2015 was undoubtedly the Year of the Pharoah, but California Chrome reminded horse players and racing fans January 9 at Santa Anita that theres still a major horse with major credentials to follow in 2016 despite the retirement of a Triple Crown winner.
The 2014 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year returned from a nine month layoff to win the Grade 2 San Pasqual in style against seven overmatched rivals and looked good doing it. After a forgettable 2015 that saw the champ finish second in the Dubai World Cup and spend several months in England in preparation for a turf start that he would ultimately miss due to injury, California Chrome looked like his old self while making his long-awaited return. Well sort of.
As promised, the Art Sherman trainee has shed the sinewy look he had during his memorable 2014 campaign and looks more like a full-grown man these days. The copper-coated son of Lucky Pulpit strutted around the southern California walking ring at the Great Race Place like he owned it and then ran to his looks. You’d have to go all the way back to Funny Cide to find the last Kentucky Derby winner to make a start as a five year-old – and by that time Funny Cide, a gelding, had already proven to be past his prime.
Certainly California Chrome looks to be a horse just hitting his stride. That’s what makes the San Pasqual performance so exciting. With a return trip to Dubai, horse players and fans alike can look forward to having another big horse in training following American Pharoah’s retirement.
There is no race more exciting or more eagerly awaited than the Kentucky Derby, and it is coming up Saturday, May 4 at Churchill Downs! The purse has been raised […]
The most important race of the year is coming up on Saturday, May 6: the $3 million Kentucky Derby! A field of 20 of the best three-year-old horses will clash […]
The race offers 50-20-10-5 Road to the Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers. That 50-point bonanza to the winner means whoever crosses the wire first is virtually guaranteed a spot in the Kentucky […]
The field is set for the 2019 Preakness Stakes, and looking at the 13 rivals on paper is enough to make any serious handicapper's mouth water. There's simply a ton of betting value here.
Leave a comment