California Chrome has the Kentucky Derby post that trainer Art Sherman wanted and is seen by many as the favorite to win 140th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. California Chrome is unbeaten as a 3-year-old and has six wins and a second in 10 starts.
Race day at Churchill Downs
Starting from the fifth position as a 5-2 morning-line favorite, California Chrome could become the first California-bred Derby winner in 52 years and make Art Sherman, 77, the oldest winning trainer in the history of the Kentucky Derby.
© 2014 by Kentucky Tourism Board
Starting from the fifth position as a 5-2 morning-line favorite, he aims to become the first California-bred Derby winner in 52 years and make Sherman, 77, the oldest winning trainer.
By maximizing that position to get ahead of a speedy 19-horse field, he could earn a garland of red roses Saturday and take an important first step toward ending a 36-year Triple Crown champion drought.
The scheduled post time is 6:24 p.m. EDT with temperatures expected in the low-70s and a 10 percent chance of showers, conditions that Sherman hopes will pay off for California Chrome and jockey Victor Espinoza.
Whether California Chrome applies or receives pressure from the quick field around him, and how much, are the big questions. While his four-race winning streak coming in proves that he has had the final word, several horses could make the opening statement.
One of California Chrome's main challengers is Tapiture with 2-2-2 in seven starts with trainer Steve Asmussen, who is under investigation by Kentucky and New York racing officials after an animal rights group allege that he and his former assistant mistreated horses in their care. Although Asmussen fired the assistant accused of mistreating horses, the investigation continues.
Another horse, Vicar's In Trouble isn't expected to make it as a 20-1 longshot is starting from the first post position, and his jockey is motivated by a shot at history. Rosie Napravnik aims to become the first female to win horse racing's marquee event and comes in riding momentum from Friday's victory by filly Untapable in the Kentucky Oaks.
That win also positioned her to become the first woman to accomplish the Oaks-Derby double and the first rider to do so since Hall of Famer Calvin Borel did it in 2009. Napravnik was fifth in last year's Derby and is confident about one of three mounts trained by Mike Maker.
Maker's other horses are General a Rod (15-1) and Harry's Holiday (50-1), which starts alongside Vicar's in Trouble.
One early push could come from 6-1 second choice Wicked Strong, named for victims of last year's Boston Marathon bombings. Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, he won the Wood Memorial with a strong finish and will go off from the far post position with Rajiv Maragh aboard.
Arkansas Derby winner Danza is listed as a 10-1 shot, Intense Holiday is 12-1, while Vinceremos and We Miss Artie are 30-1 and 50-1, respectively.
When jockey, Victor Espinoza takes the reins in front of 140,000 Kentucky Derby fans at Churchill Downs this afternoon with several million more people watching the race on television, the joy of watching the athleticism of a great thoroughbred trained by 77 year old Art Sherman possibly win the Kentucky Derby should be enough to make this spring day complete.