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| the preakness |
They may be named Dumb Ass Partners, but Steve Coburn and Perry Martin look pretty smart today after California Chrome, bred of an $8,000 mare and $2,500 sire, won the 139th Preakness Stakes Saturday in Baltimore.
With the second jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown safely tucked away, California Chrome becomes the 13th horse to enter Belmont with a chance to complete the task since Affirmed last accomplished the feat in 1978. Smarty Jones, who finished the Belmont Stakes in second in 2004, was the last to finish.
California Chrome started well and stayed just off the pace early at Pimlico, just as he did in the Kentucky Derby, running in third. Curlin's offspring, Ride on Curlin, finished second 1½ lengths back and Social Inclusion third.
California Chrome, dubbed the "people's horse" by his connections, became the fifth California-bred horse to win The Preakness and the first since Snow Chief in 1986. He was also the first California-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby since 1962.
California Chrome entered the 1-3/16-mile Preakness a heavy 3/5 favorite after winning the Kentucky Derby handily. California Chrome won the 139th running of the Preakness Stakes, out-running the other nine horses in the field to claim the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Pablo Del Monte took the early lead with California Chrome running third into the far turn. California Chrome made a move at the top of the stretch with Social Inclusion running strong in second place.
California Chrome pulled into the lead and while Ride on Curlin mounted a strong effort down the stretch, it wasn't enough and California Chrome held on for the win.
Coming off an impressive win in the Kentucky Derby, California Chrome entered the race as an overwhelming favorite. The odds shifted slightly in the time leading up to the race, but California Chrome remained the heavy favorite throughout. Those odds will drop even further following California Chrome's win at Pimlico on Saturday. California Chrome isn't the first horse to win the first two legs in recent years. I'll Have Another in 2012 and Big Brown in 2008 both won the Derby and Preakness before failing to capture the Triple Crown at the Belmont. California Chrome will get his chance to complete the feat on June 7.
The 139th running of The Preakness Winner.
is in the books, with pre-race favorite California Chrome pulling away for the victory. Aside from an injury scare on Thursday, which caused bettors to panic, California Chrome was a steady favorite at Preakness since winning the 140th Kentucky Derby in a dominant performance. California Chrome was the popular pick among experts and held as the heavy favorite all the way up to race time. The second jewel of the Triple Crown and a chance for greatness is on the line for California Chrome as he and nine other thoroughbreds contend for the 139 th Preakness Stakes Saturday afternoon at Pimlico Race Course. Two down and one to go for California Chrome in his bid for horse racing's first Triple Crown in 36 years, but pulling that off will be easier said than run. Showing no ill effects from two weeks rest since his Kentucky Derby win, California Chrome withstood a challenge down the stretch and won Saturday's 139th running of the Preakness before a record crowd of 123,469 at Pimlico Race Course. California Chrome finished a length and a half in front of Ride On Curlin, who ran seventh in the Derby. At 5 feet 2½, California Chrome's 77-year-old trainer Art Sherman had a hard time seeing the race.
is in the books, with pre-race favorite California Chrome pulling away for the victory. Aside from an injury scare on Thursday, which caused bettors to panic, California Chrome was a steady favorite at Preakness since winning the 140th Kentucky Derby in a dominant performance. California Chrome was the popular pick among experts and held as the heavy favorite all the way up to race time. The second jewel of the Triple Crown and a chance for greatness is on the line for California Chrome as he and nine other thoroughbreds contend for the 139 th Preakness Stakes Saturday afternoon at Pimlico Race Course. Two down and one to go for California Chrome in his bid for horse racing's first Triple Crown in 36 years, but pulling that off will be easier said than run. Showing no ill effects from two weeks rest since his Kentucky Derby win, California Chrome withstood a challenge down the stretch and won Saturday's 139th running of the Preakness before a record crowd of 123,469 at Pimlico Race Course. California Chrome finished a length and a half in front of Ride On Curlin, who ran seventh in the Derby. At 5 feet 2½, California Chrome's 77-year-old trainer Art Sherman had a hard time seeing the race.
California Chrome became the 13th horse to win the first two legs since Affirmed won the last Triple Crown in 1978. California Chrome now has won six in a row. In Kentucky, California Chrome won in a time of 2:03.66 over the 1¼-mile race, slowest on a fast track in the Derby since Cannonade in 1974. Running a mile and 3/16th in the Preakness, California posted a time of 1:54 4/5 with jockey Victor Espinoza in the saddle, fastest in the Preakness since Curlin won in 2007.
Finishing third was Social Inclusion.
The order of finish: California Chrome, Ride On Curlin, Social Inclusion, General A Rod, Ring Weekend, Pablo Del Monte, Dynamic Impact, Kid Cruz, Bayern and Ria Antonia.
Saturday, California Chrome gave him that second chance.
"It's an awesome feeling to have a horse like California Chrome," said Espinoza. "It was a crazy race. California Chrome is owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin. The two small-time horse owners identify themselves as DAP Racing (Dumb Ass Partners). California Chrome earned $1.4 million for winning the Derby and $900,000 for his Preakness win.
California Chrome is the fifth California-bred to win the Preakness and the first since Snow Chief in 1986.
Since Affirmed swept the three races there have been 12 horses to win the first two legs but fail in the Belmont.
