California Chrome Rules in Kentucky

   Entering the 2014 season, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin’s homebred California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) was a nice horse, sure, but hadn’t really done anything to suggest that he was anything but a potentially nice sophomore in the California-bred ranks. A metamorphosis of sorts has taken place since the turn of the calendar, as the aptly named chestnut with the big white blaze and four matching white feet has run the table in five straight stakes, the last three in open company, the two most recent against Grade I foes, and yesterday wrote his own little bit of history with a thoroughly dominating victory in the 140th GI Kentucky Derby in front of 164,906 racegoers at historic Churchill Downs. 
“He gave me the biggest thrill I ever had in my life,” said trainer Art Sherman, who at a youthful 77 years of age surpassed the “Bald Eagle” Charlie Whittingham as the oldest conditioner to saddle a Kentucky Derby winner. 
   California Chrome, who became the first horse bred in the Golden State to wear the blanket of roses since Decidedly won the 1962 Derby, gave jockey Victor Espinoza, his second win in the first leg of the Triple Crown. Espinoza rode War Emblem to a 22-1 upset of the 2002 Derby. 
   “I never felt in my dreams that I would win two Kentucky Derbies in my entire career,” said Espinoza, a native of Mexico City, who will turn 42 in 19 days’ time. “I was a young guy and I never knew I was going to be a jockey and look at me now. It is an awesome feeling.”
Our Favorite Color Is Chrome… 
   A maiden winner against his fellow Cal-breds at second asking over the Hollywood Cushion Track last May 17, California Chrome was fifth to Kobe’s Back (Flatter) in the Willard Proctor Memorial S. June 15, but bounced back with a 2 3/4-length success in the restricted Graduation S. at Del Mar July 31. Sixth, with a bit of trouble, behind fellow Cal-bred Tamarando (Bertrando) and Dance With Fate (Two Step Salsa) in the GI Del Mar Futurity Sept. 4, California Chrome tried two turns for the first time in the Golden State Juvenile S. on Breeders’ Cup Friday Nov. 1, but was one of many victims of a pronounced speed bias at Santa Anita and closed some ground late to be sixth. He bounced back to batter his rivals in the seven-furlong King Glorious S. on the final day of racing at Hollywood Park Dec. 22, winning by better than six lengths with Espinoza at the controls for the first time, then recorded his first win on conventional dirt in the California Cup Derby Jan. 25, defeating Tamarando by 5 1/2 lengths. It was time for a return to the big stage, as California Chrome squared off against J “TDN Rising Star” J Midnight Hawk (Midnight Lute) in the Mar. 8 GII San Felipe S. 
   For the first time since his maiden-breaker, the long-barreled chestnut was ridden for speed and cut out wicked fractions over a track that was producing fast times all day long, but instead of weakening from those early exertions, he turned on the afterburners in the stretch and motored away from Midnight Hawk to win by 7 1/4 convincing lengths. While some might have made the argument that the San Felipe was an aberration, a big figure (108 Beyer) achieved over a surface that was very much to his liking, his victory in the Apr. 5 GI Santa Anita Derby was anything but a farce. Away just a touch slow that afternoon, California Chrome rated kindly for Espinoza off a longshot leader for the opening three-quarters of a mile. But when asked to win his race, he opened up at will on a field including GII Rebel S. hero Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) and GII Robert B. Lewis S. victor Candy Boy (Candy Ride {Arg}), covered his final furlong in :12.49 and crossed the wire 5 1/4 lengths to the good. Having done his training at Orange County-based Los Alamitos since February, California Chrome would head to the Bluegrass with the mantle of favioritism. And he would make the Golden Staters proud.
A Shining Day…
   At one point or another, it had rained on Derby Day in each of the last seven years, but Derby 140 was conducted in ideal conditions. The field entered the stalls a handful of minutes after the designated 6:24 ET post time, but without incident, and there was little to report once the gates were sprung. California Chrome broke a touch towards Samraat (Noble Causeway) to his right, but raced up to press the early pace of Uncle Sigh (Indian Charlie) as Chitu (Henny Hughes) joined those three abreast. As they sorted themselves out passing the grandstand the first time, it was GI Arkansas Derby winner Danza (Street Boss) who was most affected when his stablemate Vinceremos (Pioneerofthe Nile) drifted inward, effectively running Danza into the fence. Nevertheless, the Eclipse runner got a good ground-saving spot at the fence, while further back in the field, Wicked Strong (Hard Spun) raced about four off the inside and looked to impede Candy Boy into the clubhouse turn, causing that one to check hard and lose his momentum. 
   There was little change in the plot as the field turned up the backside, as Uncle Sigh and Chitu laid down a sensible pace and California Chrome, much like he did in the Santa Anita Derby, was a menacing presence just to their outside. Samraat raced prominently as well, while the fancied Intense Holiday (Harlan’s Holiday) was trapped out five deep. Danza held his spot in mid-division and was asked to take closer order by Joe Bravo after six furlongs in a moderate 1:11.80. 
   Samraat edged a bit closer from his four-wide perch midway on the turn, and that forced Espinoza’s hand just a bit, as he gave California Chrome his head and hit the front just outside of Chitu nearing the final quarter mile. Asked for his best soon after, the favorite instantaneously had a couple of lengths on a battling Samraat, went further clear into the final furlong and proved a much-the-best winner. Commanding Curve (Master Command) far back early, ran on best of all to give trainer Dallas Stewart a second straight runner-up finish, while Danza came on for third, just ahead of Wicked Strong.

The Bluest of All Blue-Collar Pedigrees…
   In the spring of 2008, former trainer Greg Gilchrist signed the ticket on a 2-year-old filly by Not For Love named Love the Chase at Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. 

An ‘Art’-ful Performance…
   Trainer Art Sherman last visited Churchill Downs in 1955 as the exercise rider for Swaps. This week, the conditioner visited his grave, asking for some divine intervention. A man who looked very much at ease with the entire Derby experience throughout the week, Sherman had his prayers answered in the span of 123 seconds Saturday afternoon.
   “Just awesome. I’m breathless,” he admitted. “This is so cool. I think I rode the horse with Victor [Espinoza] the last 70 yards. It was a picture-perfect ride. He was right where he should have been all the way around. Coming down the stretch I was thinking, ‘Keep rollin’ big boy. Keep rollin.’ This has to be the sweetest moment of my life. To be my age and have something like this happen, what can you say? For all my friends in California, this is for you. We did it!”