The People's Horses: Part IV b, California Chrome

The People’s Horses, part IV b
California Chrome

Joseph Di Rienzi

This will conclude my series on “The People’s Horses”. In part IV a, I examined the racing career of that bright chestnut California Chrome through 2014, his three-year-old year. Here, I will follow Chrome through his retirement in early 2017 at age six.

California Chrome’s owners plotted an ambitious schedule for their star’s four-year-old year that would take him abroad and have him race on both dirt and turf. Unfortunately, most of their plans were for naught. California Chrome made his 2015 debut in early February in the 9 furlong San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita Park in which he faced once again Shared Belief. Chrome may have been the object of his legion of fans’ affections, however, the betting public made Shared Belief the favorite. Those who backed the slender gelding were rewarded for wagering with their minds and not their hearts. In a race that at one point looked like a titanic duel between Shared Belief and California Chrome ended with Mike Smith easing the former up just before the finish for a 1½ length victory. So complete were the top two finishers domination of the race that the sturdy campaigner Hoppertunity finished third, 6½ lengths further back.

After the San Antonio, California Chrome was sent to the Middle East in late March for the 1¼ mile Dubai World Cup (run now on a traditional dirt course) in which he was the star attraction. The pride of California raced wide all the way but came into the stretch looming boldly on the outside. However, despite Victor Espinoza’s efforts, Chrome was not able to withstand the closing thrust of the Dubai raced Prince Bishop who had rallied from last place to draw clear by 2¾ lengths.

The rest of the year was frustrating for California Chrome’s connections. He was shipped to England to run in the Prince of Wales Stakes at the Royal Ascot Meeting in June. However, he never made it to the starting gate as Chrome was forced to scratch due to a bruised hoof. Sent back to the U. S. to prepare for the Arlington Million Stakes run in August, it was discovered he had now bruising on his cannon bones that forced him not only to miss this race but curtail any more racing in 2015. So, his four-year-old season reads an abbreviated 2 seconds from 2 starts.

What a difference 2016 made for California Chrome as he returned to racing sound and fit with a change in ownership. One of his two DAP Racing owners, Steve Coburn, had sold his interest to Taylor Made Farm who, in turn, sold shares in the 2014 Horse of the Year to future breeders and together with the remaining original partner, Perry Martin, formed the syndicate California Chrome LLC (which raced in  the colors of silver in red trim). Still trained by the affable Art Sherman (with significant assistance from his son Alan), Chrome began his five-year-old campaign on a positive note at Santa Anita with a competent 1¼ length victory in the San Pasqual Stakes over Imperative with Hoppertunity third, another length behind. Traveling to the UAE for a second try at the Dubai World Cup, he prepped by winning a 1¼ mile condition race (carrying 132 lb.) by an easy 2 lengths.

On Dubai World Cup night, Chrome was joined in the starting gate by fellow American raced horses Keen Ice, Frosted, Hoppertunity and Candy Boy. Keen Ice had upset Triple Crown winner American Pharoah [sic] in the previous year’s Travers Stakes. Frosted, just as California Chrome, had run earlier in Dubai, beginning the year with a facile victory in a stakes race. Hoppertunity had followed his third place finish in the San Pasqual with a victory in the San Antonio Stakes, and Candy Boy, under new ownership, had not started since finishing fourth in the 2015 Dubai World Cup.

In this year’s edition, California Chrome atoned for his second place finish in 2015 with an authoritative victory. Breaking from post 12, Chrome stayed wide and in the clear in third place until asked to run at the top of the stretch. The attractive chestnut then displayed his characteristic quick turn of foot which separated him from the field, and he cruised home to an impressive 3¾ length triumph. Finishing second was internationally raced Mubtaahij who was a neck in front of Hoppertunity. Frosted finished fifth, Candy Boy was seventh, and Keen Ice finished eighth. What was even more remarkable about California Chrome’s performance was the realization that Victor Espinoza’s saddle girth became loose soon after the start, and the jockey had to be preoccupied with the slipping equipment while riding his mount. In the race’s aftermath, it was clear that California Chrome was back at the top of his class.

Chrome made his first start since his Dubai World Cup triumph in late July at Del Mar Racetrack in the 8½ furlong San Diego Handicap. In the five horse field was Dortmund, the 2015 Santa Anita Derby winner, making his four-year-old debut. In a rousing race, California Chrome (carrying 126 lb. to Dortmund’s 121 lb.) tracked his adversary throughout the early part. Chrome made his challenge around the stretch turn, and the two Santa Anita Derby winners fought down the stretch together with Chrome prevailing by a ½ length at the finish.

The two San Diego Handicap principals returned for the 1¼ mile Pacific Classic Stakes at equal weights, and they were joined in the nine horse field by the race’s 2015 victress, multiple champion mare Beholder, as well as the reliable Hoppertunity. From the no. 1 post, Victor Espinoza sent Chrome right to the lead angling out from the rail and out footing both Beholder and Dortmund, respectively. These positions held the entire journey with Chrome bounding clear without being pressured at all. At the finish, the immensely popular chestnut was 5 lengths in front of Beholder who was 2¼ lengths ahead of Dortmund. Hoppertunity finished a length further back in fourth place. This dominating victory over a top class field was perhaps California Chrome’s greatest performance in his illustrious career.

