A Triple Crown dream is a possibility after racing sensation California Chrome held off Ride at Pimlico on Curlin taking the 139th Preakness Stakes in an unofficial time of 1:54.84.
Following an excellent start, Chrome was content sitting in third place for the majority of the race until a late surge at the 3/4 mile pole saw him jump ahead of both Curlin and Social Inclusion, that were two horses listed as potential winners.
Chrome resisted all indications where the pace could have been easily set from the start deferring to the lone filly, Ria Antonia and Pablo Del Monte, both of which were extremely longshots.
Nearing the end it was Chrome, Inclusion and Curlin that separated themselves from the pack before Chrome (the Derby winner) accelerated towards the finish.
“It’s an awesome feeling to be able to have a horse like California Chrome. … Today it was just a crazy race. I got more tired mentally than physically. He’s just amazing,” jockey Victor Espinoza said after the race.
Espinoza improved his record to 6-0 on Chrome while holding off Inclusion and Ride on Curlin down the back stretch.
Asked how he felt Chrome would handle the heightened stakes at Belmont and Espinoza laughed it off. “I hope OK. You never know until you run, but he seems like he’s going to be alright.”
One concern heading into the race was the two-week turnaround from the Derby to the Preakness, but that didn’t seem to “fizz” Chrome at any point in the race.
Chrome’s mid-week cough, which was actually just the result of a small blister, didn’t appear to hamper him, either. He’ll now have three weeks off before a shot at history.
Chrome becomes only the 34th horse to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown in the history of the race, but only 11 have pulled off the feat, which was last achieved by Affirmed dating back to 1978.
Espinoza, trainer Art Sherman and owner Steve Coburn will have that chance at Belmont on June 7 in Elmont, New York. Known as “The Test of Champions,” the mile-and-a-half course is the longest of all three races.
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