Winter Challenge

[mommy_peanut]

While it should be a walk over for CC, it IS racing & anything can happen.
Just hoping they all come through safe & sound.
…and of course that CC wins
This should set him up nicely for the Pegasus.

Love this article on the race & it’s meaning to all
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/218453/taking-on-chrome-in-winter-challenge

[Flypony]

Easy easy win for the beast. NTR as well !

[2tempe]

Easy it was, NTR in a hand gallop, practically. He looks great.

[mommy_peanut]

I wonder how much further CC ended up running, LOL. He was way out in the 8 path around the first turn & about the 5 path heading for home, plus a NTR. Not that you’d know it to look at him at the end. Victor had his hands full pulling him up & CC wasn’t even sweaty when they pulled the saddle.

I’m so happy for Los Al & all the CC Team. This one was definitely for the home crowd(even though CC did benefit too).

On a side note, simply for curiosity
How does the time on this track, at this distance stack up to other (similar/smaller-ish) tracks?

[Where_sMyWhite]

MP, I noticed that too, wondered how far out the field would force him in the first turn and down the back stretch. Overall though, while it was nice that the “home crowd” could see Chrome one last time in CA (first race at LA), IMO wasn’t even much of a paid work out. I think Victor could have taken his feet out of the stirrups, dropped the whip and still won with ease. I found part way through the race I really wasn’t enjoying it much

On to the Pegasus…

[mommy_peanut]

WMW,

while CC wasn’t pressured at all. I truly think the whole “race day” atmosphere was worth this so called paid workout. It’s well known that CC gets bored with just training day after day.
This gave him the much needed mental boost he may have needed to stay feeling up/fresh & be able to train well up to the Pegasus.

I loved everything about this race! The roar of the crowd as he turned for home, the chanting of his name after. That is what racing should be all about.
I love what the whole CC has brought to racing over the last few years.

[gumtree]

“I loved everything about this race! The roar of the crowd as he turned for home, the chanting of his name after. That is what racing should be all about.
I love what the whole CC has brought to racing over the last few years”

Exactly, well said.

I remember clearly watching him win the California Derby in January and thinking this is a special horse. When he won the San Felipe G2 a little over a month later I said that is the Derby winner. Said as much on the Paulick Report. It wasn’t as much about who he beat in those races, nothing special. It was the “way” he did it, his running style. IMO he is one of the very best horses in my lifetime. And I have seen a LOT of pretty special horses.

[Gestalt]

Gumtree, I’m so glad to hear this from someone of your experience. I love watching CC run, not just because he is beautiful and has won a lot, but seeing the incredible motion of his body. He is fluid and so very rhythmic when he hits his stride. A glorious sight to behold.

[mommy_peanut]

question about the #3 horse

Here’s a look at just how wide CC went going into the first turn &
coming out of the first turn.

If anyone has a chance to rewatch the race, question about the 3 horse(Presidentsky). Replay: https://youtu.be/oc7HMQJsx3Q
Starting at about the 1:10 mark…
Going through the 2nd turn his jockey goes rather heavy/hard with the whip to his left shoulder/lower neck area, then as they come out of the turn he switches to typical rump hits.
Possible reasoning behind the shoulder hits? While the horse did start to drift out a bit, I’ve never seen a jockey using the whip on the shoulder like that.
I guess I wasn’t aware it was ok to hit the horse on the neck/shoulder area.

[snaffle1987]

I have to say that I have been rather reserved about being vocal regarding support of CC but aside from American Pharoah; CC is the best racehorse North America (and the world) has seen for a very, very long time.

I did not get to see the winter challenge live but did get to see the replay afterwards. 5 and 6 wide around the entire track and he pulled away like a beast. Granted he wasn’t running against any huge competition; I just love that view of CC during his turn for home; that powerful and sweeping stride with tremendous power from the shoulder. It really is a site to behold.

I agree with Sherman’s and Victor’s comments about the horse getting stronger. He is extremely fit right now and they have done a tremendous job getting him back after the Breeders Cup. They’ve trained stamina into him and it shows.

Here’s hoping Chrome takes to Gulfstream well and goes out in the Pegasus like the champion that he is; truly hoping for Art Sherman as he has dedicated his life to this horse the last handful of years.

As far as Chrome’s retirement; its my hope that Taylor Made makes arrangements for him to be hacked regularly. If this is a horse who gets bored with just being in training everyday; imagine what he might be like standing in a stall or paddock every day 24/7. With horses like American Pharoah and CC who truly enjoy being under tack everyday and ridden; you’d think stud farms would take a liking to seeing their stallions lightly hacked everyday; good for the mental and physical health. I know winstar and three chimneys do and their stallions are in lovely form.

[frehley]

Sorry, I do not get the hyperbole that surrounds California Chrome. As a lifelong racing fan, I think he is a very, very, good horse and commend him on a terrific career. But he is nowhere near the best horse we’ve ever seen in North America. Not even close.

