We're going to belmont!!!

[bdw0617]

what a horse race


smoking final time. CC had to put on his running shoes today.

[charlie]

the moon is in the 7th house , and Jupiter has aligned with Mars.

[Nancy T]

Was so exctiing to be there !

[jagger]

Just some thoughts on CC and the Preakness.

I loved the reactions of both Steve Coburn, owner of CC, and Jose Espinoza, Victor's brother. Priceless!
I like how Victor pronounces Chrome...Crone.
Does anyone see anything in CC's pedigree that the owners keep ascribing superlatives to?
Lucky Pulpit's stud fee will go up to ??????
Anyone know if Love the Chase, dam of CC, is in foal? Think she'll be sold?
Odds on Chrome at The Belmont?
Anyone heard anything regarding Art Shermann's training regimen? Galloping 2 miles just 6 days after the Derby and 8 days before The Preakness seem a little unusual? Did he have any 5-6f breezes in between the Derby and The Preakness? CC definitely seems the most fit and ready to race despite having the most races, by far, of any of the other horses on the Triple Crown trail this year.
Hard to argue that the jockey doesn't make much difference as one of the commentators stated. Clearly, Victor and CC are a good match. Victor looks so calm and professional at all times.

[Nancy T]

the fact that the owners turned down like 10 million before the derby makes me think that the mare will not be sold, and I heard Lucky pulpit went up to 5 K

[bdw0617]

Lucky Pulpit's stud fee will go up to ??????

i think the better question is will he move to Kentucky. He had some decent success even before CC with unfancy bred mares at that. imagine what he could do if you gave him some real firepower to work with

Anyone know if Love the Chase, dam of CC, is in foal? Think she'll be sold?

i'd sell her. The odds of her repeating this is slim to none. Make your money while you Can. YOu're better off selling her and getting another mare

[jagger]

Agree on the mare, bdw. Racing business dictates that any time you can make money with a sale, you should. But, she's owned by Colburn and Perry, the same guys that turned down 6 million for CC.

Can't believe Lucky Pulpit's fee didn't go higher than 5K. If CC wins the Triple Crown, surely a Kentucky farm will offer some big bucks for him....and they should take it and run.

[ct2346]

Just some thoughts on CC and the Preakness.

I loved the reactions of both Steve Coburn, owner of CC, and Jose Espinoza, Victor's brother. Priceless!
I like how Victor pronounces Chrome...Crone.
Does anyone see anything in CC's pedigree that the owners keep ascribing superlatives to?
Lucky Pulpit's stud fee will go up to ??????
Anyone know if Love the Chase, dam of CC, is in foal? Think she'll be sold?
Odds on Chrome at The Belmont?
Anyone heard anything regarding Art Shermann's training regimen? Galloping 2 miles just 6 days after the Derby and 8 days before The Preakness seem a little unusual? Did he have any 5-6f breezes in between the Derby and The Preakness? CC definitely seems the most fit and ready to race despite having the most races, by far, of any of the other horses on the Triple Crown trail this year.
Hard to argue that the jockey doesn't make much difference as one of the commentators stated. Clearly, Victor and CC are a good match. Victor looks so calm and professional at all times.

If you look at Love the Chase's pedigree, and sort of ignore the tail female, it is gorgeous. Not for Love is beautifully bred, so the entire top half of her page is beautiful. The bottom half of the pedigree has nothing but superlative sires too. Its "just" that the tail female is not that strong.

[Cree]

Sherman did not work CC between the Derby and Preakness. Horse is fit.

[jagger]

Sherman did not work CC between the Derby and Preakness. Horse is fit.

I had heard that he did a 2 mile gallop on the Friday after the Derby....?

[Joltman]

Just some thoughts on CC and the Preakness.

I loved the reactions of both Steve Coburn, owner of CC, and Jose Espinoza, Victor's brother. Priceless!
I like how Victor pronounces Chrome...Crone.
Does anyone see anything in CC's pedigree that the owners keep ascribing superlatives to?
Lucky Pulpit's stud fee will go up to ??????
Anyone know if Love the Chase, dam of CC, is in foal? Think she'll be sold?
Odds on Chrome at The Belmont?
Anyone heard anything regarding Art Shermann's training regimen? Galloping 2 miles just 6 days after the Derby and 8 days before The Preakness seem a little unusual? Did he have any 5-6f breezes in between the Derby and The Preakness? CC definitely seems the most fit and ready to race despite having the most races, by far, of any of the other horses on the Triple Crown trail this year.
Hard to argue that the jockey doesn't make much difference as one of the commentators stated. Clearly, Victor and CC are a good match. Victor looks so calm and professional at all times.

Does anyone see anything in CC's pedigree that the owners keep ascribing superlatives to? --- Inbreeding to Numbered Account, for those who like that angle. There is enough distance influence in Lucky Pulpit (AP Indy), Cozzene (Alphabet Soup) that the genetic stuff to run long may well be there.

