California Chrome leaves home with emphatic win

WHAT a way to say goodbye.

In its second last race and final run in its home state, California Chrome blitzed its competition to win the $180,000 Los Alamitos Winter Challenge on Saturday.

The 2014 Horse of the Year has one final assignment left – the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on January 28 – then a lucrative stud career at Kentucky awaits.

With veteran rider Victor Espinoza on board, California Chrome came out wide early, then took the lead entering the stretch. It was barely a race in the end, with the champ winning by 12 lengths in a track record time of 1:40.03.

“It’s a good day,” trainer Art Sherman said.

“You could see what happens when you have a star.”

“I told Victor, ‘Keep him in the clear. You don’t have to rush him,'” Sherman said in the winner’s circle. “People don’t remember he’s better coming off the pace. He’s a push-button horse.”

The win was Chrome’s 15th stakes win of its career and seventh victory from eight starts in 2016 – a year that produced a $10 million windfall in the Dubai World Cup.

It’s total career earnings is a staggering $14,502,650.

Espinoza said that he knew California Chrome was ready earlier in the day.

“He was super strong today,” Espinoza said.

“The most important thing was how he felt physically.”

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