Chrome used the 9 furlong Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita as his final race before the Breeders’ Cup Classic which would also be run at the Arcadia, CA racetrack on November 5^th. Dortmund returned for a third try against Chrome while Beholder chose to race against her own sex. California Chrome, again from an inside post position, broke fastest closely followed by Dortmund. The smaller but more muscular Chrome carrying 4 lb. more set a fast pace that the much taller Dortmund could not sustain. Establishing at the top of the stretch a 3½ length lead, Espinoza just let Chrome gallop down to the finish for a handy 2¼ length triumph. Dortmund, to his credit, continued on, easily finishing second 4½ lengths in front of Win the Space. In establishing himself with this facile victory, the clear favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, California Chrome was also in a prime position to garner his second Horse of the Year honors. 

The Classic had a nine horse field. California Chrome was the favorite to complete a perfect season that saw its beginning in January. His main adversary appeared to be the lightly raced three-year-old Arrogate who trained up the Classic from his sensational Travers Stakes victory in late August at Saratoga Racetrack. Other entries included Frosted, Hoppertunity who had ventured east to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and major stakes winners Effinex and Keen Ice. At post time, California Chrome was the 9-10 favorite, but Arrogate, at 8-5 odds was installed the strong second choice.

After the break, Victor Espinoza sent Chrome to the front followed by Melatonin. Arrogate, breaking from the no. 9 post was not sent forward by Mike Smith as he did in the Travers but took a rating position in third place a couple of lengths behind the leader. The first three positions were unchanged down the backstretch as California Chrome was running comfortably on the lead. Around the far turn, Smith angled Arrogate inside of Melatonin as he took aim at California Chrome. Down the stretch, California Chrome continued to stride out purposefully, and although Arrogate was under a drive on the outside, it appeared he was not gaining. That changed just before the finish when the big gray son of Unbridled’s Song leveled out as only the really good horses do and thrusted himself forward to pass Chrome for an astonishing ½ length victory. The magnitude of the performance of the top two finishers was exemplified in that Keen Ice checked in 10¾ lengths further back in third place. Hoppertunity was fourth, and Melatonin finished fifth. Frosted in one of his poor races was sixth, and Effinex could do no better than seventh place.

For Juddmonte Farms, owner of Arrogate, who has had so many top class runners in Europe and turf champions in the U. S., this Classic victory ranks up with the stable’s 2003 Belmont Stakes victory of Empire Maker (over another “People’s Horse” in Funny Cide). Arrogate was subsequently voted the Eclipse Champion Male Three-Year-Old with California Chrome the Older Dirt Male Champion and (despite losing the Classic) Horse of the Year.

In addition to serving as a fitting finale to the year’s racing, the Breeders’ Cup Classic was now also positioned to be a lead in to a newly inaugurated race, the $12 million Pegasus World Cup run the following January at 9 furlongs at Gulfstream Park. The purse money insured it would supplant the Classic as the richest race in North America. The 2017 Pegasus World Cup had unique conditions. Limited to a field of twelve in which “stakeholders” purchased for $1 million an entry in the race they could use or sell. The Pegasus succeeded in its first year of attracting the two best horses in training from 2016 – California Chrome and Arrogate. It was hoped they would duplicate their dramatic stretch duel in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The rest of the field was decidedly below the top two. (Chrome, in a prep for the Pegasus, but also as a farewell to his California fans, had won in a canter the Winter Challenge Stakes in December 2016 at Los Alamitos Racecourse.)

Despite California Chrome’s 2016 Horse of the Year award and the assumption that the 9 furlong distance would be more favorable to him than Arrogate, the latter was installed the odds-on favorite. Breaking from the inside post, Mike Smith hustled Arrogate to gain an inside position just behind the leaders, while Victor Espinoza was forced to go wide around the clubhouse turn, a consequence of breaking from the far outside. Down the backstretch, Arrogate and California Chrome were racing in third and fourth place, respectively, their riders eyeing each other. The anticipation of another stretch duel evaporated when Smith asked Arrogate to go after the leaders, and Espinoza was unable to get Chrome to match strides with his rival. Into the stretch, Arrogate seized the lead as Chrome faltered. The last part of the race was a procession as the tall gray thundered clear, winning by 4¾ lengths setting a new track record. California Chrome, obviously past his peak, tired to be ninth in his final career start.

As I close the book on California Chrome’s racing career that spanned more than four seasons, it reads 16 wins from 27 starts and a gaudy $14.7 million in earnings.

Beginning stud duties at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, KY in 2017, California Chrome was leased to a farm in Chile during the Northern American breeding off-season. Perhaps not impressed by the prices his yearlings were fetching at auction in 2019, members of the California Chrome syndicate announced that Chrome was sold to a Japanese stud farm much to the consternation of the multitudes of “Chromies” who came to visit him when he took up residence in Kentucky.

California Chrome at stud in Kentucky
(bloodhorse.com)

So as I come to the end of “The People’s Horses” series, I reflect that these popular thoroughbred heroes all rose from their humble beginnings (not one was bred in Kentucky). Each had tremendous success as three-year-olds (all were winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, as well as sophomore champions). Ironically, they all failed to complete the Triple Crown by losing the Belmont Stakes. But for the fans of Carry Back, Funny Cide, Smarty Jones and California Chrome, their defeats only enamored them more to their followers, who saw their struggle against the establishment as symbolic of the aspirations of everyday people to reach the stars.