Belmont Stakes
Your Horse Right Here
If we were not all spooked by so many near misses and locks that were not locks, this Belmont would be about as complicated as this Derby and this Preakness. One horse stood out in both races on form. That horse, California Chrome, ran right to his form. Why, really, should the Belmont be different?
Just as a fan, I hope he’s right.
California Chrome drew post #2 for the Belmont Stakes. He’ll face 10 others:
KYD/PRK = finish position in the Kentucky Derby and/or Preakness.
Crushed
When Birdstone passed Smarty Jones in the 2004 Belmont Stakes:
“There were 120,000 people there that day, and I bet 119,000 of them were rooting for Smarty Jones,†[jockey Edgar] Prado said. “It was very loud, a lot of noise going down the stretch. I could hear everything, people screaming, but as I got closer and closer, and then when I went by Smarty Jones, it was totally silent. It was this strange feeling, this weird feeling, and I could tell the difference that one horse was making in people’s lives.â€
What a lovely way to express how it feels to be a spoiler.
The Connection
Like so much about California Chrome’s story, it started with a feeling:
The 42-year-old Espinoza is a respected rider, but his business has slipped recently for no discernible reason except the whims of his clients. For several months Espinoza watched Chrome, at Del Mar and at the now shuttered Hollywood Park. He liked him. “I told my agent [Brian Beach], ‘There’s something about that horse, Art Sherman’s horse,'” says Espinoza. “I’m not even sure what it was. I thought I would just fit him.”
Beach remembers the conversation. “Certain riders just go together with certain horses,” he says. “Their styles or just physically, the way the rider sits on the horse. Victor thought he was a good match with this horse.”
Chrome is not only unbeaten in six races with Espinoza, but horse and rider have also been uncommonly synchronous. When Chrome tired at the top of the stretch in the Kentucky Derby, Espinoza reminded him to change leads. Even as Chrome habitually turns his head from side to side in the starting gate (his blinkers inhibit peripheral vision), Espinoza has taught him to break cleanly. Every small acceleration that Espinoza needs, Chrome provides. “Tremendous ability,” says Espinoza. “So much talent.” The colt rarely feels Espinoza’s whip (just twice in the furious Preakness homestretch), instead trusting the rider’s hands to guide most of his action.
6/3/14 Addendum: Joe Drape tells the story of strangers, but for a horse.
Chrome Works
David Grening on California Chrome’s breeze this morning (DRF+):
With regular rider Victor Espinoza up, California Chrome went his first quarter in 24.14 seconds and his second quarter in 23.30, according to DRF clocker Mike Welsch. It only got better from there, as he galloped out five furlongs in 59.59 seconds, six furlongs in 1:12.61, seven furlongs in 1:26.34, and pulled up a mile in 1:40.92.
That’s a sharp move. His official time for the four-furlong breeze was :47.69.
“I’m not a clocker but California Chrome looked full of run and seemed to have plenty left in the tank,” tweeted Jerry Bossert.
Here’s video of the work:
More on California Chrome’s work, as well as the other Belmont starters’ workouts this morning, at the Blood-Horse.
General a Rod, fourth in the Preakness and 11th in the Kentucky Derby, has joined the list of Belmont Stakes probables, bringing the number to 12.
6/1/14 Addendum: Welsch weighs in (DRF+). “The best part of the work came after the wire, as California Chrome galloped out with tremendous energy, even with Espinoza rising up in the saddle shortly past the finish line …”
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Jessica Chapel writes and edits in Massachusetts. Railbird is a Thoroughbred horse racing blog published from June 2004 to July 2019. More / Contact
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