California Chrome regaining form

After basically losing a year in 2015 as a result of physical issues and other factors, California Chrome has enjoyed a perfect 2016: five wins in five starts including the Dubai World Cup and the Pacific Classic.

“We’ve kept him on schedule and it’s gone just the way we mapped it out,” trainer Art Sherman said. “It’s a ride that you’re on and you just hope he can continue it the rest of the year.”

California Chrome is the 2-to-5 morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita as he preps for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic there on Nov. 5.

“He’s a lot of horse right now,” Sherman said. “I’m so happy to get him back and he’s blossomed into something special.”

California Chrome was pretty special as a 3-year-old in 2014 when he won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and earned Horse of the Year honors. He ran only twice in 2015, finishing second in the San Antonio Invitational and the Dubai World Cup, before being sent on a journey to an unfamiliar stable in England.

He returned to the United States unhealthy and spent most of the rest of 2015 recuperating at Taylor Made Farms in Kentucky after that organization purchased Steve Coburn’s minority interest.

“I’m just so happy he came back to my barn and progressed so much,” Sherman said. “Being a 5-year-old is the best time to race a horse. Everything has just been perfect this year.

“He’s 5-for-5 and he’s doing outstanding. I’m so lucky to have a horse like this.”

California Chrome will have six opponents in Saturday’s 11⁄8-mile race, but he drew the No. 1 post position, and some of his worst races as a young horse came when was stuck inside.

Of course, he drew the rail in the Pacific Classic, too, and jockey Victor Espinoza took him right to the lead, moved him outside and dared any other horse to come inside of them. No horse could keep up with California Chrome, who won by 5 lengths.

“He got a little intimidated at (ages) 2 and 3; now he’s a different horse,” Sherman said. “He’s more focused, he’s stronger.

“He’s done just about everything a horse could do. We’ve traveled all over the country and abroad and never ducked anybody.”

California Chrome has won 14 of 23 career starts and has earned $13,252,650 — a record for a North American thoroughbred that only figures to grow in the next five weeks.