More Chrome For the Trophy Case?
Having taken home the hardware for four Grade Is– including two Classics–and a pair of Eclipse awards, California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) has certainly lived up to his name, and the American Horse of the Year looks to solidify his reputation internationally when he goes postward as the favorite for Saturday’s $10 million G1 Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest race.
To be fair, the GI Kentucky Derby winner has already proven himself against world-class competition. He finished third, beaten a neck for it all, behind Bayern (Offlee Wild) and Toast of New York (Thewayyouare) in last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, and rebounded to take the GI Hollywood Derby four weeks later in his lone try on the turf. The flashy chestnut was run down in the stretch by champion Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}), rated by the IFHA as the best in the world thus far in 2015, in the GII San Antonio S. on seasonal debut Feb. 7, but with that arch-rival, as well as Bayern and Toast of New York, giving the World Cup a pass, California Chrome’s way looks much clearer this time. His early speed should suit Meydan’s new dirt course, which has been kind to front runners throughout the carnival, and connections were visibly relieved at Wednesday’s post position draw when California Chrome landed in the outside gate nine.
“He has taken everything in his stride and is in great form,” said trainer Art Sherman. “I am delighted with stall nine as he likes to run from the outside and, obviously, we have all the early speed inside us.”
“He’s kind of push button,” Sherman added. “He’s not a one-dimensional horse and that’s important. Just keep him in the clear and have a place to go. That’s all I ask.”
California Chrome will attempt to become the third horse to record the Kentucky Derby/Dubai World Cup double, following in the hoofprints of Silver Charm (Silver Buck) in 1998 and Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) in 2013.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Dubai World Cup, and what a story it would be if Lea (First Samurai) were to triumph for trainer Bill Mott, who took the inaugural running at the now-defunct Nad Al Sheba in 1996 with Cigar (Palace Music). Since then, Americans have won the World Cup on eight occasions.
Despite preparing largely in the shadow of his compatriot California Chrome this week, Lea has serious claims to the winner’s pot. The 6-year-old, winner of last year’s GI Donn H., returned from a near year layoff to win the GIII Hal’s Hope S. at Gulfstream Jan. 10, and was not disgraced when second, beaten three-quarters of a length by last year’s GI Florida Derby winner Constitution (Tapit), in this year’s Donn Feb. 7. Lea will exit gate five and is expected to stalk the pace.
“It is great to be back with a serious contender,” said Mott. “We are drawn in the middle, which is perfect. I’ve heard that speed is a big asset here and he has tactical speed. We’ll let him place himself and see what happens.”
No horse has won the World Cup twice, and Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor will attempt to amend that storyline with last year’s winner African Story (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). African Story will actually be seeking his third win on a World Cup card, having taken the G2 Godolphin Mile in 2012, but nonetheless it came as somewhat of a late surprise that the 8-year-old would even be in this year’s lineup. The gelding was a well-beaten seventh in his dirt debut in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Feb. 5, after which bin Suroor proclaimed a return to the turf was likely. A change of heart ensued, however, and African Story was given another shot on the main course in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 three weeks ago. He won by a neck from stablemate Prince Bishop (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and is thus in the hunt to push his earnings into the eight-figure threshold. Bin Suroor owns the most wins of any trainer in World Cup history (six) and three of those have won Round 3 en route to their World Cup scores.
“African Story won this last year on the all-weather and proved he can win on dirt on Super Saturday,” said bin Suroor. “With good horses like him, the surface really makes less difference as the best horses will handle any surface. He has a nice draw in three, while Prince Bishop, from stall one, will hopefully break better than he has the last twice.”
Japan took home its first World Cup with Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) in 2011, and last year’s G1 Japan Cup victor Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S)–who is trained by Victoire Pisa’s trainer Katsuhiko Sumii–heads a two-pronged attack from the Land of the Rising Sun. Epiphaneia was named by the IFHA as the second-best horse in the world last year–behind his compatriot Just A Way (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), who won the G1 Dubai Duty Free on this card a year ago–after trouncing the opposition–including Just A Way, Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Harp Star (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})–in the Japan Cup. He finished fifth, beaten a length, in the G1 Arima Kinen when last seen Dec. 28, and he tries dirt for the first time. On the contrary, Hokko Tarumae (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) is well proven on that surface. Given most of the year off after finishing last in this race last year, the 6-year-old took the G1 Champions Cup and G1 Tokyo Daishoten–both on the dirt–in December, and prepped for this with a stakes score at Kawasaki Jan. 28. Hokko Tarumae should be on or near the lead, which could work in his favor on the surface.