The long-awaited return of 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome   is in sight, but a new and unknown hurdle may have presented itself.

The 5-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit  , owned by a syndicate that includes co-breeder Perry Martin and Taylor Made Farm, is scheduled to face seven other older horses in the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 9 at Santa Anita Park—his first race since a second-place finish in Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) last March—but with rain in the forecast, he could be racing over wet footing for the first time in his career during the 1 1/16-mile test.

Racing over a muddy track wouldn’t be ideal for California Chrome’s connections, but they still feel he can handle an off track, considering he’s won on every other type of surface he’s tried in his career—fast dirt, synthetic, and turf. 

“It doesn’t complicate anything,” trainer Art Sherman said. “We just want to make sure it’s a safe racetrack, and I’m sure it’s going to be OK. He’s never run in mud, but he’s training in mud. He’s been galloping on the (Santa Anita) training track and he seems to go through it fine.”

Some of the field entered to challenge, although almost entirely winless in their recent starts, have shown top-level form before and have wet-track experience.

The most formidable opponent appears to be grade I winnerHoppertunity—owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman—who hasn’t won since last year’s San Pasqual, but has been emphatically knocking at the door. The son of Any Given Saturdaytrained by Bob Baffert has finished no worse than fourth in eight graded tries since last year’s San Pasqual, including second-place finishes in his last three starts—the Awesome Again (gr. I), Hagyard Fayette Stakes (gr. II), and Clark Handicap (gr. I).

NOVAK: Hoppertunity Continues Rise in San Pasqual

The other grade I winner in the field is Hronis Racing’s Hard Aces, who took the Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr. I) over the summer. But he has finished sixth in three grade I tries since, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) last time out, when he came in a nose behind Tonalist  , ahead of Frosted and Gleneagles.

BALAN: Hard Aces Rides Rail to Win Gold Cup

Jerry and Ann Moss’ Blingo and KM Racing’s Imperative also bring grade stakes-winning credentials, but those came back in 2014. 

Imperative has been winless in 12 starts since his victory in the 2014 Charles Town Classic (gr. II), but could be primed for a big run following his second-place finish to Dortmund in the Native Diver (gr. III), his first start off a two-month layoff.

Unlike Imperative, the John Shirreffs-trained Blingo has been lightly raced since his score in the San Antonio Stakes (gr. II) in February of 2014. He finished third in the 2014 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) and raced just twice in 2015.

Hoppertunity and Hard Aces, along with stakes winner Point Piper and graded stakes-placed Mystery Train, also have experience and victories over a wet track.

Hoppertunity won the 2014 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) over a wet-fastOaklawn Park main track, Hard Aces won a allowance/optional claimer over a sloppy track at Fairgrounds Race Course & Slots in 2014 before relocating to trainer John Sadler’s barn in Southern California, Mystery Train claimed a group I win on wet footing in Argentina back in 2014, and Point Piper closed to win a sloppy Lone Star Park allowance last May.

“We’re all kinda waiting to see,” Sherman said of how he and his fellow Southern California trainers expect the surface to hold up. “We don’t get to run horses in the mud out here. It’s hard to get a gauge of how the track is going to be.”

Another unknown for the matured California Chrome is what his running style will be. Sherman has expressed a desire for his pupil to employ more of an off-the-pace style in his 2016 campaign, but with a lack of speed in the San Pasqual, he could find himself near the front.

“If there’s nobody out there, (jockey) Victor (Espinoza) might just put him up there,” Sherman said. “If nobody wants the lead, he’s going to take it, but if someone wants to go :21 and change, he can sit right off.”

The field, track conditions, pace projections, and weather aside, just getting California Chrome to a race—a process that began when the dual-classic winner returned to Los Alamitos Race Course in October after spending time on the sidelines due to bone brusing—has been rewarding for the whole Sherman team.

A 1:10.04 six-furlong workout Jan. 2, the fastest at the distance since Santa Anita reopened for training in September, also doesn’t hurt their spirits.

BALAN: California Chrome Blazes in Santa Anita Drill

“I’m glad it’s getting there,” Sherman said. “The horse is training excellent. I’m sure he’ll give a good account of himself. It’s just anticipation. You always hope your horse is tight enough, but you can’t worry about all those different things, to a point.”

San Pasqual S. (gr. II),  Santa Anita Park , Saturday, January 09, 2016, Race 8

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