From the Redwood Forests, to the Gulfstream Waters, California Chrome Belongs to You and Me

As most of you know, I’m a horse racing enthusiast.  Though, like practically everything I’m involved in, it’s a dying industry. (See: newspapers, magazines, music business)

But  I love the sport. I adore the horses  and am proud to call some of the best  people in racing my friends. 

Contrary to popular belief, most people involved in the sport are real horseman. They care deeply about their animals. It’s pretty much a career requirement. To dedicate your life 365/52/12 to horses  you have to love them. The simple fact is that it’s too difficult a job, with too little return if you don’t. Which doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few people looking for shortcuts and fast paydays.

Right now is the best of times and the worst of times for horse racing. Let’s start with the good news. 

Obviously, at this moment in time—right before the Belmont  Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown,—that means California Chrome.

He is the little horse that could. He’s not royally bred—though his parents do have pretty pedigrees. His mom, Love the Chase was an $8000 claimer, which may be real money to you and me, but in racing that’s chicken feed. (Hell, anybody who has fed chickens lately knows that chicken feed isn’t chicken feed any more. But I digress.) His daddy, Lucky Pulpit had a reasonable stud fee as well –just  $2000. Curlin, the sire of California Chrome's main competition, Ride On Curlin’s costs $25,000.

CC, as his fans call him has terrific

connections. His owners are a pair of real folks with a wonderful sense of humor. Who else would call themselves Dumb Ass Partners and put a jackass on their racing silks?  His trainer, Art Sherman has been plugging away with moderate success for most of his 77 years. (Though when he was just 19, he was the exercise rider for the wonderful  Kentucky Derby winning Swaps)

All along DAP  had Triple Crown dreams . This isn’t surprising—virtually all Throroughbred owner/breeders in the country have the same vision.  But DAP outlined a path to get there and held  Art Sherman to the plan. And unlike the 20,000 other owners of three-year-olds, they were right.

I  came late to the party.  I missed the horse’s entire forgettable two-year-old season; I may have seen him run but I don’t remember.  But when jockey Victor Espinoza started raving about his mount, shortly before the San Felipe Stakes, I started listening. When I watched CC play with the field in the San Felipe, I became a convert.

I missed going to the Santa Anita Derby because I had the flu. But I blew out my throat screaming at the TV when he romped home.  I was at Santa Anita with a crowd of his hometown fans for the Kentucky Derby; for the Preakness I was in a dive bar in New York cheering on my homey.

Whether or not he takes home the Belmont gold, California Chrome has developed a fan base not seen for a racehorse since Zenyatta. Is it just a coincidence that he too is a California resident? I don’t think so.  We love our racehorse heroes! And since the Kentucky elite perpetually condescend to us, it’s nice to be able to stick out our tongues at them. Nyah nyah nyah!  California Chrome is ours!

If CC wins though, he’s everybody’s. He already is.

Which is important, because the bad news in racing is the recent PETA video.  It was ugly, revolting and disgusting. That anyone—particularly the assistant for one of racing’s most successful trainers --could do and say the things that were heard and seen is unforgivable.  But sadly, not unimaginable.

The reason this stuff happens is simple—and it occurs in sports across the board. It’s money. It’s the same motivation that cyclists dope, and baseball players use steroids. Racing is a business, and success equals cash.

Personally, I’m disappointed when human athletes cheat—ethically  it’s wrong. But the decision to use drugs is their own. A horse doesn’t have that choice. It’s immoral to hurt an animal under your care for any reason whatsoever.

The huge majority of people in racing agree. Which doesn’t mean that the boundaries of performance enhancing drugs aren’t being constantly pushed.  But most trainers won’t go so far as to run injured horses knowingly. Most. Not all. Evil exists in racing as it does in all facets of life.

Which puts the responsibility to advocate for the horses and police trainers firmly on individual states’ governing boards. And they’re doing a lousy job.

There is a great opportunity in racing right now. California Chrome is a freak- a great story and an amazing horse. He can bring a positive spotlight to a sport that badly needs one. But those in charge must make sure racing can stand the scrutiny.

Excuse me now—I have to put on my California Chrome hat and California Chrome Made in California t-shirt ,and prepare to scream him home in front of the Belmont field. Fingers crossed.