When the San Pasqual is run at Santa Anita tomorrow, you'll be watching a Gr2 stakes race on Saturday the 9th of January, Year of our L-rd 2016 at 4 pm in the afternoon, soitenly enough. Also what you'll be ingesting is a microcosm of the California Chrome experience. At about 4:03pm the dirt will have settled, but the experience will be only halfway or-so done. Let me explain this all by what I mean in "a microcosm of the California Chrome experience."
California Chrome hasn't won in more than a year.
The 2014 Horse of the year hasn't won on dirt longer than that.
He's looking at a very mediocre sans Dortmund field with only Hoppertunity being G1 good(?).
His fans think he's a lock to win this, even if he ain't at a hundy %. --
It's 2014 all over again, gentlepersons. And
...his apologists/historical re-enactors have already begun; apparently they are giving him (their lock to win) the out of not even 'needing' to win here in his comeback. I imagine it's CC's rags-to-riches tale which evokes dumb money heart-string pulls. I don't really care to delve. I simply remain thankful he didn't pull off the Triple Crown on a weak year. It would have proved more meaningless for the sport than even American Pharoah's Grand Slam is proving to be. Perhaps even detrimentally so.
What happens, then, at Santa Anita? I'll be equally surprised if CC wins, as if he finishes outta the moolah. Which is to say I won't be very surprised. Meh. Not even feh!-worthy. Wanna put a gun to my head and ask again? CC finishes place/show; Hoppertunity doesn't hit the board. Schlock-storm! Who wins? Pull the trigger, pal.
I will say this much: Feels are feeled and tears are shed and salt water pits Chrome, gentlepersons. Plus, folks just hate to be made to feel foolish -- even if the maker was themselves.
That being said, I will echo the sentiment of the California Chrome backers and their allowing him a welcome back loss -- the San Pasqual IS just a piece of a far bigger picture. Although I fear it might not be the glorious and sweet ending of a captured snapshot, their hearts foretell.
POSTSCRIPT
I feel as though I should apologize for interrupting your regularly scheduled programming of cigar reviews and assorted cigarcentric et ceteri. Rest assured, gentlepersons, those won't cease a tick. I simply am adding more turf and ring writing to the mix -- as per my MANIFESTO welcome note. A bissell meshuga at first, I know, but we shall adapt. If adapting ain't yer thing: there is and will forever remain, a Cigar Reviews tab up-top. Voila! Every review ABC-indexed.
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Now why not check out my good pals HERE, Cigars City & LH Premium Cigars. LH is for sale (even single sticks) at Cigars City, and I can't recommend ya trying them enough.
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Thanks for reading. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm thinking of trying this here Drew Estate Undercrown stick. I am pre-programming me to hate it. Will let ya know if it works.