakness and
may have put him back in the discussion for division honors.
Early this year he posted three straight wins at Santa Anita in the California
Cup Derby, San Felipe Stakes and Santa Anita Derby before taking the first two
legs of the Triple Crown.
He was fourth in the Belmont Stakes and was coming off a sixth in the $1
million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 20.
Owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, California Chrome has banked more
than $4 million from 15 career starts with eight wins.
