There’s something uniquely absorbing in following a rags to riches story. Sporting fields provide a regular platform for such events. In US racing, for all its ills, you will find it more regularly. Cheap horses, relatively unknown trainers.

The tale of the 2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome is one of the best of recent years. He was product of an $8,000 mare and stallion whose fee reportedly cost $2,000.

Now a five-year-old, connections are aiming to make him the highest earning horse of all time. To date he has earned $13,252,650.

When his Triple Crown season fell short and with a narrow loss in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, many would have written him off after his defeat in Dubai in 2015 and subsequent abortive trip to England for Royal Ascot. An injury and the fallout from the disputes between his then owners Perry Martin and Steve Coburn might have signalled the end of his racing career.

He might well have been retired, remembered as one of many who had attempted the Triple Crown and failed and only recalled when another horse attempted that elusive streak.

Now, the rags to riches chesnut is back from whence he came, and reunited with trainer Art Sherman. He not only has claims to being the best horse in the world, but is now mentioned by rider Victor Espinoza as the best he has ridden, ahead of Triple Crown winner, and horse of a lifetime, American Pharoah.

California Chrome is a brand in its own right, there is a Twitter handle with 17,000 followers, a fan club of Chromies, merchandise and his name is carried on his new silver colours.

“It’s like a storybook,” Art Sherman said after the race. “There’s peaks and valleys - best horse in the world. That’s him.” And just about the best story too.