'Chrome' Looks to Shine 'Again'

Two-time Eclipse winner California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) looks to take his 2016 record to a perfect six-for-six in Saturday's GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita, a “Win and You're In” event for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Kicking off his season with a win in the GII San Pasqual S. Jan. 9, the 2014 Horse of the Year captured a Meydan handicap Feb. 25 and became the richest Thoroughbred in history with a sensational victory in the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 28. Given a breather, the dual Classic winner scored a gritty half-length success over the reopposing Dortmund (Big Brown) when making his Stateside return in Del Mar's GII San Diego H. July 23. Drawn on the rail last time in the GI Pacific Classic Aug. 20, the chestnut dazzled once again last time with a front-running five-length triumph over three-time champion Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Dortmund. California Chrome is four-for-seven at Santa Anita.

“It's always horses for courses–I'm a big believer a lot of times in that,” trainer Art Sherman said during an NTRA teleconference Tuesday. “It's probably as good of a feeling as I've ever had, coming into the Awesome Again. I hope he has a clean trip, and you're going to see the Chrome that I know show up.”

A portion of California Chrome's earnings will again go to support the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Bob Baffert saddles what would be considered quite a formidable pair if not for the presence of the seemingly unbeatable California Chrome in Dortmund and Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday). Kaleem Shah's Dortmund two-time Grade I winner Dortmund lost his unbeaten record after taking on his champion stablemate American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in last year's Classics and closed out last term with a victory in the GIII Native Diver S. Nov. 28. Making his belated seasonal bow when second in the San Diego, the “TDN Rising Star” was third last time in the Pac Classic and adds blinkers for this start. Baffert said earlier this week that 2014 GI Clark H. winner Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) could instead run in next Saturday's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont.