California Chrome won the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes only to fall short in the Belmont in his quest for the Triple Crown. That didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most popular race horses in decades. After a disappointing 2015 season that was cut short due to injury and fatigue California Chrome is back and getting ready for his second run at the $10 million Dubai World Cup. The big money race is scheduled for March 23 at Dubai’s Meydan Race Course. He’s facing some other top flight challengers familiar to US racing fans but with California Chrome back in excellent form he’s almost certain to go off as the post time favorite.
The $10 Million Dubai World Cup is set for March 23 at Meydan Race Course. With this much money on the line, the race always attracts the sport’s luminaries and this year is no exception. The favorites for the 2016 race are finishing up their training and looking forward to the richest horse race on the planet.
California Chrome turned in a courageous effort in last year’s Dubai World Cup but had to settle for second. That was the last highlight in what was to be a disappointing year for ‘America’s Horse’. He wouldn’t race again despite plans to race him at Royal Ascot and the Met Million at Chicago’s Arlington Park. Nagging injury and fatigue took its toll and eventually California Chrome was ‘shut down’ for the year. With his lucrative future as a stud horse assured there was no guarantee that he would race again.
Fortunately, the decision was made to keep him in training and so far it’s paid off. He’s looked excellent in his two races so far in 2016 as he’s won the San Pasquale (Grade 2) at Santa Anita and most recently took a handicap race that served as his World Cup ‘warm up’ in Dubai at Meydan Race Course. At Meydan he obliterated his competition despite carrying a 15 pound handicap. Chrome is now ranked as the #1 racehorse in the world according to the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
Chrome’s training team is excited about his prospects for the Dubai World Cup and beyond. Trainer Alan Sherman noted: “He had a mile-and-a-quarter race, so we don’t have to do much with him now. It’s not going to be anything fancy, just maintaining from here. He’s put on all the weight he lost from his last race. Alan said he just looks fabulous in his training. He’s a lot different horse than he was last year, I believe.”