So who will be training him?
Sound like all may not be well in the Chrome and the decision to send him to Ascot is not an unanimous one. Art Sherman apparently appears to have been some what blindsided by it.
I guess Martin is the majority owner and the one calling the shots now.
California Chrome to England
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – California Chrome will ship from Dubai to England this week in a bold bid to carry his Kentucky Derby-winning and Horse of the Year form to the European turf.
The second-place finisher Saturday night in the $10 million Dubai World Cup, California Chrome had been booked on a flight back to the U.S. on Tuesday but will instead fly to England and be based at Newmarket, trainer Art Sherman said.
Sherman will remain the trainer of record, and will travel to saddle the horse when he races, he said, but representatives of the International Racing Bureau will help coordinate and oversee California Chrome’s day-to-day care, Sherman said. Sherman wasn’t certain what races would be targeted, but the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal Ascot meet in June is one likely target.
The move is a strange one, considering California Chrome’s only grass win came against modest opposition in the Hollywood Derby last December, and appears to expose a rift between majority owner Perry Martin and minority owner Steve Coburn. Coburn animatedly voiced his feeling Saturday night that California Chrome was “America’s horse,” but Martin apparently was won over by a strong push from English racing interests, particularly from Royal Ascot.
The move surprised Sherman, who even after the World Cup still thought California Chrome was headed home.
“I was looking forward to giving him a rest,” Sherman said. “I’m not sure everyone realizes that this is going to be a tired horse. That was a hard race on him.”
Sherman and his crew developed California Chrome from a 2-year-old California-bred of no particular note to the winner of two-thirds of the Triple Crown, which spurred the colt’s Horse of the Year award.
“I feel like I’ve lost a friend,” Sherman said. “I’m going to miss looking down the shedrow and seeing the horse in his stall. It’s going to be hard on him, too. He’s been with the same groom, the same people since he was a 2-year-old. I hope it works out for the horse.”
[QUOTE=RainyDayRide;8078296]
So who will be training him?[/QUOTE]
I haven’t heard. I would guess Art Sherman’s son maybe? He has been the one that has usually traveled with him in the past.
It will be interesting to see where, and with whom, he ends up being stabled with at Newmarket.
It was different with Animal Kingdom (who stabled at Lambourn) in that the trainer and owners both had a lot of connections in England.
So Art will remain the “trainer of record” and will saddle him … Chrome will be at Rae Guest’s yard at New Market. Somewhat odd choice - he’s known for his work with fillies.
Last stop before heading to Dubai or Saudi, to be sure…
As much as Coburn’s remarks have been off-putting, am sorry that he, and especially Art Sherman, cannot enjoy him, and sad that CC no longer appears to be “America’s Horse”.
His wins and campaign up to and including the KD and Preakness were electrifying.
??
If anything he is going to end up at stud in Japan.
Who in Dubai would buy him?
I was really excited about this until I read the part about the disagreement and blindsiding Art Sherman. That’s pretty craptastic.
If the team wanted to take more chances with Chrome at the big races in the world, I’d say good for them. But if Perry Martin is doing this to show that he’s the bigger prick, well screw him. The man has a lot to learn about horse racing.
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8078674]
I was really excited about this until I read the part about the disagreement and blindsiding Art Sherman. That’s pretty craptastic.
If the team wanted to take more chances with Chrome at the big races in the world, I’d say good for them. But if Perry Martin is doing this to show that he’s the bigger prick, well screw him. The man has a lot to learn about horse racing.[/QUOTE]
?? What’s going on?
Isn’t it a bit unusual to send a young stallion to a barn full of fillies?
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8078674]
I was really excited about this until I read the part about the disagreement and blindsiding Art Sherman. That’s pretty craptastic.
If the team wanted to take more chances with Chrome at the big races in the world, I’d say good for them. But if Perry Martin is doing this to show that he’s the bigger prick, well screw him. The man has a lot to learn about horse racing.[/QUOTE]
Agreed.
If I were Art Sherman, I’d tell them to find a new trainer. They clearly don’t care that he has a barn full of other horses back in California to care for and train.
[QUOTE=SnicklefritzG;8078679]
?? What’s going on?[/QUOTE]
See post #22.
From the sounds of it: Sherman wants to give the horse a break, Coburn appears to want him to come back to the US, but Perry Martin is sending him to Royal Ascot because he is the majority owner. And it doesn’t sound like he included the rest of the team in this decision.
