California Chrome Looks as Good as Can Be in Final Drill for Pegasus

By Jay Privman
California Chrome completed his serious training for the $12 million Pegasus World Cup next Saturday with a five-furlong work in 58.91 seconds on Saturday morning here at Gulfstream Park, where the Pegasus will be run in one week.

California Chrome had the track to himself at 7:30 a.m. He broke off at the five-furlong pole with exercise rider Dihigi Gladney and cruised through the lane before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.41. The final time and gallop out were recorded by Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch.

Art Sherman, California Chrome’s trainer, said before the work he was looking for a time in about a minute, with a gallop out in 1:13. He was very happy with how California Chrome drilled.

“I thought he worked sensational,” Sherman said. “He was on cruise control.”

Art Sherman arrived on Thursday night to oversee final preparations for the race. His son and assistant, Alan, has been here for the past two weeks with California Chrome. Alan watched the work from the stands, and as California Chrome galloped out he said, “He looked great.”

“I’m really glad we came here early, with all the weather they’ve had in California,” Alan Sherman said.

The significance of this being California Chrome’s final work hit Alan on Friday night.

“I was thinking about that last night,” Alan Sherman said. “It is weird.”

California Chrome is scheduled to go to stud at Taylor Made after the Pegasus.