Del Mar, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner
California Chrome posted a workout Sunday morning over Del Mar’s turf course
ahead of a start in Saturday’s $300,000 Hollywood Derby.
The 3-year-old chestnut colt, trained by Art Sherman, worked four furlongs on
the Jimmy Durante turf course in 52 seconds with his regular jockey Victor
Espinoza.
“I was satisfied with the work,” Sherman said at a post-workout news
conference. “Victor said (California Chrome) didn’t know if he was going to
work or gallop because he’d never been on the grass before. But Victor said he
felt smooth underneath him and that was my main concern.”
Owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, California Chrome would be making his
turf racing debut in the 1 1/8-mile Hollywood Derby after racing successfully
on both dirt and synthetic surfaces. The colt is also nominated to the
$200,000 Native Diver over the main track on Saturday. Entries for both races
will be drawn Wednesday.
“I’d love to run him on the grass,” Sherman said.
California Chrome finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 just
a neck behind winner Bayern and runner-up Toast of New York.
Early this year he posted three straight wins at Santa Anita in the California
Cup Derby, San Felipe Stakes and Santa Anita Derby before taking the first two
legs of the Triple Crown.
He was fourth in the Belmont Stakes and sixth to Bayern in the $1 million
Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 20.
California Chrome has banked $4,042,650 from 15 career starts with eight wins.