[Where_sMyWhite]

As an aside, I get why the race was set up. I do appreciate the display in the afternoon so the Chromies and other fans could see him (without having to get up early for those pre-dawn works ). I even get the “racing” and hearing the fans cheer his name down the stretch and after as he came back to the winner’s circle. I get that he’s far outperformed his pedigree on the track. I would agree he’s a far better horse this year (2016) than 2013.

Couldn’t much of it have been accomplished with an afternoon work in company?

Horse racing is, at least for me, the spectacle and “pageantry” of racing… the glossy, shiny horses, the colorful silks, crowds, etc. But racing, in part, to me is the race. Watching the horses compete against each other. Sometimes a horse is outclassed or a winner is a blowout but the majority of the time, even if the winner wins by a large margin, that isn’t usually what is expected.

This time, the competitors were basically paid to show up with the pre-race expectation that CC would have his way in the race. Yeah, he ran wide but that really was no hinderance as he won easily in a hand ride.

So I get the whole notion of the Winter Challenge but the lack of a “challenge” kinda left a disappointed taste in my mouth. But that’s just me.

[frehley]

I tried to edit my earlier post to add a few thoughts but my computer keeps freezing. First off, I respect the horse and wish him well, so please do not label me a “hater.”

But I honestly do not get the constant hyperbole.

First off, he was not even the best of his crop. (I am willing to bet that most racing experts would agree that Shared Belief was the more talented horse.) When faced with good competition (two tries at the BCC, Belmont, etc.), Chrome has lost. But there are always excuses.

This race was basically a paid workout and people on FB and the internet act as if he just won the Triple Crown. These are the same people who criticize AP, SB and others for “lack of competition”…it’s such a double standard. Had those horses (or Arrogate or any other similar Grade 1 winning horse) run in the “Winter Challenge” instead of Chrome, their performances would have been sorely dismissed and criticized.

I also cannot stand how fans (not on here, but elsewhere) vilify any horse that beats Chrome. It just seems like high school to me.

I get that people like an underdog, but I find the obsession and over-dramatization with this horse really bizarre.

I wish him the best and a safe trip in the Pegasus, but I am hoping Arrogate beats him again.

[snaffle1987]

what part of California’s original crop is still racing and doing so as successfully? The horse can win on dirt and turf and has proven himself on many different trakcs all over the world. Had arrogate not nabbed him in the final furlong in the breeders cup; I’d think you’d be willing to call him the best horse we’ve seen. Yes he hasn’t won the triple crown but how much else can this horse prove to people.

[frehley]

<what part of California’s original crop is still racing and doing so as successfully>

How does that make him the BEST of his crop? Most accomplished, yes…but Shared Belief was the better horse.

[frehley]

And no, even if he’d won the BCC (which he lost both times), I would not call him the best we have ever seen. Better than Secretariat? Man o’ War? Not even close. American Pharoah was better than Chrome, as have several others.

I guarantee if he were owned by a so-called “blue blood” and trained by a big-name trainer , and had a big-name pedigree (in which he would be retired by now), the obsession with him would be much less.

That is just my opinion, and I respect others’ opinions who differ, but I am simply stating that I do not get the obsession.

[gumtree]

As I said one of the special ones in MY lifetime. I’m 60.

Personally IMO he is a better horse than American Pharoah who IMO was coddled, 11 starts 9 wins. Could he, would he have trained on we will never know.

IMO Pharoah ranks at or near the bottom of Triple Crown winners.

I never was a CC fanatic.But I am glad there are lots of them. I have been a big fan pretty much when he was an unknown. 26 starts so far and 16 wins. Other than Sherman not a fan of his connections, former or present.

But I give them a lot of credit and respect for taking on the sporting challenge and sending him to Europe. Wish it had worked out better.

Sidebar; The forum has had posting quirks for days now. Just found out to edit and or quote, right click on the button of choice and open in a new window. When posting a new comment and get the “wait 30 second” window don’t hit “post” again. Click out of the window and refresh the page you will see your post and it will not be double posted.

[frehley]

Gumtree, thank you for the tip on editing. Appreciate it!

And always enjoy all opinions.

[Where_sMyWhite]

While AP may rank near the bottom of the list of TC winners (and not sure that I’d really disagree with that assessment), he pulled off the accomplishment that many have not been able to. The added accomplishment of winning the BCC, to me, while notable, doesn’t really apply as no other TC winner had the opportunity

[frehley]

I cannot fault AP for not racing beyond three years old, nor can I hold that against him. To me, he was brilliant, and did what CC could not, so to me he is better. You really can only compare them at 3, and AP was clearly the better colt.

Also, while CC has done wonderfully as an older horse, much of the fact that he is still racing is due to his lack of interest from breeders. It seems that many think he is racing to better the sport, when in fact, had he won the TC as AP did, he would more than likely be retired too. He is still racing because his owner wanted the earnings record (another thing that doesn’t hold much clout with me, as purses now are way inflated) and because they wanted to build up his resume to attract breeders. I wish him the best of luck.