California Chrome To Return To Los Alamitos July 17; Owners Want $50K To Parade At Del Mar
LOS ALAMITOS (CBSLA.com) — Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome will return to his home stable in Los Alamitos on July 17 after taking some time off after a grueling Triple Crown run during the spring.
The 3-year-old colt has been recovering from an injury he sustained at the gate June 7 before the 146th running of the Belmont Stakes.
California Chrome, who gained the hearts of sports fan across the country, has been taking a long vacation at Harris Ranch in Central California to help heal his right-front hoof.
Trainer Art Sherman said his Derby champion will ultimately be pointed toward the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita in Arcadia.
The first race he could run after his layoff could be the Awesome Again Stakes, a Breeders Cup Challenge Series that could pay the colt's entry fee for the Breeders' Cup Classic.
After the announcement of his return to the track, Del Mar racecourse wanted to showcase the horse for its biggest race of the meet, TVG's Pacific Classic on Aug. 24.
However, owners of the colt, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, wanted $50,000 for California Chrome to parade on Del Mar's biggest day.
Ultimately, the offer was denied by track President Joe Harper due to 'insurance and fees.'
"It costs money to ship him, it's a day off from the horse's training and other things that affect the horse," Perry told UT San Diego. "We bought the horse to race him, not parade him. Yuba City wants to do the same thing, parade him up here. We don't own the horse to parade him. He's a racehorse."
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