If Shared Belief pulled Chromes trip he wins the Classic. Im not sure he is that much better then Bayern though, especially at 9f.

IF Bayern had had Shared Belief's trip in the BCC, he'd just about now cross the finish line.

CAC problem on the turf will be Espinoza. He only about a 10% route turf rider. He seems to always find a way to get his horses in trouble.

If you're making a change of rider for a turf race... the obvious choice is John R.

This year stats Turf routes

JR 16%
Smith 17%
Joel 19%

CALIFORNIA CHROME BREEZES HALF-MILE IN 52 FLAT ON TURF

Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome made his first appearance of the year at Del Mar on Sunday morning, breezing a half-mile on the turf in 52 seconds under regular jockey Victor Espinoza with trainer Art Sherman looking on from the second level of the grandstand.

California Chrome is nominated to both the $300,000 Hollywood Derby on grass and the $200,000 Native Diver on Polytrack on Saturday, November 29 at Del Mar. Sunday’s workout, the first for California Chrome on turf, was to determine his affinity for the surface and help in the stakes decision.

“I was satisfied with the work,” Sherman said at a news conference an hour later. “Victor said (California Chrome) didn’t know if he was going to work or gallop because he’d never been on the grass before. But Victor said he felt smooth underneath him and that was my main concern.”

If California Chrome runs next Saturday, he will be the seventh Kentucky Derby winner to race at Del Mar after winning the Run For The Roses in the 75-year history of the track.

Sherman said a final decision regarding which race would likely come on Wednesday when entries are taken, but stuck to previously expressed priorities.

“I’d love to run him on the grass,” Sherman said.

With an estimated crowd of 500 watching, California Chrome was given the opportunity for a solo run over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. He entered the course from a gate just past the finish line, his chestnut colt glistening in the early morning sun.

The colt jogged easily around the clubhouse turn to the backstretch, then broke off from the accompanying pony and started the half-mile work. The turf course “dogs” (marker cones) were well out from the inner rail to protect the surface and the work was conducted more than halfway toward the outer rail.

Track clockers had splits of :13.80 and :26.60 for the first two furlongs and :52.00 for the half-mile, meaning a final quarter in :25.40 seconds. Espinoza had California Chrome well in hand the entire way and clockers labeled it “breezing,” an assessment not routinely accorded on the Southern California circuit

Native Diver it is.

:D

We can only hope he goes on the grass, and provides a great bet against situation.

Why wouldn't he take to turf?

The right question is "why would he?"

If I recall correctly, IC thought the Belmont was a foregone conclusion, so I'm not surprised he assumes Chrome will handle grass.

I'm expecting a Tabasco Catlike performance..

I know you aren't that stupid.

Pulpit is some reason to think he might take to it.

I didn't say he's a lock in the race, only that I think it's silly to dismiss him.

Another reason is that he seems to handle synthetics just fine.

1) Cozzene is a turf influence

2) Chrome hates dirt kickback, so perhaps the grass will help that

3) As IC wrote, he already handles polytrack and dirt, a good sign for handling multiple surfaces

4) He looked decent enough in the slow workout around the cones. I don't think time matters in turf workouts. It just looked smooth.

I dont care how well he is bred for the race at 3/5 I have to play against a horse like this trying it for the first time.

Well, yeah, in that context, you can't play him.

Without having looked over the field though, how likely is he to be 3/5?

What? You definitely were insisting people tell you why he wasn't going to win the Belmont. You have a hard-on for the horse, it's OK. I'm ribbing you.

I know you are ribbing me.

I am not a fan of the horse. The only reason he lost the race is because he was injured, and you know that.

I still think he's a very nice horse though.

And clearly the BCC was a more fairly run race for CC and Tonalist, than say the Belmont.

It's Official: California Chrome's A Go.. In Saturday's Hollywood Derby

Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome was entered Wednesday morning for Saturday’s Grade I $300,000 Hollywood Derby and will face five rivals in the 1 1/8-mile run over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

California Chrome would become the seventh Kentucky Derby champion to race at Del Mar after winning the Run For The Roses. Gato Del Sol (1982 Kentucky Derby winner), Ferdinand (1986), Unbridled (1990), Silver Charm (1997), War Emblem (2002) and Giacomo (2005) all subsequently raced at Del Mar.

It will be the first race on turf for California Chrome, a son of Lucky Pulpit owned by Perry Martin and Steve Coburn.

Trainer Art Sherman nominated California Chrome for both the Native Diver Handicap, 1 1/8-miles on Polytrack, and the Hollywood Derby, two of three graded stakes on Saturday, the penultimate day of the Bing Crosby Season. California rules stipulate that only one race could be entered, and when the time came Wednesday morning, Sherman did not waiver from a previously stated preference for the Hollywood Derby.

“I want to run him on the grass,” Sherman said. “It will give me a lot of options when he runs next year as a 4-year-old. And he’s got a chance at Horse of the Year (for 2014).”

California Chrome worked a half-mile on the turf course on Sunday. An open gallop through the stretch on the grass is planned for Thursday morning.

The Hollywood Derby field, in alphabetical order, is: Cabral (Kent Desormeaux), California Chrome (Victor Espinoza), Flamboyant (Mike Smith), Lexie Lou (Corey Nakatani), Sawyer’s Hill (Rafael Bejarano) and Talco (Drayden Van Dyke).

Post positions for the race were to be drawn at the close of entries later Wednesday.