California Chrome , who on June 7 in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) will try to become the 12th Triple Crown winner, walked the shedrow May 19 in the Preakness stakes barn at Pimlico Race Course first with assistant trainer Alan Sherman and then with groom Raul Rodriguez.
Trainer Art Sherman stopped by to say goodbye to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner before heading back to California for the next two weeks.
"He came out of that race great, feeling good," Alan Sherman said. "He is usually tired for a few days, but he was feeling really good. I am starting to realize the significance of it all. It has been a great ride this horse has put us on and I never fathomed we would be one race away from winning the Triple Crown."
Thirty-three horses have been eligible to win the Triple Crown entering the Belmont but just 11 have succeeded. It has been 36 years since Affirmed, the most recent Triple Crown winner, swept the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont STakes (gr. I) in 1978. There have been only three Triple Crown winners since Citation in 1948.
California Chrome, a homebred of Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, and Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin will leave Pimlico for Belmont Park at 6 a.m. EDT Tuesday, May 20.
Ride On Curlin, who finished 1 1/2 lengths behind California Chrome Saturday afternoon, walked the shedrow at the same time as the Preakness winner.
Social Inclusion , who finished third Saturday, is scheduled to return to the track Friday, May 23, and will leave for New York Sunday, May 25.
Watch this feature on groom Raul Rodriguez:
