California Chrome in England

[Tammy Stawicki]

So much de ja vu... Martin releases a statement about how Chrome's plans are being made solely based on potential financial payoffs...kind of like that Del Mar appearance fee thing. Chrome winds up somewhere that is not where Sherman wants him... kind of like his run in the Penn Derby which just happened to offer a large appearance fee... Don't get me wrong Coburn says some stupid things but at least he seems to genuinely care about the horse and even care about the fans. That being said it is easy to judge when its not your money. All the pictures and videos coming out of England show a happy Chrome, and there are lots of pictures and videos coming out of England. And as others have mentioned he'll be running on a safer surface there then he ran on the US. Hey may run up the track but I really don't think they're doing anything to endanger his welfare. They are certainly not doing anything that justifies a fan going to one of his owner's place of work and threatening their family. Really happened...

[Johanna Stk]

Chrome is loving life in England. I don't understand how anyone can make threats to them, that person must have a problem.

[Stormy Peak]

That's sad that someone is threatening the owner and his family, makes me wonder about people's priorities in life...that they would get that nasty about a situation that has nothing to do with them.

I'm not sure if California Chrome is considered more intelligent than the average horse, but I've read stories about horses like Secretariat, and Skip Away, and Evening Attire who did seem to be that way...had personalities that were very curious, seemed aware they were special, and what their job on the track was all about.

My aunt and uncle had 2 arabians, by the same sire...one, Columbus, was quite content to munch the grass and stand around...the other, Ameer (sp)..was curious as a cat, playful, needed something to do. In his boredom he would take it upon himself to learn things...like unlatch the stall locks. They gave him one of those big balls with a handle on it that the horse can grab with it's teeth and toss, and that horse would play with it for a good amount of time...while the other one just watched. They were also able to teach Ameer to do things a lot easier and quicker than his 1/2 sibling, he learned in 1 try to cross a creek, Columbus needed several episodes of coaching before he figured out the creek wasn't anything to worry about. Ameer, just thrived on being presented with new things to do.

If Chrome is the kind of horse that has an active mind and can get bored easily, he too might thrive on the change of routine and learning how to run a race in the opposite direction than what he's done before, so that part of all this might not be such a detriment as some might believe. As for his talent on grass, I still don't see why people are so dead set against letting the horse try it - to the point they would threaten the owner and the owner's family.

Even if he totally sucks at running on grass, it's not going to be that detrimental to him at this stage of his career, he's already proved to be a great dirt horse, with his SA Derby, Kentucky Derby, Preakness, wins plus a few other races. He's hit the board in two of the richest races, the BC classic and the Dubai race...so for those reasons, I love it that the owner is trying something different with him in giving him a shot at turf racing.

Stormy

[Lori Hamill]

Nice article in the Blood-Horse

California Chrome Adjusting to Newmarket

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... -newmarket

[Stormy Peak]

Nice article, glad to see he got lots of rest and gained back some of his weight. It also sounds like he's adjusting to the new routines pretty good. I love that photo of him on the bridle path, with the greenery framing him...to bad all thoroughbreds couldn't have path ways like that to and from their training tracks. : ) It looks peaceful.

I know a lot of people are still thinking the main owner is doing this because of greed...but a comment in the article, to me, kind of nulls that point. If there is any greed, I think it's more in line in wanting to see his horse become known as a versatile runner, as far as surfaces, and maybe get a shot at seeing a bigger variety of quality mares both turf and dirt because of it. As the guy says below, they are losing out on chances to earn money in some big races here, in order to run there...so where does the greed come in?

"It's very sporting for his connections to bring him over," Guest says. "He could have been winning $500,000 every month in America but he wouldn't really have enhanced himself. Now he has the chance to get into the history books."

I've read in some of the notes at the bottom that some poster even called what they were doing 'inhumane'...I was like What!??
Making a horse run on grass...is inhumane.?..lol
Pitting a horse against tough competition is inhumane?
Teaching a horse something new is inhumane?

Apparently, that person has never seen real animal abuse.

