History was made, in more ways than one, this weekend as the 140th annual Kentucky Derby came to a close on Saturday, May 3, 2014. Born and bred in California, and favored to win, the young chestnut colt pulled away from the pack to win by 1 lengths, making him the first Kentucky Derby winner from California since 1962. The win is sure to have ruffled a few feathers (on former U.S. Olympic figure-skater/commentator Johnny Weir’s dandy derby hat, no less) since most of this race’s winners are usually Kentucky-born and raised.
California Chrome’s 77-year old trainer, Art Sherman, received his first lifetime Kentucky Derby win on his Chrome’s owner, Steve Coburn’s 61st birthday. Co-owners Perry Martin and Coburn took a chance on breeding a mare-Chrome’s mother and one-time race winner, Love the Chase-that only cost them $8,000 with a $2,500 stallion, producing the unlikely million-dollar-baby. No one gave them a chance, as Sherman stated, “Sometimes you don’t get a lot of respect,” but Chrome proved that the underdog or dark horse should never be underestimated.
From the 5th post in at the starting gate, California Chrome and jockey, Victor Espinoza, made more Derby history by making it the winningest position to start from ever. While Uncle Sigh and Chitu looked to have things under control early in the race, Espinoza rode Chrome all the way to the finish, overcoming the rest of the field by a wide margin of victory, and silencing all doubters.
This is just the beginning for California Chrome and his enthusiastic team, who are ready to take him all the way to the top: the Triple Crown. California Chrome will race in Baltimore, MD, at the upcoming Preakness and at Belmont in New York in hopes of crowning him the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed won it in 1978. California Chrome is on pace as not only the “California King,” but as reigning royalty of the “Sport of Kings.”