Faversham's Quest for Glory

Faversham, photo by Gary Tasich

In February of 2011, a chestnut colt painted with streaks of white came into the world. He was born from a mother who had only a single claiming race win to her name, and from a father that stood for the humble price of $2,500. It was not the ideal setting that would come to mind when you think of a champion’s beginnings, but the horse didn’t care. He didn’t know that his bloodlines were less desired than the aristocratic colts being born in multimillion dollar farms around him. None of that mattered, because this horse would grow up to not only outrun all expectations, but all of those around him. That horse grew up to be California Chrome.

As we all know by now, California Chrome went on to achieve elevated heights of glory. He wore a cape of roses on the first Saturday in May, and was showered in black-eyed Susans in the wake of his Preakness triumph. He marched to victory in sixteen of his twenty-seven starts, bringing grit, determination, and durability to each and every one of his starts. California Chrome answered each call to post with gusto and valor, proving to the world that greatness is truly found from within, no matter which side of the tracks you were born on.

The inspiring story of California Chrome’s rise to greatness earned him a following of loyal and adoring fans. When he walked off of the racetrack for a final time in 2017, he left a void in the hearts of millions. The racetrack simply wouldn’t be the same without him, but after proving his strength and heart on so many occasions, the time had come for the copper horse to move on to his new career as a stud. As racing goes, when the sun sets on one horse’s career, it will rise with another. And fans of California Chrome now have something new to hold onto.

On January 15, 2018 a strapping chestnut with hints of ivory came roaring down the stretch of Santa Anita. Stride by stride he pounded ever closer to the leader, closing up the ground between them with startling speed. The wire came before the closing bid reached its crescendo, and the big, red colt was left in second. It was off to the winner’s circle for the victor, Violent Ridge, but the fascination that usually surrounds the winner swarmed around the runner-up, instead. The young chestnut, Faversham, was showing striking similarities to a very famous horse. That horse was his full, older brother, California Chrome.

In his debut, California Chrome ran a strong second before going on to break his maiden on his second try. And now, people expect Faversham to do the same. However, as similar as the two brothers appear so far, there is one difference between the pair. California Chrome raced in a maiden special weight when he broke his maiden, but Faversham will be trying to break his in the California Cup Derby. It is a bold and daring move, but his connections have reason to believe that he is up for the challenge.

Faversham’s sublime closing kick and fierce determination in his first race was enough to fuel the faith of those around him. According to trainer, Art Sherman, Faversham “didn’t have the speed to be a sprinter”, so the fact that he performed so well in a six furlong dash is something to be proud of. The way the spirited colt moves and trains suggests that he will only get better as the races get longer, and he will now be given the opportunity to stretch out in the California Cup Derby.

Unbeknownst to Faversham, he will be carrying the hope of thousands when he loads into the starting gate for what is only his second race. High expectations will be surrounding this horse simply because of who he’s related to. However, the fleeting, early signs of natural talent that this colt has flaunted has been enough to fuel dreams apart from what his brother achieved. There is a chance that this colt really will make something of himself. Will he go on to rival the glory of his brother? Probably not. California Chrome’s reign on the track was a remarkable feat that is rarely achieved. But Faversham does have the potential to achieve glory of his own. California Chrome has left his legacy. Now, it is Faversham’s turn to tell his story.

Photo credit to Gary Tasich

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