Odds at Bel - 1-5 (lots of $2 tix too that won't be cashed if he wins)

The difference between CC's chance at the Triple Crown and the predecessors is Victor Espinoza who has been there and knows what happens when you use a horse too much (War Emblem), too early trying to go a mile and a half. CC better bring his A game because Commanding Curve, Danza and others will be primed to upset and will be running late if the move is premature.

jm

[Cree]

If we're talking pedigrees that won't get a mile and a half...I don't see Danza getting the distance.

Yes, CC galloped 2 miles, but he did not breeze/work out between the Derby and Preakness.

[docjocoy]

Agree on the mare, bdw. Racing business dictates that any time you can make money with a sale, you should. But, she's owned by Colburn and Perry, the same guys that turned down 6 million for CC.

Can't believe Lucky Pulpit's fee didn't go higher than 5K. If CC wins the Triple Crown, surely a Kentucky farm will offer some big bucks for him....and they should take it and run.

It's listed as private, but it's actually $10K

[TJ]

Just some thoughts on CC and the Preakness.

I loved the reactions of both Steve Coburn, owner of CC, and Jose Espinoza, Victor's brother. Priceless!
I like how Victor pronounces Chrome...Crone.
Does anyone see anything in CC's pedigree that the owners keep ascribing superlatives to?
Lucky Pulpit's stud fee will go up to ??????
Anyone know if Love the Chase, dam of CC, is in foal? Think she'll be sold?
Odds on Chrome at The Belmont?
Anyone heard anything regarding Art Shermann's training regimen? Galloping 2 miles just 6 days after the Derby and 8 days before The Preakness seem a little unusual? Did he have any 5-6f breezes in between the Derby and The Preakness? CC definitely seems the most fit and ready to race despite having the most races, by far, of any of the other horses on the Triple Crown trail this year.
Hard to argue that the jockey doesn't make much difference as one of the commentators stated. Clearly, Victor and CC are a good match. Victor looks so calm and professional at all times.

Hi Jagger,
I agree 100% with Joltman on the breeding angle...the RF carried by CC's dam to the Double Copy Reines De Course mare, Numbered Account is in my opinion a major factor in CC's success on the track.

Lucky Pulpit's stud fee will go up!!

Love the Chase has a yearling filly and a suckling filly, both by Lucky Pulpit. She was not bred in 2011 after foaling CC because she suffered a lacerated uterus during foaling of CC...so no 2YO prospect this year:>( She was originally going to Redatorre in 2009 but did not get in foal. In 2010, Red did not return from an off season breeding term in Brazil, so they went to Lucky Pulpit instead...pretty lucky for all involved:>) I read a blog somewhere, that announced she is currently in foal once again to Lucky Pulpit, but I can't seem to confirm that? Will keep looking.

Sherman trains horses the way many old school trainers have done through the years. Two mile gallops and two minute licks builds a horses foundation and stamina level better then any breeze can. Galloping is key in preparing horses to run a distance of ground and to perform consistently. In layman's terms, long gallops and two minute licks fill the tank, works and races use up the gas. When horses have to run back on short notice, there is little benefit to work between races. Although the runner up, Ride on Curlin did....it comes down to knowing your horse and doing for him what you believe is best for that individual horse. You will note, I did mention the 2 mile gallops Gowan, trainer of Ride On Curlin, also has employed in his training methods as well. Difference being, each horse's trainer knows what their horse needs and feels is best to maintain them after the Derby. CC ran hard and won over a tiring track...ROC was never was able to get in gear and came out of the race feeling his oats. That is most likely why ROC's trainer opted to breeze him a slow 1/2 mile 3 days out and Sherman opted to gallop CC 2 miles into the Preakness. Two trainers using their knowledge of their horse to get the best out of them for their next race. This is what training is all about....and so far both trainers have been correct in the training for their runner's. Social Inclusion, on the other hand, may have over did it just 5 days out from the Preakness, going a fast 1/2 in 47 seconds flat....while galloping out 5/8ths in 59 and change. They may have emptied his tank?

Concerning Victor Espinoza, his rapport with California Chrome is flawless. CC is not an easy horse to be on...especially in the gate. He bounces around off the side of the gate stall, wiggles and throws his head around and most riders will reprimand the horse, so he stands quietly in the gate before the break. CC didn't like those tactics and would take issue with it and began to develop problems coming out of the gate. Victor understood this and never forced CC to stand quietly....he just asked the handler in the gate with him, to simply do the best he could to keep his head straight before they spring it. He allowed Chrome to act up and be himself and that has helped him come out of the gate much better. He is a high strung horse, as was his mom and he does get himself worked up prior to his races while in the gate...if you watched him closely, you noticed prior to the Derby and the Preakness he was feeling a bit randy/studdish as well:>) That's him and Victor allows him to be himself without reprimanding or stifling him in any way. Other riders would feel very threatened by his antics in the gate and would never sit still while their mount was bouncing off the sides of the gate....go to 1 hour, 3 minutes of the NBC coverage of the Preakness to see what I'm talking about. TJ..... http://stream.nbcsports.com/horse-racing/?pid=15599

[jagger]

Danza Scratched.