Sherman eyeing Hollywood Derby for California Chrome’s turf debut

California Chrome could wrap up his three-year-old campaign making his turf debut in the Hollywood Derby (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos)

Trainer Art Sherman indicated Wednesday morning that he is
considering two possibilities at Del Mar for an additional race for California
Chrome — the Hollywood Derby on grass and the Native Diver Handicap on Polytrack.
Both races are 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, November 29.

The Hollywood Derby is a $300,000 Grade 1 event for
sophomores on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. It is one of two
Grade 1 stakes on the closing weekend of the 15-day Bing Crosby Season currently
in progress. The other is the Matriarch on the closing day of the meeting,
November 30.

The Hollywood Derby will be the first race on grass for
California Chrome. The California-bred son of Lucky Pulpit has eight wins in 15
career starts and earnings of more than $4 million. He raced
twice at Del Mar as a two-year-old in the summer of 2013, winning the Graduation
Stakes and finishing sixth by just two lengths in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity.

California Chrome will enter either the Hollywood Derby or Native Diver off a
quarter-length third-place run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 1.

“(California Chrome) came out of the (Breeders’ Cup
Classic) great. I was up there (Los Alamitos) on
Monday and trained him and he looks super,” Sherman said Wednesday morning.

“I’ve wanted to try him on turf, this is an opportune time. And Horse of the
Year is on the line. If he wins it, maybe he could be Horse of the Year. It
could help. I don’t know.”