Derby Time

Post time Saturday at 6:24 Eastern. Field of 19 this year. Hoppertunity scratched Wednesday morning, and the connections of the next eligible horse, Pablo Del Monte, decided not to run. California Chrome is a prohibitive favorite in the morning line, but will be bet down due to poor value. I'm not a handicapper, so I don't study the forms much as I prepare to make my lone, annual, Derby win bet. This year, I'm playing a hunch and going with Bob Baffert's "other" horse, Chitu. Horse racing's funny. People make a lot of the various story lines, including the one's involving people. It makes for interesting content, but at the end of the day, has little to no bearing on the outcome of the race. Chrome's trainer, Art Sherman, is getting a lot of pub because it's his first time back since riding a train with Swaps as his exercise rider 59 years ago. Intense Holiday has a local civic businessman and do-gooder Ed Glasscock as one of the principal owners. Chruchill based and Louisville native Dale Romans has his best horse yet, and is excited from three consecutive Derby starters before missing last year. And the backside buzz this week has been about General a Rod, Danza (yes, Tony Danza, who has no other connection besides his name, and will supposedly be a guest of owners Eclipsed Thoroughbred Partners), and Ride on Curlin, who likes to bite and has Calvin Borel in the irons. I'm putting 2 bucks on Chitu. Grossly overlooked horses have been winning this thing the last several years, and, like I said, I'm playing a hunch. Three year old colts are still babies, and that many, minus one, isn't a horse race for the first 1/4 to the first turn, it's a stampede. And the weather, always a crapshoot, is clearing nicely for Saturday and today's Kentucky Oaks, the Derby mirror race for 3 year old fillies. We're wall to wall both days, 12 plus hours of coverage, including AFTER NBC signs off. Hold on!

 

Wow. The favorite won! Must be the real deal. Let's see if they run in the Preakness. Pretty impressive today. Happy for Mr. Sherman. Not many get a second chance this late in the game. Hope he wins the Triple Crown.

 

Was happy for the owners too, only pays $8,000 for a horse that wins the Derby.

 

Actually, they paid $8,000 for his mother, Love The Chase, and a $2,000 stud fee to breed her with his sire, Lucky Pulpit. Still, $10,000 to produce a 3 year old that has already earned almost $1,350,000 in purse money is, well, not too shabby, is it? Hope he wins the Triple Crown. Hasn't been done since 1978. WAY, way overdue for another.

 

Unbelievable story about the owners, and love their self deprecating humor. Driving north to go to either the Bay area or to Oregon to see family, Coalinga, CA is about as remote a locale for a Derby winner to come from imaginable. Until Sat. it was only known for the huge beef ranch you see as you drive past. Not sure his running style is conducive to the Belmont which has been the race to deny 12 attempts at the triple crown since 1978.

 

Not sure about the running style (not educated enough in the sport), but it certainly seemed like he was coasting the last 50 yards. I was shocked once they hit the stretch and he just found a different gear. It would be nice to see a Triple Crown winner. I was 6 for the last one...

Cheers,

Steve

 

California Chrome does it again at the Preakness. Before the Triple Crown hype gets rolling a nasal strip controversy appears;

http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/triplec ... -crown-bid

 

To no one's surprise, NYRA is allowing the nasal strip.

http://www.courier-journal.com/stor...sal-strip-decision-clears-way-chrome/2248088/

However, the bigger story here is the alleged shabby treatment afforded the Chrome connections at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

http://www.courier-journal.com/stor...ner-says-churchill-can-take-a-lesson/9229235/

Here's my station's story about it today. This isn't going to go away any time soon, at least not around here.

http://www.wave3.com/story/25556616...-rant-by-california-chrome-owner-at-preakness

 

Belmont Stakes

ray: For California Chrome to pull off the Triple Crown. Let's see, 1978 was the last time it was done. I was in elementary school, had a bad haircut (part down the middle w/the big sides), had a thing for Julie on the 'Love Boat", and frankly deserved the smacking around I got from my older brother and sister.

 

And we'll wait yet another year for a Triple Crown. And the co-owner who bashed Churchill was a sore loser to boot. Se y'all next year, or the Breeders' Cup, if they choose to run in it.

http://www.courier-journal.com/stor...owner-proposes-triple-crown-formula/10180109/