California Chrome draws outside post for $12 million Pegasus World Cup

Published Jan. 23, 2017 6:07 p.m. ET

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Barry Werner

The number 12 figured large in Saturday's Pegasus World Cup, a race that carries $12 million in purse money. It grew larger on Monday when two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome drew post 12 for the inaugural edition of the world's richest race to be held at Florida's Gulfstream Park.

Despite drawing the outside post in the field of 12, California Chrome was tabbed the 6-5 morning-line favorite. His main competition, Arrogate, also fared poorly in the draw for the 1 1/8-miles race, landing the inside post one.

So, the horses expected to be together at the finish of the race could not be farther apart when the gate springs open in a rematch of the 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic, which was won by the Bob Baffert-trained Arrogate.

The reason the draw carried a lot of weight was the tricky configuration of races at this distance at Gulfstream. There is a short run into the first turn and being too far inside or outside makes the journey difficult.

Before the 6-year-old California Chrome wound up with his post, trainer Art Sherman said he was hoping for anywhere from post four to eight.

https://twitter.com/TVG/status/823652035643904000

Afterward, Sherman was not fazed by the draw for California Chrome's final career start.

https://twitter.com/SimonTVG/status/823663633586683904

The field in post position order with morning-line odds:

https://twitter.com/TVG/status/823660053022416897

 

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