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Dominant Chrome shines in Pacific Classic

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California Chrome.

Just uttering the very name stirs something special in the hearts and minds of most racing fans, has journalists frantically thumbing through their Thesaurus’, and sends the hardcore horse purists scrambling through the history books to see where he belongs.

Another chapter of the legacy was added Saturday evening. Already North American racing’s all-time richest horse, California Chrome staked another claim to being an all-time horse, period, putting on a performance for the ages over 1¼-miles and winning the 26th-running of Del Mar’s $1 million Pacific Classic.

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Despite being saddled with the No. 1 post position, which most thought a disadvantage, California Chrome was simply awesome, exploding out of the gate to an early lead, widening that advantage into and throughout the backstretch, and then holding off any potential late-comers by stomping his way down the stretch to win by a dominating 5 lengths.

In winning his fifth consecutive race in front of 24,155 awestruck fans, and raising his career earnings to a record $13.25 millon, the 2014 Horse of the Year positioned himself to win that award again this year and paid $4.20 to win.

“How can you say anything more about him?” said Chrome’s 79-year-old trainer and Rancho Bernardo resident Art Sherman. “That’s the performance of a Hall of Fame horse, and I’m just privileged to be a part of it. What he did out there was just amazing.”

What was billed as a showdown between two of America’s top thoroughbreds, California Chrome and the defending Pacific Classic champion Beholder, turned into a one-horse showcase right from the start. Deciding just moments before the gates opened to go for the lead, jockey Victor Espinoza charged his even-money favorite to a 2-length edge before the race was only a few seconds old.

Beholder basically just chased California Chrome around the track from there, finishing a distant second. The Bob Baffert-trained Dortmund, who actually went off as the 2-1 second choice after testing Chrome to the wire in the July 23 San Diego Handicap, chased behind Beholder to wind up third.

“A lot of people asked me if I was worried about the No. 1 post,” said Espinoza, whose 5-year-old superstar had twice finished sixth starting on the rail early in his career.

“But all I was worried about was my horse being comfortable. I decided I was going to send him out hard, and I was surprised I opened up a gap right away. By that time I was very confident and happy. That’s where I won.”

The Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who had won last year by making a breathtaking move aboard Beholder on the final turn before pulling away to win by 8¼-lengths, was unable to muster any kind of rally on Saturday.

“I asked her for that run on the turn again, and she kicked it into gear,” Stevens said. “The problem was we weren’t making up any ground. California Chrome was that good.”

Chrome’s time under the wire was 2 minutes, 00.13 seconds, actually a few ticks off the time Beholder ran last year. But with no challengers in sight, Espinoza was able to glance over at the grandstand, flash a wide smile and cruise to the victory.

Notable

California Chrome becomes the first Kentucky Derby winner ever to win the Pacific Classic. Best Pal won the inaugural Pacific Classic in 1991, three months after finishing second in the Derby to Strike the Gold. While it took future Hall of Fame jockey Espinoza a record 16 tries to finally win a Pacific Classic, 79-year-old trainer Sherman scored with his first-ever Pacific Classic entry.

On Saturday’s undercard, Harmonize, a 7-2 co-favorite from the East Coast, won the Grade I Del Mar Oaks in a four-horse photo over Decked Out, Stays in Vegas and Mokat. Previously a winner at Gulfstream Park, Keeneland and Saratoga, Harmonize paid $9.20 under jockey Junior Alvarado, who picked up his first stakes victory here.

In the Grade II Del Mar Handicap, over 3/8 miles on the turf, Ashleyluvssugar, the 5-2 favorite, benefited from a brilliant ride by Stevens, who showed his Hall of Fame credentials in the race just prior to the Pacific Classic. Allowed to roam on the lead by as many as 6 lengths, Stevens saved just enough horse to hold off Metaboss by a nose at the wire and pay $7.

It has been a very difficult summer for Del Mar in one respect: Alicanto, a 3-year-old filly, was euthanized Saturday morning after suffering a foreleg injury during a workout. A total of 15 horses have had to be put down this summer, nine working in the morning and six during racing.

Ello is a freelance writer.

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California Chrome won the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on Saturday.

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