California Chrome could enter expensive territory with Del Mar victory

It is a rarity to see a Kentucky Derby winner racing as a 5-year-old. The reason is the horse’s stud value is too great and the insurance premium too expensive to take the risk.

But 2014 Derby winner California Chrome is still in training, and he has his eyes on some big prizes. He will use the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on Saturday as a local prep for the Pacific Classic. His other future prizes include the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park and the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.

In his last race, California Chrome won the rich Dubai World Cup on Mar. 26. He has earned more than $12.5 million in purses, and if he does well in the above races, he could surpass $20 million lifetime or more.

If you are going to upset a champion, the San Diego is the kind of spot to do it. Trainer Art Sherman may have California Chrome (4-5) at 90 percent in this comeback race, but the goal is the Pacific Classic.

Dortmund (2-1), from the barn of Bob Baffert, is the primary contender. He too is returning off a long layoff. His last race was a win in the Native Diver at Del Mar on Nov. 28. Baffert may have the same goals for his horse as Sherman. But an upset here would go a long way toward trying to overtake the champ for end-of-season honors.

Dortmund is a gigantic horse that weighs more than 1,300 pounds. He had the misfortune of being the same age and in the same barn as Triple Crown champion American Pharoah. There is no doubt in my mind he is a very talented colt who has a very high ceiling in the handicap division this year.

For a champion like California Chrome, there is always someone wanting to knock your block off, thus I am really looking forward to Saturday’s race.

Speaking of champions, the undefeated 3-year-old filly Songbird is scheduled to race in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on Sunday during its opening weekend. Songbird has won all eight of her starts, with earnings of more than $2.1 million.

Songbird has left Southern California just once in her career, when she won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland last fall.

GOLD COAST SUMMER CLASSIC

Handicapping tournament action returns to Las Vegas with the Gold Coast Summer Classic on July 29 and 30. The entry fee is $500.

PIONEER CRIST RETIRES

Steven Crist, one of the real innovators in the modern era of horse racing coverage and handicapping, has retired from the Daily Racing Form. Crist covered horse racing for The New York Times from 1981-90. After that he started The Racing Times, which took on the then-monopoly of the Daily Racing Form.

The Racing Times pioneered vast numbers of statistical improvements to the past performances, including Beyer Speed Figures. The newspaper folded after a few years. Then, in 1998, Crist led a group that bought the Daily Racing Form. They brought over most of the changes from The Racing Times and beefed up the editorial coverage.

He also launched products like Formulator and TicketMaker to the Form that have modernized handicapping and betting.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. You can buy his Del Mar picks atwww.racedaylasvegas.com. You can email him at rich_eng@hotmail.com. Follow on Twitter @richeng4propick