California Chrome

[stark]

Free poster on opening day at Santa Anita....

[CA_Chrome]

Chrome is such a beautiful horse and a real rock star in his Southern California home. So it makes sense that both Del Mar and Santa Anita organized promotions around him.

[stark]

Interesting quote from Art Sherman this morning,
on a SoCal radio show he said...

"just between you and me, its not a done deal that Chrome is heading to the shed next year.  Those involved are still penciling out the numbers and there is still some discussion about racing in 2017 beyond the Pegasus Cup.

[stark]

Beyer Speed Figure of 112 for California Chrome in Awesome Again

[afleetphil]

Chrome reminds me more and more of another chestnut, Same size. Same dominance. Secretariat. We may have a walk over in the BCC. In an earlier post a month ago I said that Chrome is in my top twenty all time greats if he wins the Breeders Cup this fall. I stand by that statement.

[stark]

Chrome reminds me more and more of another chestnut, Same size. Same dominance. Secretariat. We may have a walk over in the BCC. In an earlier post a month ago I said that Chrome is in my top twenty all time greats if he wins the Breeders Cup this fall. I stand by that statement.

and of course there will be some us who will be looking for value while tossing aside any sentimentality as we single ARROGATE on our Pick4 tickets

[curtis]

Chrome reminds me more and more of another chestnut, Same size. Same dominance. Secretariat. We may have a walk over in the BCC. In an earlier post a month ago I said that Chrome is in my top twenty all time greats if he wins the Breeders Cup this fall. I stand by that statement.

You do understand what a walk over is, right?  You have a right to any opinion you can formulate but if you think no other horse is going to enter a race in which second will pay as much or more than winning most any other race, I'd say your top-twenty proclamation may lack a little credibility.

[Dusty]

I am just SOOOOO enjoying watching Chrome develop and run - wow - look at the fans - check the excitement meter = THIS is goof for racing - keeping these horses running - DOES develop a fan base - check the fans in JAPAN where they run them -

I am loving it - he had me after the King Glorious at Hollywood Park - LET EM RUN!

[peeptoad]

Chrome reminds me more and more of another chestnut, Same size. Same dominance. Secretariat. We may have a walk over in the BCC. In an earlier post a month ago I said that Chrome is in my top twenty all time greats if he wins the Breeders Cup this fall. I stand by that statement.

I disagree,  although I do think Chrome is a really solid older horse. This is his banner year and he's a much better horse compared to 2014. He had the added benefit of practically every older horse of note (plus Pharoah) retiring at the end of last year,  the year in which he barely raced.
So, while I think he totally deserves accolades, I also think the level to which he is pumped is a bit of an optical illusion of sorts.

[afleetphil]

You do understand what a walk over is, right?  You have a right to any opinion you can formulate but if you think no other horse is going to enter a race in which second will pay as much or more than winning most any other race, I'd say your top-twenty proclamation may lack a little credibility.

A walk over is when no one else shows up in the staring gate, the Bid in 1980 in I think it was the Woodward as an example.. I just can't see a horse out there right now that could challenge Chrome. I did make my comment tongue in cheek though.

[curtis]

A walk over is when no one else shows up in the staring gate, the Bid in 1980 in I think it was the Woodward as an example.. I just can't see a horse out there right now that could challenge Chrome. I did make my comment tongue in cheek though.

Fair enough, after I responded, it occurred to me you may have meant "cakewalk" and not walk over. Saturday pretty much proved to me once and for all that unless something is amiss, Chrome will beat Dortmund whenever they may meet.  The Classic will have too much depth of competition to just hand it over to Chrome but he'll be a deserving favorite, no doubt.  I, like Stark, am very aware of Arrogate. I do think that the Travers showed what he can do not necessarily what he always will do.  There are some disappointed in Secretariat because he never ran back to his Belmont.  Arrogate's Travers may be somewhat like J O Tobin's Swaps. He may never completely run back to it but don't fall to sleep on him. May they all show up healthy and ready to roll.

[afleetphil]

Fair enough, after I responded, it occurred to me you may have meant "cakewalk" and not walk over. Saturday pretty much proved to me once and for all that unless something is amiss, Chrome will beat Dortmund whenever they may meet.  The Classic will have too much depth of competition to just hand it over to Chrome but he'll be a deserving favorite, no doubt.  I, like Stark, am very aware of Arrogate. I do think that the Travers showed what he can do not necessarily what he always will do.  There are some disappointed in Secretariat because he never ran back to his Belmont.  Arrogate's Travers may be somewhat like J O Tobin's Swaps. He may never completely run back to it but don't fall to sleep on him. May they all show up healthy and ready to roll.

How could Secretariat run back to his Belmont. That was unworldly. To better that performance he'd have to be flying thru the air. After his Belmont he actually ran a couple of races where he set records.

[afleetphil]

How could Secretariat run back to his Belmont. That was unworldly. To better that performance he'd have to be flying thru the air. After his Belmont he actually ran a couple of races where he set records.

Perhaps I should have said "other worldly "

[curtis]

Perhaps I should have said "other worldly "

It made sense either way. I was never disappointed in him, his Marlboro Cup was off the charts. I've seen plenty of people, though, refer to his Belmont as a fluke performance. Of course, they're usually trying to bolster the reputation of another horse. I got to meet Secretariat and feed him peppermint during Derby Week in 1987. When the groom brought him out, he simply introduced him as the best horse. Someone asked if he meant the best horse at Claiborne and the groom replied, "No, I mean the best!"  Later he brought out Spectacular Bid and described him as a "great horse, but not the best."  Someone mumbled that Bid was the best. The groom, very matter of factly replied, "No, he had his chance to be the best and he wasn't, he's a great, great horse, but Red is the best."  I don't think the groom was ever disappointed either.

[peeptoad]

That's a great story. ... I love when humans are inspired by and revere the nonhuman animals in their lives. The world makes much more sense that way.