No Churchill workout for California Chrome - good or bad?

[horses4courses]

The news that California Chrome's last serious workout will be at Los Alamitos before he ships for the Derby puzzles me slightly.

Obviously, trainer Art Sherman knows the horse better than anyone.
He has been in this game now for many years, and is highly respected.
If he says this is the best way to go, I guess you have to figure he's right.
Or, do you?

To my knowledge, California Chrome has never set foot in another state.
Would the horse be better served by shipping to CD a few days earlier, and having his final tightener on the track he will race on next?

Regardless of whether, or not, you think California Chrome will win the Derby, do you think it makes a difference where he has his final pre-race workout?

[SecretAgentMan]

Funny Cide 2003, Giacomo 2005, I'll Have Another 2012........none of these derby winners had a workout over Churchill.

[horses4courses]

Funny Cide 2003, Giacomo 2005, I'll Have Another 2012........none of these derby winners had a workout over Churchill.

So, you're saying it's not crucial.
That's 30%, though.
Less, if you include Orb.

That, also, doesn't factor in the horses who didn't win, and skipped a CD work.
I don't expect anyone to have a stat on that.

[SecretAgentMan]

Number of horses w/o a workout over Churchill.....


2013: 5

2012: 8

2011: 4

2010: 3

2009: 2


I can go back several more years but stopped at 2009


Forgot to mention, in the above 5 derby's, the only horse to come in the top 4 was the winner I'll Have Another in 2012.....the other 21 horses didn't finish in their top 4 in their derby's.

[horses4courses]

Number of horses w/o a workout over Churchill.....


2013: 5

2012: 8

2011: 4

2010: 3

2009: 2


I can go back several more years but stopped at 2009

No need....thanks for your input. :ThmbUp:

[TMQ]

I don't like the move, why wouldn't you want to at least try the surface? Though if you love California Chrome you should be happy. Might keep his odds up. :)

[horses4courses]

I don't like the move, why wouldn't you want to at least try the surface? Though if you love California Chrome you should be happy. Might keep his odds up. :)

He will be galloping there - just no official work.

[Tall One]

He will be galloping there - just no official work.




Any word when they're shipping him in? On the fence with him, but personally, I like seeing my Derby horse(s) having a little extra time at CD getting acclimated. Horses either love or hate Churchill's dirt and getting clocked over the strip once wouldn't hurt. But, as stated above, Sherman knows his horse better than us.

[rastajenk]

I'd run him in the Derby Trial. :cool:

[Greyfox]

I don't know beans about training horses.

But with successful sports teams that I've coached, I always thought that it helped players with orientation anxiety if they at least had a practice on the venue.

[SecretAgentMan]

Funny Code was coming into his own He raced in the Wood against the 2 best horses in the country, Empire Market & Peace Rules. He was a close 2nd to Empire & looked to be ready to fire in the derby. It Also helped Empire had a hurt foot.

Giacomo.......I still can't figure that one out but I'm glad they have the new point system. If this point system were in play for 2005, Giacomo would never have seen the light of day & neither would Mine The Bird.

I'll Have Another ran like he needed points to get in.

None of the above worked out or ever raced at Churchill. The only horse I liked from above is Funny Code.

[Greyfox]

The only horse I liked from above is Funny Code.

Funny Cide??

[upthecreek]

As of 2012:
22 of the last 25 Derby winners show at least one work at CD leading up to
the race and 13 of the 25 winners posted one or more bullet works at CD

[SecretAgentMan]

Past 10 years, the derby has been won by a Kentucky bred horse......