California Chrome may have been the 2-1 favorite entering Saturday's Run for the Roses, but his appearance at Churchill Downs was nothing if not a minor miracle. He's no Kentucky blue blood, born to an $8,000 dam; is trained by 77-year-old Art Sherman, who never before trained a Derby horse; had never raced outside of his home state of California; and is owned by a couple of guys who call their stable Dumb Ass Partnership.
And yet he won the Kentucky Derby going away, sprinting away from the field down the stretch, winning by five lengths in a time of 2:03.66.Victor Espinoza and trainer Art Sherman celebrate after California Chrome's victory.Commanding Curve was second. Danza was third."I never dreamt of winning two Kentucky Derbies in my entire career," Espinoza told NBC's on-horse reporter Donna Brothers on the track after his winning ride. "It’s an awesome feeling and when I work hard, everything comes along."The 5-2 favorite stretched his winning streak to five and Art Sherman, 77, became the oldest winning Derby trainer. It was the second Derby win for Espinoza, who rode War Emblem to victory in 2002.
"I thought he rode him perfect. I never gave him any instructions. I just said, 'You know this horse, go for it,'" Sherman said.
In a game dominated by millionaires and billionaires, this was a victory for the little guys. Owners Perry Martin and Steve Coburn bred an $8,000 mare to a $2,500 stallion to win America's most famous race with their one-horse stable.California Chrome is the only horse owners Coburn and Perry Martin have in the stable at Dumb Ass Partners and is the California (natch) product of an $8,000 mare and $2,500 stallion. Commanding Turn came in second and Danza finished third.
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