I think Art is right. Looked to me like Meydan was heavy going and CC was held wide until the finish. CC is going to be a very tired horse.
Reminds of what the slew connections did to billy turner with swaps stakes. Deja Vu.
It is not the same as with Seattle Slew, Billy Turner was having serious alcohol problems which he acknowledged himself. Martin should be ashamed of himself, these US horses take about 3 months to recover from such an arduous trip and race.
You’d think they at least would send the groom for Chrome.
This sort of rift happens all the time with winning show horses. Push to bigger prizes, long distance traveling vs consider what the horse needs.
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8078764]
See post #22.
From the sounds of it: Sherman wants to give the horse a break, Coburn appears to want him to come back to the US, but Perry Martin is sending him to Royal Ascot because he is the majority owner. And it doesn’t sound like he included the rest of the team in this decision.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that is pretty crappy. Poo on Martin.
[QUOTE=Plumcreek;8078781]
You’d think they at least would send the groom for Chrome.
This sort of rift happens all the time with winning show horses. Push to bigger prizes, long distance traveling vs consider what the horse needs.[/QUOTE]
I don’t understand the long distance travel bit. He has to fly back from Dubai to somewhere. It appears he will fly to England father than southern California. They are both long distances, but the trip to California is quite a bit longer. So would a flight to England not be easier on him?
It is surprising that the groom didn’t go with the horse, as that is usually what happens when horses ship for extended international stays, the groom and/or exercise rider (which is often the same person doing both jobs overseas) goes with the horse. However, it may well be that the groom himself that declined to go, for personal/family reasons. Or maybe Sherman decided he needed the groom back at Los Al to take care of other horses.
Raul is Sherman’s head groom - head of the barn staff. He’s needed back at home. This isn’t a large operation with people to spare.
I’ll repeat my earlier question … isn’t it unusual to send a young stallion to a trainer who specializes in training fillies and thus has a barn full of fillies?
http://www.raeguest.com/horses-in-training?id=158
[QUOTE=RainyDayRide;8078811]
I’ll repeat my earlier question … isn’t it unusual to send a young stallion to a trainer who specializes in training fillies and thus has a barn full of fillies?
http://www.raeguest.com/horses-in-training?id=158[/QUOTE]
I think it’s more unusual for a trainer to specialize in fillies. In this country, there are folks who are good with fillies, but I can’t think of any major trainer who has a barn exclusively of fillies.
With that said, the trainer has colts and geldings in training listed on the site. Racehorses are used to being kept in mixed gender shedrows. It shouldn’t be an issue.
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8078764]
See post #22.
From the sounds of it: Sherman wants to give the horse a break, Coburn appears to want him to come back to the US, but Perry Martin is sending him to Royal Ascot because he is the majority owner. And it doesn’t sound like he included the rest of the team in this decision.[/QUOTE]
Martin’s decision makes more sense if the plan is to race him at Ascot. It’s a shorter, cheaper flight from Dubai, with no long, pricey, and risky flight from California to the UK, it means he’s THERE with time to adapt before Royal Ascot rather than rushing in. If that means ultimately they need a new trainer, that’s horse racing. Even within the US it can happen if you need a horse to run mostly out east and the trainer’s based in California or vice-versa. Nothing on the trainer, no foul for the owner, that’s just horse racing. And it’s one thing going for a couple weeks if you’re a groom, but that’s a huge expense to be over there when your job and family is at home. Chrome will be a lot less stressed and read to run this way than bouncing all over the place in a plane and if they want a challenge (this is a sport, after all) it’s a bigger risk to try for Ascot.
(Yes, getting to see the other end and how owners operate changes your outlook on how it works. Very educational, and I can completely understand the logic behind Chrome’s owners’ decision here.)
[QUOTE=Calamber;8078774]
It is not the same as with Seattle Slew, Billy Turner was having serious alcohol problems which he acknowledged himself. Martin should be ashamed of himself, these US horses take about 3 months to recover from such an arduous trip and race.[/QUOTE]
Picky. Picky. Turner had a drinking problem when he was riding chasers. The slew crew hired him with the problem. Check your facts. The choice to send slew to CA was about money. Turner and Cruget told Tayhill the horse was worn out after the TC. My point was a good comparison absent the trainer’s addiction.
