Texas Chrome, winner of the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby in September at Remington Park, will return to Oklahoma City on Monday following his last place run in Friday’s Grade 1, $1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Owned by Danny Keene’s Keene Thoroughbreds of Greenville, Texas, Texas Chrome was in a stalking position for the first half mile of the Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., before fading in the final turn. The 3-year-old colt trained by J.R. Caldwell had all he could handle in first attempt against Grade 1 caliber older horses.
“He came back tired,” Caldwell said Saturday morning. “He will rest today and then leave Sunday, expected to arrive back at Remington Park on Monday night.”
Jockey C.J. McMahon was up on Texas Chrome who saw his three race winning streak come to an end in finishing 16 lengths behind Tamarkuz in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Texas Chrome had won the Prevue Stakes and the Grade 3 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La. prior to his Oklahoma Derby triumph at Remington Park.
Caldwell is very appreciative of his talented colt and is ready to continue with him into 2017.
“It’s been a great experience and we’re just proud to be able to bring him here,” he said. “We will go over him completely again when he arrives home (at Remington Park) and monitor him next week. We’ll will let him catch up and then plan a 4-year-old campaign for him. His next start will probably be at Oaklawn.”
Texas Chrome is a Texas-bred son of Grasshopper, who previously stood at Lane’s End Texas and has been relocated to Valor Farm in Pilot Point, Texas, for the 2017 breeding season. Texas Chrome was bred by Craig Upham and sold for $10,000 at the Texas Summer Yearling Sale.
The 2017 Oaklawn Park season begins in January in Hot Springs, Ark.
(from Remington Park news release)