California Chrome Headed to Royal Ascot

[Cree]

His plans are all over the map. The trainer over there at least is giving him time to settle and build some strength. I almost feel like he won't be ready for Royal Ascot, and this trip will be for naught.
I noticed they changed his bridle situation to a Figure 8. If anything this whole experience will have given Chrome a chance to relax in nature. The gallops are tremendously beautiful.

[TJ]

His plans are all over the map. The trainer over there at least is giving him time to settle and build some strength. I almost feel like he won't be ready for Royal Ascot, and this trip will be for naught.
I noticed they changed his bridle situation to a Figure 8. If anything this whole experience will have given Chrome a chance to relax in nature. The gallops are tremendously beautiful.

Hi Cree,
Yes, I noticed the change of equipment as well...not really a good sign. Usually means the rider needs help controlling him, could be getting rank? Maybe he's had enough of the peace and quiet he's in and is missing the hustle and bustle of the racetrack:>)
Perry Martin's plans are all over the place because he thought Chrome was a car, not flesh and blood that needs time to recover from a tough race. I truly believe Chrome could do well overseas as I always thought he could handle the turf....but the horse has to be fit and ready to show himself. Martin was spoiled with Sherman...Sherman was able to bend to the owners whims and still have him ready to perform when it counted except once....that race at Parx, which Sherman was dead against running in because he wasn't fit. Sherman said Chrome needs time off after Dubai, he said he would be tired, seems he's always right because they had to miss the prep. So the owner, taking a page from the Parx error, will pass on the Lockinge Stakes so as not to embarrass the horse again. He expects more time will have him at the top of his game for Ascot....what he fails to realize is Sherman isn't there. I'm sure these new connections are very capable, but they just don't know the ins and outs of Chrome. If these new handlers can prepare him to run at Royal Ascot off such a long layoff and conditions he's never ever seen before....they would have to be the greatest conditioners of all time. TJ

[erins isle]

I do hope Chrome can handle Ascot, it is one of the most beautiful tracks in England, but very tricky and the track climbing near the finish is a thing not every horse is capable to.

[Venusian]

The way some people go on, you'd think that the horse was being sent to race on the moon!

To try and put people's minds at rest...

...The round mile at Ascot is against the collar the whole way, but free of surface undulations, so a flat, slightly upward-sloping course. For a UK track the straight of 2 1/2 furlongs is on the short side, just like in America, and you need a horse who stays a mile really well, so should be fine for CC.

The Royal meeting at Ascot normally has going on the fast side (although of course not guaranteed).

The Queen Anne is the first race on the first day of the meeting, so the racing surface should be in A1 condition.

Finally, take heart from the fact that Ascot is only around 25 miles from London, one of the world's driest capital cities.

[TJ]

The way some people go on, you'd think that the horse was being sent to race on the moon!

To try and put people's minds at rest...

...The round mile at Ascot is against the collar the whole way, but free of surface undulations, so a flat, slightly upward-sloping course. For a UK track the straight of 2 1/2 furlongs is on the short side, just like in America, and you need a horse who stays a mile really well, so should be fine for CC.

The Royal meeting at Ascot normally has going on the fast side (although of course not guaranteed).

The Queen Anne is the first race on the first day of the meeting, so the racing surface should be in A1 condition.

Finally, take heart from the fact that Ascot is only around 25 miles from London, one of the world's driest capital cities.

Hi Venusian,
There's more to it then just the conditions, he has a lot to learn and will he properly learn his lesson and be ready for Ascot....personally I doubt it. Look at Mubtaahij, a wonderful horse who came here on short notice and couldn't get his act together in the Derby. Why, because he had no clue about switching leads into and out of turns as is done with regularity here in the states. He ran the entire Kentucky Derby on one lead and I am glad to see they will keep him in America to learn our style and be prepared to run in the Belmont Stakes. CC has to learn how to switch leads without turns to encourage that effort. Euro and American racing are as different as men being from mars and women being from Venus:>) I hope he runs well, but I doubt he will be ready for the Euro champions over their home turf. TJ

[Patuxet]

TJ:

Mubtaahij had been racing in Dubai on the Meydan racecourse, an 8.75 furlong left-handed dirt oval sufficiently similar to US tracks for California Chrome to ship there to compete in the World Cup. Mubtaahij's previous win at Meydan was the UAE Derby, at 1 3/16 miles and run counter-clockwise around two turns. Did he run that race all on one lead? Given his savvy trainer and his owners designs on the KY Derby, why wouldn't he have learned to switch leads whilst racing on the Meydan track?

