California Chrome: Second Chance at Breeders' Cup Classic

California Chrome, the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite, is the modern Cinderella story of horse racing. People instantly fell for the chestnut colt with a big white blaze on the Triple Crown trail in 2014, and he captured more hearts after a win in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Preakness. In the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic, California Chrome was able to put in a drive in Santa Anita Park’s homestretch, but he only managed to finish third behind Bayern and Toast of New York. Now two years later, California Chrome is back in search of Classic glory, and he’s blazed a trail this year that puts him front and center.

There’s been a lot of ups and downs with California Chrome following his burst onto the scene. Before his 2014 Breeder’s Cup Classic attempt, the Lucky Pulpit colt finished fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont and sixth in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby, but he did end 2014 with a win on the turf in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby.

2015 brought about a whole new set of challenges for the Art Sherman-trained horse. He started with a second behind the ill-fated Shared Belief in the Grade 2 San Antonio before shipping to Dubai to finish second in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup. California Chrome was supposed to make a start at Ascot in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s, but a foot bruise kept him from running. The Grade 1 Arlington Million was the next goal, but a bruised cannon bone stopped him from that, as well. After a rough opening half to 2015, California Chrome was sent to Taylor Made Farm, who had bought into the horse, to recover.

In January 2016, California Chrome’s new appearance seemed to be a sign of things to come. The purple and green colors of DAP Racing were gone, and jockey Victor Espinoza sported silver silks with “CHROME” across the front. The Grade 2 San Pasqual was his first test back, and he passed with a winning margin of 1 ¼ lengths.

California Chrome was once again shipped to Dubai, but this time he was a new horse. He won his prep race at Meydan Racecourse before taking the Dubai World Cup by 3 ¾ lengths. Back in the states, California Chrome bested Dortmund by a half-length in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap before dominating the Grade 1 Pacific Classic in gate-to-wire fashion. The 2015 winner, champion mare Beholder, was five lengths back in second. California Chrome then won once more with a 2 ¼ length victory in the Grade 1 Awesome Again.

Now back at Santa Anita Park, the sight of his third place run in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic, California Chrome enters the 2016 Classic off a perfect six-race season as the favorite. The Classic will be his toughest test of the year, with the likes of Arrogate, Frosted, and Found looking to upset him.

Arrogate will be making only his sixth lifetime start. After a maiden score and two wins in allowance/optional claiming, the three-year-old colt by Unbridled’s Song romped in the Grade 1 Travers, winning by 13 ½ lengths for trainer Bob Baffert and Juddmonte Farms.

Godolphin’s Frosted, who is looking to rebound from his seventh in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, crushed the field in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap by 14 ¼ lengths before taking the Grade 1 Whitney as well. The Tapit colt then ran third in the Grade 1 Woodward, but trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and connections opted to send him to the Classic over the Dirt Mile.

Super filly Found, winner of the Group 1 Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe and the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf, has first preference in the Classic over attempting a repeat in the Turf. Although she has never raced on the dirt, the Galileo filly can’t be counted out for trainer Aidan O’Brien and the connections of Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith.

Even with these top horses looming in the background, the connections of California Chrome have been nothing but happy with his training going into the Classic. The horse has done everything right this year, and his chances of redemption are nothing but strong.

By Christine Oser