Runner-up at the 2015 World Cup, and with an official rating of 121 – the highest in this year’s renewal – Califonia Chrome is going to be hard to beat in the $10million world’s richest horse race.
His story is a strange one in that, as good as he undoubtedly is, there is a nagging suspicion the best is yet to come. Obviously, that could be at Meydan tonight.
After last year’s World Cup he was sent to England for an ultimately aborted trip to Royal Ascot. Trainer Art Sherman had not wanted the horse to go.
He was injured and, for a while, appeared likely to be retired but connections persevered and he
returned to Sherman to resume his racing career.
That resumption began in January at Santa Anita with a smooth success. Then, unlike last year when he arrived just before the World Cup, he was dispatched to Dubai at the end of January and went on to win a 2000m handicap at Meydan on February 25.
Assistant trainer Alan Sherman explained: “He is a different horse this year; much bigger and stronger. We decided to get a Meydan run into him before the World Cup this time so he has been here two months and is nicely acclimatised.
California Chrome draws 11 for #DubaiWorldCup - three horses have won it from there.
— Laura King (@LauraKingDXB) March 23, 2016
“We targeted a handicap over the same 2000m as the World Cup and he won well. The plan has always been to make the World Cup his third start of 2016; we really believe a horse peaks on his third outing after a break which he obviously had after England.”
American Pharoah won the American Triple Crown last year but California Chrome went close in 2014. When winning the first leg, the Kentucky Derby, he guaranteed Sherman’s place in the history books as the oldest ever trainer of a Triple Crown race. Two weeks later, he followed up in the second leg, the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico but could not complete the set. Sent off a hot favourite for the 2400m Belmont Stakes, everything seemed to be according to plan until, seemingly, his stamina failed him in the final 300m.
Alan Sherman added: “The Triple Crown challenge was great but sadly he could not do it. He probably just did not stay the 2400m at Belmont.”
“His getting injured in England has probably proved a blessing; he is a much more complete and furnished horse this year. Everything has gone really smoothly and we could not be more happy with him.”
When second last year he was drawn widest of all, nine of nine and was not helped by the way the race panned out.
He had to work hard to get in a handy position and could not sustain his effort in the final 100m, when the winner, Prince Bishop, flew home.
The draw has not done him many favours this time either with just Teletext on his outside. He was the 11th name unveiled on Wednesday, leaving Art Sherman few options.
He said: “If you have the best horse the draw matters less. And we think we have the best horse.”
