From Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 4, 2014) — The chestnut colt California Chrome carved his name in the history books Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, earning himself the right to sleep in until 6 o’clock Sunday morning at his Barn 20 new Kentucky home.
“He’s fine,” reported the newest oldest trainer (77) to win a Kentucky Derby, Art Sherman, to an early bird gathering of media types Sunday at the barn. “He left just a handful of grain in his tub last night, but that’s all. His appetite was good. He got a little tired, but not too bad. Victor (jockey Victor Espinoza) told me yesterday that he did get a bit tired on him at the end; that he eased him a bit that last 70 yards. He said he didn’t ask him for too much thinking about saving something for the next one, for the Preakness.”
Espinoza began to draw clear from his 18 rivals inside the quarter pole, but mostly kept busy aboard his mount through the lane. He popped California Chrome three times on the flank, but mostly just waved his whip alongside his head to give him encouragement. His final winning margin was a length and three-quarters.
Sherman said the Preakness was the next goal for the son of Lucky Pulpit, though he wasn’t fully sure when and how the horse would head up to Baltimore.
“I’m thinking we might keep him here four or five days, then van him up there,” the conditioner said. “We could fly him, but we’ll have to see.
“To be honest, I’m not real comfortable with running him back in two weeks, but I know that’s what we’re bound to do. I don’t normally run any kind of horse back in two weeks, not even lowly claimers. I’m more the kind of guy who likes to wait seven or eight weeks between races. These horses run hard and they need time to recover.”
Sherman was asked if he was concerned at any point during California Chrome’s winning Derby run.
“Not really,” he said. “When Victor broke clear and got a good position, I knew we were good. He (Espinoza) told me after he had some thoughts about sending him away from there to avoid any trouble, but that he liked his position. He didn’t want to get forced down on the rail and he was looking around from side to side to see what the other riders were doing, but he held his position. I saw that the fractions weren’t that fast – 47 (seconds) for the half isn’t fast for this horse – and I saw Victor had a good spot and hadn’t let him run at all yet, so I was happy.”
Sherman was asked if he had other concerns about his horse and a possible run toward the Triple Crown.
“I try to take these races one at a time,” he said. “But I’m always concerned about my horses. You know how fragile they are, so you’ve got to be concerned. It’s just how they are.
“But I’m really happy for this horse and what he did yesterday. I know there was talk here that he wasn’t really a good horse, that he was only a ‘California’ horse. I knew he was a really good horse, but now everyone else does, too. He beat good horses in good style and there’s no denying that now. He’s peaking now. He’s full of himself. And the nice thing about him is that you can do anything you want with him. Victor said that when he won the Derby with War Emblem(in 2002) he knew he was only a one-dimensional horse – he had to go to the front. This horse gives you options. He has the speed to be in front, but he doesn’t have to be. He’s just a really cool horse.
“He’s a double-tough little horse and I want to keep him around. I think he’ll be a terrific 4-year-old.”
The conditioner said he and his entourage had had a late dinner at his hotel (The Brown) by way of celebration and that it was about 12:45 when he toddled off to bed. He said he got about four hours sleep before he headed back to the racetrack to check on his charge.
Sherman, who trains about 20 horses at his Los Alamitos headquarters in Orange County, indicated he’d be headed back to Southern California Monday morning. His son and assistant trainer, Alan Sherman, would stay on with California Chrome.
“I heard it erupted at Santa Anita and Los Alamitos when he won yesterday,” Sherman said. “I was told they went bananas. I’m glad for everyone in California. He’s a rock star.”