California Chrome 'Awesome' Yet 'Again'

California Chrome | Benoit Photo

Two-time Eclipse winner California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) dazzled for the sixth straight time this season with a front-running success in Santa Anita's GI Awesome Again S., a “Win and You're In” event for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at this oval Nov. 5. Breaking on top from his rail draw as he did in the GI Pacific Classic, the dual Classic winner was pressed along by “TDN Rising Star” Dortmund (Big Brown), who was wearing blinkers for the first time since his 2014 debut win, through sharp early splits of :22.76 and :46.08 with daylight between them and the rest of the field. Skipping clear of his rivals as he hit the three-eighths pole in 1:09.28, the chestnut simply cantered home under a hand ride from Victor Espinoza to a geared-down victory over a very game Dortmund.

“When he gets in front, he's a hard horse to get by, and I knew he'd wear Dortmund down with the fractions the way they were,” winning conditioner Art Sherman remarked. “He took Dortmund's game plan away from him. He tried and ran a hell of a race, but you're looking at maybe the best horse in the world right now. I can't say enough about him. I'm just blessed to be able to train him.”

The trainer added, “I'm looking forward to [the Breeders' Cup Classic], and hope everything goes according to plan. Each race seems a little bit better–it's a little scary.”

A portion of California Chrome's earnings will again go to support the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

California Chrome was crowned 2014's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old after a series of impressive victories in the GI Kentucky Derby, GI Preakness S., GI Santa Anita Derby,

GI Hollywood Derby and the GII San Felipe S., as well as a close third in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Making just two starts in 2015, he was second to ill-fated champion Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GII San Antonio S. and completed the exacta again in that year's G1 Dubai World Cup.

Scheduled to make an appearance at Royal Ascot in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. following that effort, California Chrome was stabled at Newmarket in preparation for that effort, which was called off the night before the race due to a bruised foot. Sent to Chicago after that with an eye on the GI Arlington Million S., the chestnut never made it to the starting gate for that test either after being diagnosed with cannon bone bruising and sent to his future home at Taylor Made for some R & R after that stud farm purchased an interest in the colt from part owner/breeder Steve Coburn.

California Chrome kicked off this term with a defeat of Grade I winners Imperative (Bernardini) and Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday), who bypassed this race in favor of next week's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont, in Arcadia's GII San Pasqual S. Jan. 9. Taking his show on the road, the 5-year-old captured a Meydan handicap Feb. 25 en route to becoming the North America's richest Thoroughbred with a spectacular 3 3/4-length success in the Dubai World Cup Mar. 26.

Given a brief freshening back at Taylor Made following that effort, the flashy chestnut scored a gritty victory over Dortmund and Win the Space in his Stateside return in Del Mar's GII San Diego H. July 23. Drawn on the rail last time in the GI Pacific Classic, he went from gate-to-wire to romp by an impressive five lengths over three-time champion Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Dortmund.

Pedigree Notes:

California Chrome, who is the first foal out of Love the Chase, has two full-sisters of racing age, the 3-year-old Hope's Love and 2-year-old R Sunday Surprise, both of whom are still maidens. He has a yearling full-brother named Faversham and his dam was bred back to Tapit this spring.

 

Saturday, Santa Anita Park
AWESOME AGAIN S.-GI, $300,000, SA, 10-1, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:48.07, ft.
1–CALIFORNIA CHROME, 125, h, 5, by Lucky Pulpit
1st Dam: Love the Chase, by Not For Love
2nd Dam: Chase It Down, by Polish Numbers
3rd Dam: Chase the Dream, by Sir Ivor
O-California Chrome, LLC; B-Perry Martin & Steve Coburn
(CA); T-Art Sherman; J-Victor Espinoza. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: HotY & Ch. 3yo colt, 24-15-3-1, $13,432,650. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
[bullet ad=”racingforthevfoundation”]
2–Dortmund, 121, c, 4, Big Brown–Our Josephina, by Tale of
the Cat. 'TDN Rising Star' ($85,000 RNA Wlg '12 KEENOV;
$90,000 Ylg '13 FTKJUL; $140,000 2yo '14 EASMAY). O-Kaleem
Shah, Inc.; B-Emilie Gerlinde Fojan (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$60,000.
[bullet ad=”lanni-hillndale-purchased”]3–Win the Space, 121, c, 4, Pulpit–Teamgeist (Arg), by
Mutakddim. ($65,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP; $360,000 2yo '14
FTFMAR). O-Kretz Racing LLC; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY);
T-George Papaprodromou. $36,000.
[bullet ad=”guyhubert-andkingsequine-yearlingpurchase”][bullet ad=”vanleer-2yopurchase”][bullet ad=”kings-equine-single-bullet”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]Margins: 2 1/4, 4HF, 4 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 1.70, 26.30.
Also Ran: Hard Aces, Soi Phet. Scratched: El Huerfano, Hoppertunity. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

 

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