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The Thoroughbred brand known as California Chrome clambered down the ramp of the Hubbard transport van and lifted his head to the scent of the surrounding horses in their stalls. Raul Rodriguez, his wiry groom, kept a firm hold as the horse let his legs unwind from the two-hour freeway slog from Los Alamitos, 75 miles to the north. It was Wednesday, Barn CC on the Del Mar backstretch, and Art Sherman was ready to rumble.Look at that -- barn double C, the trainer said, trailing his chestnut star. Weve got everything covered.California Chrome had not been at Del Mar since Thanksgiving weekend of 2014, when he won the Hollywood Derby over Canadian Horse of the Year Lexie Lou. Since that distant November, the 5-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit has been back and forth to Dubai twice, trained on the gallops of Newmarket Heath, and enjoyed two separate sessions of recovery and relaxation at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky, where he was on cheerful, public display.Along the way, California Chromes principal owners, Perry and Denise Martin, acquired a partnership of like-minded breeders, Sherman was inducted into a Jewish sports hall of fame, and a cottage industry of California Chrome apparel and assorted doodads has sprung up to keep his fans occupied while they await his next start. He also became the leading money-winning Thoroughbred in North American history, but if you ask Chrome, hed prefer to be paid in Mrs. Pastures horse cookies.Once California Chromes workout Saturday morning at Del Mar is in the books, the countdown will begin to his first start since defeating Frosted, among others, in the Dubai World Cup on March 26. The stage will be the $200,000 San Diego Handicap next Saturday at 1-1/16 miles on the main track, after which he will return to his Los Alamitos digs to prepare for a dream race against defending champ Beholder in the Pacific Classic on Aug. 20.But first things first. Something caught California Chromes eye while he was walking to his stall, and he propped, bellowed, and started to rear. Rodriguez let out just enough slack to keep things cool, while Sherman looked around for the culprit.Its the white pony, Sherman said, nodding toward a gray horse getting shod in a nearby shed row. That set him off.A couple of crow hops later, California Chrome settled down, but the bell had been rung. A ripple of whinnies erupted from the stalls along the row, answering Chromes alarm. Of course, Chrome had to answer back, and it went on like that for a while until the red horse was led safely into the first stall by the Sherman tack room office.If they didnt know he was here before, they do now, Sherman said. Its just like him to announce himself.For all California Chrome has accomplished, as a Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby winner, he has work left to do before he enters stud next year at Taylor Made. Beyond the Pacific Classic, there likely will be a start in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita in late September to keep sharp for the Breeders Cup Classic there on Nov. 5. After that, the proposed $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream looms in January as a valedictory to California Chromes singular career.As if thats not enough, Sherman hopes to be able to do it all without the use of Lasix. The trainers decision is pragmatic, not political. It has been more than six months since California Chrome was given a dose of the legal diuretic before winning the San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita. After that, he trained and won twice in Dubai without Lasix -- a minor prep race and the World Cup -- and each time, Sherman was encouraged by Chromes recovery.Especially after the World Cup, Sherman said. The next day, he was pushing me around the stall like anything but a tired horse. And you know he gave everything the night before. I know we use Lasix on our horses all the time, and he was getting a minimum dose when he ran here. But theres something about Lasix that horses dont come back from that quick.Sherman said California Chrome has never bled. He said he would do a precautionary endoscopic exam after the Saturday exercise, Chromes first serious Del Mar work in nearly three years.Sometimes a horse will spot a little at a lower elevation like Del Mar, Sherman said. But I worked him that pretty good mile the other day at Los Alamitos, and he scoped clean as a whistle.For the record, Del Mar racetrack is located at about sea level, while Los Alamitos rises to 23 feet.No matter what happens next, Shermans journey with California Chrome should be framed and hung on a gallery wall. Hes 79 and having the time of his life. Working hand-in-hand with his son, Alan, the trainer has combined the instincts of his old-school philosophy with a nimble recognition of modern racing demands. He took his horse to the brink of winning a Triple Crown. He beat everything but the house horse in his first trip to Dubai, and then, learning from the experience, knocked em dead in the desert the second time around to top $12 million in earnings.As wide as he was, and his saddle slipping and all, he even surprised me that night, Sherman said. I was in awe.And yet you wont catch the trainer ever touting his horse before a race, so dont look for it this week. For anyone from his generation, it is both poor form and bad luck.Look at him, acting like a $50,000 maiden claimer, Sherman said with a barking laugh. He misses his double-wide stall back home.California Chrome answered by banging the back wall, then thrusting his head over the webbing to give Sherman the stink eye.I love the buildup, Sherman said. Racing needs this kind of excitement. But she might kick my ass, Beholder. What do you think? Cheap Custom Hockey Jerseys . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. Custom Hockey Jerseys China . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. 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BOSTON -- Even before the Arizona Diamondbacks introduced new general manager Mike Hazen in a news conference Monday, the Red Sox were bracing for what might be his first order of business: Hiring away bench coach Torey Lovullo to be his manager.Ill be surprised, I would say, if they dont ask for permission to talk to Torey, Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. I know how highly we think of him and how highly Mike thinks of him. Of course, we would not stand in Toreys way, as we discussed last week. In my opinion, hes ready to be a major league manager. Would he end up being their top selection? I cant answer that. We would not stand in his way.Hazen and Lovullo have worked together for more than a decade, dating to their days in the Cleveland Indians organization. When Lovullo was hired to manage the Triple-A affiliate of the Red Sox, Hazen was the farm director.Lovullo is widely regarded as a manager-in-waiting, having interviewed for a half-dozen openings over the past few years. He might have gotten a job last year after guiding the Red Sox to a 28-20 record while filling in for manager John Farrell, who was being treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. But Lovullo signed a two-year contract extension last October and agreed not to pursue managerial opportunities for at least a year.Last week, after the American League East champion Red Sox were swept out of the division series by the Cleveland Indians, Dombrowski announced that Farrell will retain his job next season but deferred on picking up the managers option for 2018.The Red Sox also could lose additional baseball operations personnel, many of whom have worked with Hazen over the past 10 years in Boston. Hazen isnt prohibited from taking people with him to Arizona, perhaps hiring his assistant GM away from the Sox, although Dommbrowski said hes limited in how much he can raid the front office.dddddddddddd.Could we lose somebody? Perhaps, Dombrowski said. Youre open to people talking to [Hazen]. Part of your responsibility in my role is to not only put a good team on the field, but its also a situation where you help people grow. If somebody had such a large opportunity that exists with him that didnt exist here, were open-minded to it, but its also one of those where there is a limit and we would not let an abundance of personnel leave, by any means.Regardless, the Red Sox will need to replace Hazen. Dombrowski said he would prefer to choose from a pool of internal candidates that could include former GMs Frank Wren and Allard Baird, vice president of international scouting Amiel Sawdaye and pro scouting director Gus Quattlebaum, who reported directly to Dombrowski this year. First base coach Ruben Amaro Jr. spent seven years as the Philadelphia Phillies general manager, though its unclear whether he would want to return to the front office.Dombrowski said its possible the new GMs duties will differ slightly from Hazens, depending on the background and skill set of the person hired for the job.?One thing that wont change: Dombrowski will have final say in all personnel matters.I think depending on the person you hire and what their background is, you can kind of configure the responsibilities differently, Dombrowski said. I think its more important to get the right person into place that works for your organization.The Red Sox dont have a timetable for hiring a new GM, although nothing appears imminent. Dombrowski has travel plans this weekend and will host organizational meetings next week in Boston. ' ' '