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California Chrome

Racing
#221

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;7582508]
CC was never boxed in in the a Derby. He had an absolutely perfect trip.

But he makes his own luck in that he allows the jock to put him where he needs to be. He did this yesterday when he bossed SI out of his way as the vied for position in the run to the first turn.

The he owner is the breeder.[/QUOTE]

You’re right, he wasn’t. It just looked like he was going to be but his rider got him out of it. Rideability isn’t luck. I just don’t understand ridingagain’s comment. :confused:

Was his breeding ever discussed in any detail in TV coverage? I thought the wife of one of the owners masterminded the breeding.

#222

[QUOTE=Mardi;7582494]
Horse racing’s negative image comes from much more than a perception of being an elitist sport. :([/QUOTE]

A good percentage of that negative image is derived from ignorance.

#223

[QUOTE=Laurierace;7582258]
Too many pics to post here. Check out my facebook page if you want to see them.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/McDowell-Racing-Stables[/QUOTE]

Great pics, Laurie. Although the link wouldn’t work for me! (Went to your link in your signature)

#224

Laurierace, thanks so much for posting the pictures and the comment about his post-race appearance. When he was walking with the outrider after the race, he didn’t look like he was blowing any harder than that horse.

#225

[QUOTE=DLee;7582240]
NY doesn’t allow nasal strips. Owners and Art Sherman not happy.

Because nasal strips are the first thing that comes to mind when I think of racing reform.[/QUOTE]

Actually they have just said “No one has petitioned us to use one in the Belmont yet.” Which hopefully means NYRA is not looking to mess this up any more than anyone else.

#226

[QUOTE=Texarkana;7582544]
Great pics, Laurie. Although the link wouldn’t work for me! (Went to your link in your signature)[/QUOTE]
Sorry about the link, FB seems to have problems with links sometimes.

#227

The think I am concerned about is if the weather is bad and the Belmont ends up on an off track. Since the horse has been based in Southern CA I don’t know that he has ever run on anything other than fast.

Edit: I looked it up. He hasn’t.

#228

He had luck in the Derby because he got a decent post position, a fast track, a good start and ,with a huge field, he had a clear trip. Whether some of that was Victor’s doing, good luck or the horse’s rideability, I don’t know. I also thought I read somewhere that CC doesn’t like dirt in his face, so who knows how he would have fared if he was boxed in (which he wasn’t). All those things combined to help him win the Derby. His trip at the Preakness impressed me more. It takes a lot of skill, luck, determination and greatness to win a TC. We will see if the racing gods favor this horse. If he wins the Belmont, it will be an amazing accomplishment, no matter how much luck he has had so far.

#229

I have watched this over and over! //luv the way he burst out of the gate:):yes:

#230

Curiosity question - why was the filly’s tail tied?

Beautiful ride, great trip. I love that the whip gets put away at the end - it’s almost as though once he gets in front he knows he’s staying there… fights off a challenge and then puts it on cruise.

#231

The thing that I really like about CC is how cool & calm he has been through all of the hoopla that has been the past few weeks. Heck he’s known to lay down & nap on race day :slight_smile:
He is one of the chillest horses I’ve seen from the walk-overs through his warmups, in all his races. The only fidgeting I’ve notice is once he’s in the gate he tends to wiggle a bit.
That alone makes me like him. No wasting energy dancing, prancing & showing off, LOL
Best of luck to him & all of his connection come Belmont day!!

#232

Chrome’s pedigree isn’t as blue collar as one would think!

thought this was an interesting read regarding CC pedigree

Chrome to Gold

Muscatine, IA – May 18, 2014 - California Chrome, after winning the Preakness yesterday and the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago is still being portrayed by the media as “A horse with a humble pedigree.”

Not so my friends, says equine genetics expert Robert Miller. This horse is royalty bred, in fact he is better bred that most of the thoroughbreds today.

Keep in mind that there are 16 billion gene combinations that can occur when breeding a world champion mare to a world champion stallion. Odds are not good that you will get a world champion foal out of the mating. The genetic makeup a horse equates to about 40%, while environmental factors are 60% of the total make up of a horse’s performance.

California Chrome does have a very good pedigree, in fact he is line bred (related by breeding) to one of the greatest producing race horse bloodlines of all time, that being Nearco/Nasrullah. He has 12 crosses to this bloodline in his pedigree. Here are some of the great thoroughbreds from this bloodline; Secretariat, Bold Ruler, Seattle Slew, Nashua, Njinsky, and Northern Dancer. These are not horses with “humble” pedigrees.

A little more background on Chrome’s genetic makeup… Add in to the 12 crosses to Nearco/Nasrullah the 6 crosses to Princequillo and 4 crosses to Polynesian and the pot of genes are really sweetened. The Chrome turns to Gold in the breeding shed because of Chrome being slightly inbred to Mr. Prospector in that he is 3x4 within the first 5 generations of his pedigree. This makes Chrome double bred to Mr. Prospector which creates an inbreeding coefficient of 1.5625%. Therefore Chrome will have 1 to 2 matched chromosomes out of 32 relating directly to Mr. Prospector. The result of this type of inbreeding results in his ability to produce a higher level of “hybrid vigor” in all the foals he produces and a greater chance those foals can be winners if all the environmental factors and influences are present in his upbringing.

