DEL MAR, Calif. (July 19, 2015) – California-bred Horse of the Year California Chrome will race as a 5-year-old and be returned to the California barn of Art Sherman, the trainer said Sunday on Roger Stein’s radio show.
The 4-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit is in Kentucky healing from a cannon bone bruise. Taylor Made Farms recently purchased a minority share in last year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner from Steve Coburn, who bred the horse with co-owner Perry Martin. Sherman said he now deals with Taylor Made’s Duncan Taylor.
“He’s going to run next year as a 5-year-old and I’ll train him and he’s coming back to California,” Sherman said. “I feel kind of at ease right now and really good about it. I think it’s all for the best, back with people that have horses and been in the game a long time.”
California Chrome hasn’t run since earning $2 million for finishing second in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 28. He was then sent to England against Sherman’s wishes to run in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, but did not make the race.
Last month he was sent to Arlington with the intent to run in the Arlington Million, but was sidelined by the bone bruise.
“I’m so happy it turned out this way, give the horse a break, he’s going to be a really nice 5-year-old,” said Sherman.“ Things happen for the best, for a reason. Maybe the injury was a blessing in disguise right now, finally give the horse a chance for a little R and R, let him be a horse. All the vets I talk to say he’ll be 100 percent sound in 85 days. I think he’s going to come back a tiger. I’m looking forward to 2016 being a big year for him.”