California Chrome took his first step to history when he defeated the field to win the 140thrunning of the Kentucky Derby. The three-year-old California Chrome kind of baited his time with the field leaders before breaking off from the pack and running away with the race down the final backstretch, easily winning the first installment of horseracing’s coveted Triple Crown.
The Los Alamitos-based thoroughbred did his hometown proud with the victory. He no doubt had his trainer and jockey feeling good.
Art Sherman, a trainer at the Los Alamitos Race Track, is trainer of the horse California Chrome, who just won the Kentucky Derby last Saturday, May 3, with jockey Victor Espinosa guiding him through the finish line with an extended lead over the other horses in the field. The 77-year old Sherman is the oldest trainer to have a horse in the race win the Kentucky Derby.
Heading into the race, California Chrome was the leading favorite in the race, going off with odds at 3-1. This is the fifth win in a row for California Chrome. Before capturing horseracing glory with this victory, the biggest win for California Chrome leading up to Saturday’s showcase at Churchill Downs was snatching the Santa Anita Derby.
California Chrome was able to glide through race with experience hands guiding him. This wasn’t Espinosa’s first go-round at this. Espinosa rode World Emblem to the Kentucky Derby win in 2002. California Chrome is one step closer to the Triple Crown. He must now win the Preakness and Belmont Stakes to go down in horse racing lore.
The task won’t be easy.
Winning the Kentucky Derby is only part of the Triple Crown. The Preakness Stakes is his next race challenge on May 17.That race is on the East Coast in Baltimore, Maryland. Should California Chrome win that race, then it’s on to the Belmont Stakes on June 7. in Elmont, New York.
