Shared Belief

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I think he's a really nice horse but am getting very confused by the whole second coming tone going on in this thread.

I'm wondering who else is pointing to the Pacific Classic (aside from the other GoD horse) and am already kind of feeling bad for him cause the whole disappointment turning into disgust, stick-a-fork-in-him mentality is, I fear, a real possibility. (No disrespect meant... I just think your expectations might be a tad too high).

Not to sound like a complete idiot but is California Chrome going to the Pacific Classic?

As Arletta said, CC is not running in the Pacific Classic. He's not even in training right now. They sent him out to the farm for a rest. I believe their plan is to prep in the Goodwood (which is usually around Oct. 1st) and then run him in the BC Classic. CC obviously loved the old Santa Anita track, but there will be a new surface at SA come October. CC seemed to run fine on every track but he was most dominant at Santa Anita. I think he was at least a couple lengths better at Santa Anita than other tracks. He probably won't have that same advantage on the new surface.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I think he was at least a couple lengths better at Santa Anita than other tracks.

Except when he wasn't.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Except when he wasn't.

He also might have been just putting it all together during the Winter/Spring meet.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

He also might have been just putting it all together during the Winter/Spring meet.

Yup....the main reason his post was not particularly clever.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

He also might have been just putting it all together during the Winter/Spring meet.

I agree that CC was getting really good in the winter/spring. But were his races at Churchill and Pimlico as good as his races at Santa Anita? You can look at it a few ways. On the one hand, you could say that his races were just as good if not better in the TC races because he faced much better horses. But did he really? Even if there were some decent horses in the Derby and Preakness, did any of them fire? Commanding Curve and Ride on Curlin were the horses that ran 2nd. CC only won those races by 1 1/2- 2 lengths. I would argue that with identical race dynamics, CC can beat Commanding Curve and Ride on Curlin by bigger margins at Santa Anita.

And if you want to look at speed figures, CC ran faster at SA than he did at CD or Pimlico.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

As Arletta said, CC is not running in the Pacific Classic. He's not even in training right now. They sent him out to the farm for a rest. I believe their plan is to prep in the Goodwood (which is usually around Oct. 1st) and then run him in the BC Classic. CC obviously loved the old Santa Anita track, but there will be a new surface at SA come October. CC seemed to run fine on every track but he was most dominant at Santa Anita. I think he was at least a couple lengths better at Santa Anita than other tracks. He probably won't have that same advantage on the new surface.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-toward-return

this is where i read they will run once at los al, in a race they're going to write for him, as a prep for the bc.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Danzig

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-toward-return

this is where i read they will run once at los al, in a race they're going to write for him, as a prep for the bc.

I didn't realize there was going to be a race for him at Los Al. That gives them a good option. Off the layoff, they may want to come back in a one mile race, rather than a 1 1/8 mile race. It will probably be a much easier field too.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

As Arletta said, CC is not running in the Pacific Classic. He's not even in training right now. They sent him out to the farm for a rest. I believe their plan is to prep in the Goodwood (which is usually around Oct. 1st) and then run him in the BC Classic. CC obviously loved the old Santa Anita track, but there will be a new surface at SA come October. CC seemed to run fine on every track but he was most dominant at Santa Anita. I think he was at least a couple lengths better at Santa Anita than other tracks. He probably won't have that same advantage on the new surface.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...rly-from-break

He's coming back early apparently. Sounds like Los Al Mile, then BCC. Not loving that. All those major 3yo graded stakes and he goes in one ungraded stake and into the Classic? He's not a delicate flower. Meh.