By Bloodhorse.com
ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 28, 2014) — The California Chrome camp appears very confident heading into the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) despite the 3-year-old colt’s disappointing trip in the Sept. 20 Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II).
“He’s training great,” assistant trainer Alan Sherman said the morning Oct. 28. “I’ve never seen the horse train like he is now. He was walking around on his hind legs this morning. He’s training like a beast.”
California Chrome, owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, drew post 13 in the 1 1/4-mile Classic at Santa Anita Park. After his trip in the Pennsylvania Derby, in which he was trapped inside early, his connections like the draw.
“I can see Moreno on the lead, with Bayern right there, and California Chrome hopefully sitting a length or two back on the outside. Then he’d come running at the quarter pole, hit the lead, and keep going.
“It’s nice to be out there (in post 13). He can dictate his own race. Nobody will be able to dictate it for you.”
Sherman said California Chrome, by Lucky Pulpit , is scheduled to school at the gate Oct. 29, visit the paddock either of the next two days, and jog the morning of the Classic.
“He’ll be ready to go,” he said. “Everything is going according to plan.”
On Oct. 27 trainer Art Sherman also expressed confidence in the winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and Preakness Stakes (both gr. I) earlier this year.
“The horse loves Santa Anita, and he’s doing great,” the trainer said. “I’m looking for a big performance out of him. I like the post position, because he doesn’t have to be anchored down inside.”
Victor Espinosa, who will ride California Chrome, indicated the more than three-month layoff before the Pennsylvania Derby, as well as the colt’s trip in the race, were tough to overcome.
“I never really had a chance to let him run the way he had been running,” Espinosa said. “Then, I just wanted to make sure he came out of the race good, and that nothing happened to him. It’s amazing how he has been training. It’s like he woke up.”
Alan Sherman said he expects that Coburn and Martin will be on the grounds at Santa Anita the morning of Oct. 30.