Yeah, what Chrome faces might not be easy, and it might be impossible for him to compete against the best turfers in Europe, but I'm still glad to see them give him a shot at it. It will make for a great story in horse racing history if he succeeds. For me, nothing can take away from what he's already accomplished, so if he doesn't succeed it will be another tried and failed story..and every horse race being run is full of those -- being only one horse gets to win -- and based on odds I've seen, half the field or more of any race shouldn't even be trying if owners and trainers stuck to the standards some are saying about pitting a horse against others that might be superior, as they are saying about Chrome vs the Euro-turfers.

Stormy

[Melissa Mae]

Well, at least he's only giving the Euros one chance to beat him up on their home turf this summer now since he's not going to the Lockinge. He has that going for him.

[LA Pepper]

Stormy - I am totally on the same page with you on this. Are we only supposed to let horses run where they are likely to win, or do we challenge them to find out their strengths and weaknesses and to find out who truly is the best horse.

[Tammy Stawicki]

Found this article on DAP's facebook page: http://www.si.com/horse-racing/2015/04/ ... nia-chrome

This part was particularly interesting "There have been rumors that California Chrome will be sent to Japan for his stallion career, but Martin says that won’t happen. “You’re going to hear an announcement from us in a week or two,” he says. “But he will stand in Kentucky. That’s where I want him.”

[Stormy Peak]

I'm a bit surprised that given the name of the horse, where he was foaled, that they wouldn't try to set him up as a top notch California sire, rather than butt heads with all the top-end established sires that are concentrated in Kentucky.

I know the connections are concerned about him being a desirable sire, thus part of the wish to run him on grass to see if they can increase that potential to make him a more desirable sire. Still, I suspect the other part of his wish is sheer curiosity to see if his horse is capable of doing so. I know the guy did a lot of research when looking into breeding the the broodmare and something in him must be thinking turf might work, given there's some Cozzene in the back pedigree - and also Mr. Prospector who sired a number of nice turf horses who became nice turf sires. (Kingmambo and Miswaki for example).

So if Chrome does well on turf or not, it will be interesting to see if he still lands in Kentucky or is taken back to California...or if the owner will 'rethink' everything and send him to another country.

Stormy

[Melissa Mae]

Interestingly, last year it was mentioned by the connections that multiple Japanese farms had taken an interest in him and had inspected him. If that actually happened, I wonder if the Japanese turned down the horse or if the connections turned down their offers. Even with the success of Tapit (who is by Chrome's grandsire), I can't see him being popular in Kentucky. It's hard for a well-bred freshman stallion with credentials to bring in mares, let alone one with a pretty weak page.

[Stormy Peak]

This update was from the 9th of May, but I didn't find it until today.

http://www.wordsmithnews.com/9-may-chrome-update.html

I would love it, if they could get Dettori to ride him...but as they said, he's such a high demand jockey. So I doubt he will end up on California Chrome for the reasons stated in the article, but also, I kind of wonder even if he was free to do so, if he would really want to. He probably would prefer a proven turf horse over basically a rookie for that race...even though California Chrome has 'status' as far as being a multiple GI winner...it's just not on turf. But then again, maybe the guy likes a challenge ever now and then. : )

Also, I got to thinking... I hope someone told them not to trim Chrome's tail ...lol I really don't like that 'hedge' look that a lot of Euro horses sport...to me, a natural looking tail is so beautiful...those 90 degree cuts where ya look down the tail then boom...it ends in that straight trim...yuk.

Stormy

[J K Rowling]

What a hideously built horse.

[Stormy Peak]

What a hideously built horse.

He can run though, and that's what counts. Also, I kind of think the camera angle, the way he has his head turned and the groom standing where he is, along with the hedges in the back ground - there's some visuals in that photo that combined, to me, it makes him look kind of puny...but it has to be some kind of dimensional distraction going on.

Still, better to have a not so handsome horse that can run rather than a pretty one with perfect conformation that can't out run a plow-horse.

Stormy

[J K Rowling]

Yeah and it doesn't matter if they can run when their horrible confirmation causes them to shatter their condylar, crumble their feet to pieces, or make them otherwise lame before they hit 4.

[Carole Hanson]

Hideously built?! You are way over exaggerating! Also, apart from grabbing his quarter once, this horse has been very healthy and sound unlike horses who are deemed handsome such as American Pharaoah.