By Ben Massam
Champion California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) was his usual, energetic self in the morning following his domination of Saturday's $180,000 Los Alamitos Winter Challenge S., trainer Art Sherman confirmed Sunday afternoon. Sherman said that he was pleased that 'Chrome' could deliver a memorable 12-length victory to his hometown fans while completing a useful prep for his expected final career start in the $12-million GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 28.
“He looked great,” Sherman said in a Sunday afternoon phone call. “Even though he broke the track record, he's strong right now. [After the race], he took a couple of deep breaths and got on his hay net. He looked like he had never run a mile and a sixteenth. He's a remarkable horse, he's pretty cool.”
When asked about his plans for the coming month leading up to the Pegasus, Sherman said that the highest-earning racehorse of all time in North America is scheduled to ship to Gulfstream Park early Jan. 6 to familiarize himself with the racing surface and climate. Particularly of note is the fact that California Chrome has never encountered an off track in his 26 career starts.
“On Jan. 6, we're going to Florida,” Sherman explained. “We'll bring him there about three weeks before. I want to get him there. He's never run in the slop, and they get a lot of rain there during that time of year. It will be a good way to judge if he handles the mud. I think he's going to be fine, I really do.”
The chestnut has handled nearly every other element of adversity thrown at him throughout his storied career, which has included victories in the 2014 GI Kentucky Derby and this year's G1 Dubai World Cup. In Saturday's race–which essentially amounted to a competitive workout–the 5-year-old raced four-to-six wide around both turns and drew off with ease in the stretch. Sherman said that although Chrome won with the ease you would expect from a 1-20 favorite, his greatest thrill came from the reaction of the Orange County crowd.
“They couldn't have been any nicer over at Los Alamitos,” Sherman said. “I was so happy I could run the horse over there in his hometown. A lot of fans were there, especially from that area. He's got so many 'Chromies,' it's just unbelievable. They were screaming his name. It was pretty cool. That's what it's all about–to give the people the chance to see him that never have. And he was his usual cool self.”
In the inaugural Pegasus World Cup, California Chrome is expected to get a rematch with Juddmonte Farms' soon-to-be 4-year-old 'TDN Rising Star' Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), who dealt him his only defeat of 2016 with a half-length victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 5. Trainer Bob Baffert has said that Arrogate could possibly prep for the Pegasus in Santa Anita's GII San Pasqual S. on New Year's Day.
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