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California Chrome drills six furlongs at Los Alamitos

By Liz O'Connell

Oct 30, 2014; Santa Anita, CA, USA; California Chrome works out in the morning to prepare for the 31st Breeders Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2014; Santa Anita, CA, USA; California Chrome works out in the morning to prepare for the 31st Breeders Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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California Chrome worked six furlongs handily at Los Alamitos on Saturday. He’s on track for his next likely start in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 23.

On Saturday mornings, when California Chrome steps forward to work out on the untouched, groomed surface of the Los Alamitos Race Course, the track is his and his alone. This a privilege rarely afforded, but then again, multiple Classic winner and Dubai World Cup winner California Chrome is far from being a normal race horse.

Scheduled to work out at 5:15 a.m. Saturday (yesterday) morning, California Chrome hit the track in a form easily described as bright eyed and bushy tailed. As he moved off in the thin early light, Chrome was all coiled energy contained between exercise rider Dihiji Gladney’s legs and hands.

At  five years old, Chrome is at his physical peak, he has filled out the angles of youth and presents as a powerhouse on hooves. As a courtesy and a precaution against potential collisions or mishaps, Los Alamitos Race Course gives Chrome an empty track to go through his paces. Yesterday, Gladney warmed Chrome up at a jog for a few minutes, then broke into an energetic canter.

The canter led to the business of the morning, the first six furlong work since returning from Dubai. Chrome was clocked at 1:12.40 “handily”, with a strong gallop-out to seven furlongs.

Jeremy Balan in the Blood Horse reported that trainer Art Sherman was pleased with Chrome’s work and he will have his star wear some of his racing equipment next Saturday, July 2:

"Next time I work him,I’m going to put some blinkers on him. He goes a little bit more focused and faster when they’re on. Now that he’s got three-quarters into him, we’ll go a little bit more serious next work.He knows when he gets the blinkers on, it’s game time. But to go like he does without the blinkers is pretty darn good. He’ll probably go about five lengths faster (next week)."

The San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 23 is likely to be California Chrome’s next race, with the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November as an end goal. In between, Chrome could start in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar (August 20),  the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita Park (October 1) or the Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational at Belmont Park (October 8); all three are Breeders’ Cup Classic “Win and You’re In” events.

After the winning the $10 million Dubai World Cup Perry Martin, one of California Chrome’s owners, clearly stated his preference for his horse to win his way into the Breeders’ Cup Classic through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge, according to the Courier-Journal, Louisville. Martin also mentioned the possibility of keeping California Chrome in training for the inaugural running  of the $12 million Pegasus Championship at Gulfstream Park in February, 2017.

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