A humble pedigree, not at all, are the owners lucky, you bet, did they know all these facts about the genetic makeup of this horse when they bred the sire and dam, probably not.

Can Chrome win the Triple? Maybe, it all depends upon many of the environmental factors involved.

It will most definitely be fun for millions of fans to watch as Chrome’s quest for the Triple Crown and more GOLD continues in three weeks at the Belmont Stakes.

Robert Miller has been actively involved in Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse breeding and applied genetics for over 20 years and is considered by his peers as one of the foremost authorities in this field. He is the owner of the largest collection of stallions with the highest genetic percentage of famed World Champion Quarterhorses, Three Bars and Doc Bar in the world today.

Contact:
Robert C. Miller
563-299-6177
bbarc@machlink.com
www.bbarcquarterhorses.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=317322461733133&ref=br_tf
2504 Bayfield Rd
Muscatine, IA 52761

#233

CC may be the next “peoples’ horse”. I am a backsider and usually don’t hear chatter in my “real world”, e.g. work environment and beyond. But people are asking me about him and I am excited. I love this story, everything about it. I love the fact that this cheap horse has raw talent and connections who have belief in him. I’ve been around successful “cheap” horses who have achieved success defying thir breeding and yearling prices and there has been no greater joy than watching them achieve this success because of sound and purposeful breaking and subsequent careful training management. Point being that raw material can be shaped and deep pockets guarantees nothing.

Rachel’s and Zenyatta’s progeny have no guarantees in their race careers. There are so many variables that will factor into whether or not they do their parents proud, although I do, of course, wish to see some of their dams’ greatness grace the racetrack again.

CC represents every man, the little folks who dream big, do right by their horses and hit the big time. I cried with them. I know how they feel because a little win still feels like a Derby win to me.

This is a win for all of racing.

#234

So, regarding the Nasal Strips…I heard on a sports channel today that his connections would not go to the Belmont if they won’t allow him to wear one? Any updates on that? (sorry if you guys discussed this already, I’ve been on the road all day)

#235

[QUOTE=VirginiaBred;7582935]
So, regarding the Nasal Strips…I heard on a sports channel today that his connections would not go to the Belmont if they won’t allow him to wear one? Any updates on that? (sorry if you guys discussed this already, I’be been on the road all day)[/QUOTE]

All I heard early on TVG was NYRA is saying no one has petitioned yet to be allowed to use one. So I presume they’re going to request a waiver to allow him to run in one (and presumably that would go for anyone else in the Belmont field who wants one.) I can’t imagine that NYRA would 1. blow the enormous ticket sales that the Belmont is now guaranteed and 2. have learned nothing from their long holdout against allowing Lasix (which among others cost them an Unbridled-Summer Squall rematch as the only reason the latter’s connections passed was they couldn’t run him on Lasix.) With a Triple Crown on the line and the biggest “celebrity” horse since Zenyatta sold Breeder’s Cup tickets, this would be a catastrophically stupid time for them to make some sort of stand on “principle.”

#236

The only update on his FB page states the trainer will be addressing it with the stewards when he gets to NY.
I’ve not read anywhere that officially states the owners will pull him? Is there a link?
The only thing I have seen is the trainer stating his thoughts that they(owners) may be superstitious enough to decide & not race if the nasal strips aren’t allowed. Doesn’t seem like the trainer is that concerned if CC had to run without the nasal strip. He does all his morning gallops & any blowouts withOUT them.

#237

He’s very successful in California. Last year, he was ranked 24th in the nation. This year, he’s ranked third. 2013 rankings:
http://www.equibase.com/stats/View.cfm?tf=year&tb=jockey&eid=16787&y=2014&age=0&sex=0&surf=0&race=0#year=2013&set=full&page=1

Nice SI article about Victor (and his brother, Jose):

…from 2000 to '06, Victor averaged 193 wins per year and twice finished third in the nation among jockeys in total earnings. He won the Derby and the Preakness in '02 on War Emblem, two years after he won the Breeders Cup Distaff on Spain.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20140515/preakness-victor-espinoza/#ixzz3279IDwno

#238

Not so sure. Perry Martin said he spent 8 months doing pedigree analysis before deciding who to breed the dam to. And in other matters financial, he seems pretty astute. :yes:

#239

I completely agree with you danceonice…they would be idiots for not allowing him to wear nasal strips! Talk about a boycott!!!

#240

[QUOTE=CVPeg;7583037]
Not so sure. Perry Martin said he spent 8 months doing pedigree analysis before deciding who to breed the dam to. And in other matters financial, he seems pretty astute. :yes:[/QUOTE]

I think I read in an article (I’ve read too many to remember where now) that the original stallion he picked didn’t work out and so they used Lucky Pulpit… I will see if I can backtrack and find that. If that’s the case, even a little more luck involved.
ETA:
Mare was bred to Reddatore and didn’t take, he got exported and Lucky Pulpit was chosen.

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