California Chrome

[Angelico]

[QUOTE=vineyridge;7568075]
You’re ignoring distance. He’s basically, as far as I can see, sprinter/miler bred who can stretch a bit.[/QUOTE]

The KY Derby, the race he just won, is a mile and a quarter. The SA Derby, which he also won in near record time, is no sprint. I’m no super fan, I bet against him every time, but I can appreciate a nice horse when I see one. Do I think he’ll win the TC? No, probably not, but distance is the least of his worries.

Agree with SportArab, what is with the negativity? People have criticized everything from his owners’ silks to the immaculate ride by a now two time KY Derby winning jockey. At this point, the horse is scary good.

[caffeinated]

@SportArab;7568133

I find it interesting that there is all this negativity about the horse. Where does it come from?

I think it’s a combination of things. When it comes to racing, people don’t like the word “great” thrown around casually. So there’s a lot of pessimism and people like to point out the potential flaws of a horse, especially when it seems like everyone has hopped aboard the fan train. There’s also a culture of “what’s wrong with modern racing” going on - people love to say that modern horses aren’t as good/tough, this is a problem and that is a problem and the other thing is a problem, etc. And lastly, I think there’s a certain amount of “refusing to get my hopes up” since for the last almost 40 years, those hopes have been dashed repeatedly. Almost like people want to convince themselves it won’t happen, so they’re not disappointed (but if it does happen, they can be elatedly surprised).

Personally, I don’t think the time of the derby, or the way the other horse was closing, really necessarily count for much against CC. Given how un-exerted he seemed after, I think he could have run a much faster race if he’d needed to. I’m not saying he’s a “great” or that I think he’ll win the TC, only time will tell! But I think he’s a pretty awesome horse and I also think that trainer/jockey don’t want to overdo anything, they want to conserve him as much as possible.

[SportArab]

I don’t think it’s a function of the times. If you look back to the 1978 Triple Crown, it’s pretty amazing how negatively most “experts” were with respect to Affirmed.

Coming into the Derby that year, Bill Nack picked Affirmed to finish fourth, while Andre Beyer had him at fifth.

Woody Stephens put it this way, “I don’t know about Affirmed. He kind of looks like he’s all legs this year.”

[SnicklefritzG]

[QUOTE=ravenclaw;7567094]
I thought Commanding Curve was really impressive…the fractions up front weren’t that fast and Commanding Curve was pretty far back and he got up there for 2nd place (by less than 2 lengths).[/QUOTE]

But remember that CC’s jockey held him back so 2 lengths could have been a lot more

[rcloisonne]

I have nothing negative to say about the horse at all. Well, one little thing, he has too much white on his face for my taste.

Completely agree his jock did an outstanding job of putting his horse exactly where it needed to be exactly when he needed to be there. Flawless ride until he stood in the irons in the final seconds. He either misjudged where he was (doubtful) or he’s an arrogant jerk. That arrogance is going to get him in serious trouble one of these races. I’d hate to see a TC lost because of it. Remember Calvin’s crapastic ride on Mine That Bird in the 2009 Belmont and the arrogant statements he made after the race?

IMO, California Chrome has an excellent chance at taking the whole enchilada this year. There’s something very special about this horse although I can’t quite put my finger on it. He just “glows”.

[Angelico]

@rcloisonne;7568380

Completely agree his jock did an outstanding job of putting his horse exactly where it needed to be exactly when he needed to be there. Flawless ride until he stood in the irons in the final seconds. He either misjudged where he was (doubtful) or he’s an arrogant jerk. That arrogance is going to get him in serious trouble one of these races. I’d hate to see a TC lost because of it. Remember Calvin’s crapastic ride on Mine That Bird in the 2009 Belmont and the arrogant statements he made after the race?

Two Kentucky Derbies, a Preakness, victories in the Breeders Cup, and over 3,000 wins… I think Victor Espinoza might just have a clue what he is doing. :winkgrin:

[SnicklefritzG]

I also think negativity almost always follows success.

Look at Kevin Durant. Not too long ago, some papers labelled him as “Mr. Unreliable”. A week later he’s MVP of the NBA.

[bugsynskeeter]

[QUOTE=SnicklefritzG;7568433]
I also think negativity almost always follows success.

