Taylor Made Farm and Perry Martin's California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) will face six rivals when he goes for sixth straight victory in Saturday's GI Awesome Again S., a Win and You're In event for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic to be held five weeks later over the same Santa Anita oval. The champion will break from the rail in the seven-horse field.
“He galloped a mile and five-eighths this morning,” said Alan Sherman, son of and assistant to trainer Art Sherman. “The horse is very happy. Everything's going great.”
California Chrome won two-thirds of the Triple Crown in 2014 and was named champion 3-year-old colt and Horse of the Year that season. Sherman thinks the strapping chestnut is even better now as a 5-year-old.
“I think he's better now than he was before the Kentucky Derby,” Sherman confirmed. “He's definitely a bigger, stronger horse than he was when he was three.”
California Chrome's current win streak, which began in Arcadia with a win in the GII San Pasqual S. in January, has included victories in the G1 Dubai World Cup, GII San Diego S. and, most recently in the Aug. 20 GI Pacific Classic.
Dortmund (Big Brown), who battled California Chrome tooth and nail before running a gallant second in the San Diego S., will break from post two for trainer Bob Baffert, who will also saddle Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) in the race. That 5-year-old breaks from post three.
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