[TJ]

TJ:

Mubtaahij had been racing in Dubai on the Meydan racecourse, an 8.75 furlong left-handed dirt oval sufficiently similar to US tracks for California Chrome to ship there to compete in the World Cup. Mubtaahij's previous win at Meydan was the UAE Derby, at 1 3/16 miles and run counter-clockwise around two turns. Did he run that race all on one lead? Given his savvy trainer and his owners designs on the KY Derby, why wouldn't he have learned to switch leads whilst racing on the Meydan track?

Hi Patuxet.
Mubtaahij didn't switch in the UAE Derby or in his final work at CD prior to the Derby. Horses generally will switch leads on their own as they tire, or go in (left lead) and out of (right lead) turns. Some have to be urged to do so and this is usually a red flag. There are sometimes serious reasons when American horses don't switch, most serious would be they are sore. Go For Wand who seldom switched to her right lead never started switching consistently till August of 1990, she broke down October 1990....when she switched late onto her right lead in the BC Distaff and immediately went down. Below are a couple interesting articles concerning lead changes in general and Mubtaahij specifically (though just a brief mention of his failure to switch). TJ
http://www.toconline.com/publicationsme ... d-changes/
http://www.americasbestracing.net/en/th ... mubtaahij/

[Patuxet]

Thanks, TJ. How difficult will it be to get Mubtaahij, at this stage in his development. to learn to change leads between now and the Belmont? What techniques can be employed? (I realize this is off subject but I find it important to understand.)

[TJ]

Thanks, TJ. How difficult will it be to get Mubtaahij, at this stage in his development. to learn to change leads between now and the Belmont? What techniques can be employed? (I realize this is off subject but I find it important to understand.)

Hi Patuxet,
If Mubtaahij has the good mind that deKock has repeatedly said he has, it shouldn't be an issue. It's just they don't really focus on switching leads across the pond. I'm sure de Kock realized he needs to get his act together and I 'm sure he will. I'm thinking Kiaren McLaughlin (who spent many years in Dubai) will be in his corner and help his crew in any way possible. TJ

[TJ]

California Chrome will breeze at Newmarket Racecourse this Saturday, with Frankie Dettori in the irons. Sherman said he's not yet sure if Espinoza or Dettori will get the mount. TJ

[TJ]

Thanks, TJ. How difficult will it be to get Mubtaahij, at this stage in his development. to learn to change leads between now and the Belmont? What techniques can be employed? (I realize this is off subject but I find it important to understand.)

Hi Patuxet,
Another point of interest as long as we're on the subject of changing leads, was the brushing that went on in the Derby when Firing Line came out and brushed with American Pharoah. Firing Line was under continual left handed whipping, as was American Pharoah who was under a right handed whip. It looked to me Firing Line was just tired and he drifted out, but after closer inspection you can see he was on the wrong lead. Had he been on his correct lead, the outcome could have easily been reversed. The question is why didn't he switch?? TJ

[Cree]

I've seen people questioning how AP came out of the Derby, and that he may be tired, but I have to wonder if Firing Line might be the more tired of the top 3.

[TJ]

Rae Guest reports that California Chrome is doing everything right. They are trying to get Dettori to come to Newmarket to breeze him when his schedule permits. In the mean time he's galloping very well under exercise rider Robbie Mills. TJ

[TJ]

California Chrome is one of 69 horses pre-entered for the July 4th, GR I Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park in Great Britain. The distance of the race is slightly over a mile and a quarter. TJ

[Taff]

A right-handed oval track of a mile and five furlongs in circumference, with an uphill run from the home turn of three and a half furlongs, and chutes for mile and a quarter and mile and three-quarters contests. There is a separate straight course of five furlongs running diagonally across the centre.
American bred going right handed?........No way!