No matter what way you look at it, the American contingent forms an imposing presence in the $10 million G1 Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest horse race that will celebrate its 21st renewal under the lights at Meydan Racecourse Saturday. Last year, he was second in the Dubai World Cup. California Chrome, breaking from post 11, will have to be sent for position before the first turn, while Gun Pit, drawn inside, also has speed, and the Frosted camp does not want to fall far behind.
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Animal Kingdom, age 5 at the time, was clearly the best horse, giving him a rare Derby-World Cup double. Buick rode Prince Bishop to victory previous year, and he will be once again looking to run down California Chrome in the stretch.
You don’t have to be “just” a racing fan to catch on to the charisma of California Chrome.
Garnering the excitement of the onlookers on Wednesday morning, 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome arrived at the main track at 7am and stood like a statue under exercise rider Dihigy Gladney before stepping out for his 2800m gallop.
“The first horse he ever owned turns out to be California Chrome and…it was kind of overwhelming”, Sherman said during a national teleconference this week.
“He’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of horse, and he’s got a following you can’t believe”, said Art Sherman, 79. “There wasn’t too much I could do about the draw”.
Other industry members who think the same way include Louise Courtelis and her daughter Kiki of Town and Country Farms, Louis Brooks, Brian Kahn, Bob Naify and Jan Vandebos, George Saufley, and longtime Taylor Made client Marie Jones, who bred champions Ashado and Speightstown with her late husband, Aaron Jones.
The other sprint, the straight five furlong Al Quoz, is top-notch and contains a formidable Hong Kong challenge, with Not Listenin’tome very much the talking horse to edge last year’s runner-up Peniaphobia. Whether that made a difference in the face of Prince Bishop’s performance remains debatable, but only among die-hard trip handicappers, land surveyors, and shut-ins.
“He does everything just right and he just looks so terrific”, Sherman said. “I think 11 is good”. “He has just turned into an individual that you can’t believe”. Frosted was fourth in the Kentucky Derby after racing far from the pace, second in the Belmont, second in the Jim Dandy, and third after dueling with American Pharoah in the Travers. With seven weeks since his last start, he’s fresh, happy and ready to run. Still, he’s not concerned, which is good news for the race, which dearly needs another high-profile worldwide victor.
The focus of attention this weekend, though, will inevitably be on Sherman, California Chrome and the attempt to atone for last year’s defeat.
“If I had to pick a fault it’s the distance”.
“I was leaving the day before and all them ladies, the Chromies they call themselves, came over with boxes of donuts, flowers, a big party at the barn, and I said, ‘Wow, what a fanfare this horse has, ‘” Sherman said.
“We were watching [California Chrome] and thinking we probably couldn’t afford him, but the opportunity came up to be partners with Perry Martin and things just unfolded right”. “And we’re lucky because in general people (in the stallion business) saw him as not having pedigree. I never thought I’d be able to run for $10 million”.
His UAE debut was uninspiring, to say the least, with a well beaten seventh in Al Maktoum Challenge III on Super Saturday. The Todd Pletcher trainee will leave from post 2 in the World Cup and comes in off of a victory in the Donn Handicap. He won the GI Gulfstream Park Turf H. before finishing a highly respectable third in last year’s G1 Dubai Turf on this card. Second choice at 5-2 is Frosted for US trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, a horse many observers feel will have a big shot at a minor upset. Has been working brilliantly in Dubai since.
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But a switch to a dirt track a year ago to help attract USA horses seems to have paid off, with eight of the 12-horse field American.
