California Chrome Wins the Kentucky Derby, Early Favorite to Win Preakness
California Chrome became the 140th winner of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, winning by 1 3/4 lengths as Commanding Curve made a late push. The thoroughbred became the second favorite in a row to win the Derby, and will go for the second leg of the Triple Crown at the Preakness Stakes in two weeks. The Preakness is held each year at Pimlico Raceway in Baltimore.
Kentucky Derby 2014 Odds
California Chrome came into the race as the heavy favorite with 5:2 odds. Wicked Strong, which finished fourth, came into the race with strong 6:1 odds. Candy Boy, which finished a distant 13th, had 9:1 odds.
Commanding Curve was a long shot by any standards entering the Kentucky Derby. Despite having 37:1 odds, Commanding Curve finished second. Danza, which finished in 3rd, matched expectations, as the horse had the third best odds (8:1) with the oddsmakers. 16-to-1 long shot Samraat had a strong finish in 5th place.
California Chrome – Excellent Investment
California Chrome is the product of a $10,000 breeding investment. After winning the Santa Anita Derby in April, the horse drew a $6 million purchase offer. 77 year old trainer Art Sherman says the price might be $10 million now, after winning at Churchill Downs. For winning the race, California Chrome brought its own more than $1.4 million. The total earning potential from stud fees are far greater than that.
Winning Derby Worth $30,000,000
Art Sherman added, “If you could ever win these big races, for a stallion prospect, you know he could be worth $30 million when you really think about it, what they get in stud fees, and have a full (breeding) book for the next 10-15 years. They could be sitting on a gold mine. It’s not just the money right now, but the long-range potential is great, you know what I mean. It would be super. If they get lucky enough to go the Triple Crown and see what happens.”
The ownership duo of Steve Coburn and Perry Martin calls itself DAP Racing. who paid $8,000 to have Love the Chase breed with Lucky Pulpit, whose fee cost them $2,000.
Triple Crown Chase 2014
The last horse to win the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes) was Affirmed in 1978. Since that time, 12 Kentucky Derby winners have gone on to win the Preakness and challenge at the Belmont Stakes. When that happens, Belmont Park in New York becomes the center of the sports world (and betting world).
After their horse’s win at the Kentucky Derby, owner Steve Coburn was already talking about their Triple Crown prospects. Coburn said, “I said this horse would win the Kentucky Derby. I said, ‘When this horse wins the Kentucky Derby…I believe this horse will win the Triple Crown.”
Commanding Curve and the Preakness
The field for the Preakness remains unknown. On Sunday, it was confirmed that California Chrome would race. Dallas Stewart, who trains runner-up Commanding Curve, said on Sunday that it was 50-50 odds whether the horse would run at the Preakness, which always has a maximum field of 14.
Stewart said, “He hasn’t even walked out of the stall yet….I want to keep him healthy.” Stewart went on to add that California Chrome looks “very tough” as an opponent this year. Dallas Stewart went on to add that he doubted California Chrome coming into the race, because the horse did not has a timed work (workout) at Churchill Downs.
Preakness Field
The winner of the Kentucky Oaks (for fillies) in 2014 is Untapable. Untapable’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, said the filly would not run in the Preakness. The trainer for the fourth place horse in the race, Wicked Strong, said there was a “long possibility” they would enter the horse in the race. The 5th place horse, Samraat, is said to be “possible but not probable” for the Preakness Stakes.
Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert
Legendary trainer Bob Baffert said the 9th place horse, Chitu, will not run in the Preakness. Baffert had another horse scratched for the Kentucky Derby, Hoppertunity, because of a suspected foot problem. Baffert says Hoppertunity has a chance to run in the Preakness. Trainer John Sadler’s Candy Boy, which finished 13th in the Derby, has a “slight chance” of running the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Meanwhile, trainer Todd Pletcher has a lot of decisions to make. Pletcher had four horses racing in the Derby, including 3rd place Danza, 10th place We Miss Artie, 12th place Intense Holiday, and 17th place Vinceremos. We Miss Artie, a Canadian bred horse, will go to Canada’s Queen’s Plate event. The future for the other three is uncertain. Of the three, Danza would appear to be the most likely to challenge for the Preakness.
