Perry Martin doesn't often open his mouth regarding his champion California Chrome, but when he does, he does bring to mind the old observation that horses can't choose their owners. Today's press release was another example. As the majority owner of California Chrome, he has the right to have his horse trained and raced as he pleases, and he may well be right that there is little to lose and much to gain in Chrome's venture to Royal Ascot. He has undoubtedly found second-guessing by racing writers and fans tiresome, and that is understandable. But justifying his decision to move the horse straight to England to prepare for Ascot by not-so-subtly blaming his partner and his trainer for the horse's loss in Dubai is poor form and hints at a serious rift within Team Chrome.
Perhaps Martin was stung by Art Sherman's going on record as having doubts about the wisdom of sending Chrome to Ascot, but from a PR standpoint, he might have been wiser to graciously attribute those comments to the trainer's love for the animal and his natural desire not to lose the best horse in his barn before articulating his own reasons for his decision. As it is, he has only flung fuel on the fire. One hopes the horse can rise above it, but there are only so many miracles even a horse like California Chome can pull off.
Perhaps Martin was stung by Art Sherman's going on record as having doubts about the wisdom of sending Chrome to Ascot, but from a PR standpoint, he might have been wiser to graciously attribute those comments to the trainer's love for the animal and his natural desire not to lose the best horse in his barn before articulating his own reasons for his decision. As it is, he has only flung fuel on the fire. One hopes the horse can rise above it, but there are only so many miracles even a horse like California Chome can pull off.
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