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California Chrome 'will give every ounce of his heart'
"He will leave at 5 a.m. on Wednesday so we don't have to worry about the traffic." Art Sherman also came in to watch the Thursday tune-up. "I get goose bumps just watching this horse, and wish I had him to ride when I was a jockey," the elder Sherman noted. "He is a push-button horse and just a pleasure to be around. "We are going to try our best in the Prince of Wales's S. It is very competitive and we know how tough it is going to be. I am just hoping he can hit the board. "Frankie Dettori was happy with him (in a work) at Ascot last week and Chrome handled the course well. It is going to be a great experience and I am looking forward to it. I will be so delighted if he can run well in this race. "It is going to be different and I am going into it with my eyes wide open. I am hoping for the best. I are sure glad Rae has taken over the training from me because it so different from the United States -- a horse paradise. "Victor Espinoza, who has ridden California Chrome, said that we would be better off with a local rider and I am happy with William Buick." Also happy with the booking of Buick is Steve Coburn, the 30 percent part owner of California Chrome, who attended the Royal Ascot press conference held in Newmarket's historic Jockey Club Rooms. "Buick is an American-made car and California Chrome is an American-made horse, so hopefully things will work out," Coburn noted. "If this horse finishes good, then it is good for us. "We got here the day before yesterday and it has been nice. This Newmarket area is a horsemen's paradise and we have been welcomed with open arms and people have treated us great. I like it here as it seems what England was like back in the day. "Back home, my wife and I would go down and see California Chrome twice a month. It is a little difficult, when you live in Nevada, to come and see a horse half way around the world twice a month. "So we had not seen him for 10 weeks and it was good seeing him. He is special to us. All our horses are special to us. But this horse, being our mare's first baby, watching him grow up and seeing what he has accomplished is not only our horse but America's horse. The people have embraced him and he is special to a lot of people. "Every time this horse races you know that something can go wrong -- it is like sending your child off to war and to see him again is a very joyful experience. "Royal Ascot means to me lots of up and down hills and lots of green grass -- I can only say what I have seen on TV. I am looking forward to being there as it is totally different to what we are used to. Dubai was different but it was a flat racetrack. "From what I understand, Royal Ascot is kind of like the Kentucky Derby -- a lot of glamour and a lot of hats. So I am looking forward to it -- something I can cross off my bucket list because of a horse. "The wife says get over it Steve, it is just for one day so I going without my Stetson and boots. I was fitted for my top hat and tails yesterday, and I bought a pair of shoes. I have not worn a pair of shoes since I was in the army in 1979 -- I have worn boots all my life. It is going to be different but I have to go with the flow. It is going to be fun. Enjoy it while you can enjoy it as it may not ever happen again. It is maybe a once in a lifetime shot. "I will let the day go on and just be me -- I will say hi to people, sign autographs if they want me to and if I meet The Queen I will be very courteous. I met Sheikh Mohammed in Dubai and he is a pretty cool guy. He and his son are both really nice people. "We have met a lot of really neat people because of this horse and gone to lots of new places. You just get giggly about it. How many other regular people get to do stuff like this? Not too many. So we have been really blessed." California Chrome won the first two legs of the American Triple Crown last year, taking the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness S. (G1) in great style before finishing a dead-heat fourth in the Belmont S. (G1). "Last year, California Chrome got two out of three and we were so hopeful the Triple Crown would be accomplished for horse racing in America," Coburn said. "It did not happen and this year it did and I could not be happier as it is a shot in the arm for horseracing in America. The connections of American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) are a good team and they deserve all the glory. "California Chrome is in great hands here in Newmarket. Mr. Rae Guest has taken very good care of him and Robbie (Mills), the exercise rider, has done a tremendous job with the horse. "California Chrome has put on muscle -- we watched him work this morning and he seemed to be enjoying what he is doing. "On his worst day, he still gives 100 percent and is a pleasure to watch. He has never let me down. We have lots of people coming over from the United States and some of them are already here. "The people got behind the horse last year, we call them Chromies. They are a tremendous bunch, being very supportive of a horse they love. We have a fan base throughout the world and I understand The Queen is a Chromie. "This horse has been quite a travel agent for us -- we have gone on first trips to Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Dubai and now England. "How many people have bred horses and never had a horse like this. We are very blessed to have this horse -- we got damn lucky. An $8,000 mare, even though she is bred very well, to a $2,000 sire, and he is bred quite well, was what started it. I knew it in my heart that this horse was going to do something big. What he has done and the places he has taken us to have been amazing. Two years ago if people said this would happen, I would said, 'yes, when I get there I will believe it.' We are here so I believe. "California Chrome is our mare's first foal and he has got three full siblings behind him. She is our only mare. My wife and I are partners with Perry and Denise Martin in the mare, Love The Chase, California Chrome, Hope's Love, his first sister, and the yearling that we have not named yet. I have just helped deliver his full brother on April 12 who is actually bigger than Chrome was at six weeks. He has a big blaze face and two white stockinged feet and they are both on the right side. "This horse has taken us to a lot of places, we have a lot of different things and met a lot of wonderful people. To me, that it is what it is all about -- the journey, the people, the horse and the love the people have for this horse. It is hard to describe. "When we got back from Kentucky (after California Chrome won last year's Kentucky Derby) there were boxes of letter on our front porch from people. Some of the letters just had California Chrome, Nevada, USA, on them. We have actually answered every single one and sent a little thank you note. They came from Trinidad, South Africa and all over the world -- it is amazing. "These people love the horse and have embraced him because of two regular guys who did it. We didn't have a boatload of money -- we stuck to our game plan and it has paid off in quite a tremendous way. "California Chrome was very tired after running in the Dubai World Cup, and we were hoping to get him back to the States and prepare him for races leading up to the Breeders' Cup. And my partner, Perry Martin, decided to send him here to England, where he has been in good hands and is training well. California Chrome will give every ounce of his heart when he runs -- he always does. "It is an experience of a lifetime. Without this horse I would not have been here or gone to Dubai. "This is probably going to be the toughest race of his life. Everything is new to him -- the course is new, the running up hill and downhill is new, and so it is going to be tough. He always tries his best -- he gives 100 percent of his heart every time. If this horse come out of the race sound, I will be happy." Coburn related how he got into horse ownership and breeding. "My wife and I enjoyed going to the races and betting the horses. One year, she bought me flying lessons for a Christmas present. I was doing the lessons and told her one day I would like to buy an aeroplane after I get a license. She said that is not to happen so a few days later I said I wanted to buy a racehorse. She said we cannot afford a racehorse. I said yes we can because we can buy a percentage of a horse and we did that through Blinkers On six years ago." And now, they're at Royal Ascot. "It is a fairy tale come true," Coburn summed up. "This horse has been life changing for us, but our lives haven't changed; we are still the same people. To see this horse grow up and accomplish what he has is a dream come true." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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