Look at Kevin Durant. Not too long ago, some papers labelled him as “Mr. Unreliable”. A week later he’s MVP of the NBA.[/QUOTE]

He was fairly unreliable in the recent series against Memphis. It was the OK City Paper that labelled him as such. And it seemed to light a fire under his @$$, as they finally beat Memphis in the series.

But that is neither here nor there…

It was a good race. We will just have to wait until Preakness Day to see what kind of horse shows up.

[Sarah616]

People will find something negative to say about anything and everything. It seems to be how we’re wired, for whatever reason. Some love to jump aboard bandwagons and some love to disprove them.

I don’t follow horse racing except to watch “The Big Ones” on tv. I thought it was a beautiful, textbook race by California Chrome and Espinoza. I also agree with those who are only seeing about 3 actual strikes with the whip. You can tell the difference by the way his arm moves - when he actually uses the whip, his arm comes up and out. Other than that it swings pretty parallel to the horse. And the video of the Santa Anita was incredible. Talk about being along for the ride.

[Laurierace]

Time only counts when you are behind bars.

[merrygoround]

Awww! Greenleaf is gonna hang on till he turns yellow or crimson, depending on what kinda leaf he is.

[SnicklefritzG]

[QUOTE=bugsynskeeter;7568442]
He was fairly unreliable in the recent series against Memphis. It was the OK City Paper that labelled him as such. And it seemed to light a fire under his @$$, as they finally beat Memphis in the series.

But that is neither here nor there…

It was a good race. We will just have to wait until Preakness Day to see what kind of horse shows up.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for proving my point about negativity. I come on again to tell a positive story and someone had to say something negative about it. Do a bit of reading and you will find out that the MVP award wasn’t just about one game.

There is a lot more to being MVP of the entire NBA than just one game. It’s about overall performance.

[CVPeg]

Nice interview of Victor by HRTV’s Scott Hazelton.

http://www.hrtv.com/videos/2014-kentucky-derby-winner-victor-espinoza-extended-interview/?VideoCategoryId=2

[skydy]

Thanks CVPeg.

Nice interview.

I am admittedly in awe of jockeys ,as well as exercise riders and anyone else who can ride short.

My lousy knees prevented me from ever proving that I was among those who could ride TBs on the track (and saved me from having to admit that my failure would have been a lack of balance, skill, and talent.)

Not an insider on the racing scene, however, I am an enthusiast and I do believe I have a feel for who is an ass and who is not. I am sure some jocks hide their unpleasantness better than others but V.E. does not strike me as an “arrogant jerk” nor did I see him whipping the hell out of the horse…

If he stands before the wire and blows the race? then people can complain. This “aint his first rodeo”:yes:

[Beverley]

[QUOTE=skydy;7569175]

If he stands before the wire and blows the race? then people can complain. This “aint his first rodeo”:yes:[/QUOTE]

His celebration at the wire was a long way from Bill Shoemaker’s misjudging the finish line aboard Gallant Man in 1957- which did lose the race.

[SnicklefritzG]

My favorite moment in the race was when Victor Espinoza passed the finish line and gave California Chrome a rub and pat on the neck.

[armchair_Quaterback]

DRF has a nice little article about Chrome’s farrier and his shoeing job:

http://www.drf.com/news/special-shoes-keep-california-chromes-feet-comfy

The more I read about Art Sherman, the more the man continues to impress me. He would be a great horseman in any discipline. I’m glad that this colt ended up in his hands.

I haven’t been this excited about the Triple Crown since War Emblem, back in 2002. Only a few more days until the Preakness!

[RainyDayRide]

on the ground at BWI, in a Brook Ledge Horse Transport Van, awaiting his ride to Pimlico.

[URL=“https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/p526x296/10277386_10152425332309301_5442481368734953261_n.jpg”]https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/p526x296/10277386_10152425332309301_5442481368734953261_n.jpg

Photo credit Colton Gotwals

[dani0303]

I’d love to see him win it all, not only for his connections but for the sport as a whole. Horse racing has a negative image as being “elitest” and for a group of nobody’s with an $8k mare and $2k stallion to breed a KY Derby winner really draws much needed positive attention to the sport.

And I’m a sucker from chrome. He even has it in his name

[Laurierace]

Actually the cheap mare, cheap stallion part if the only part I don’t like about the whole equation. We don’t need more cheaply bred horses just because one outran his price tag.