Chrome Gallops Toward Preakness

California Chrome on the track the week before the Kentucky Derby. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
California Chrome continued his journey toward the second leg of the Triple Crown on Sunday by galloping 1 ¾ miles on the main track at Churchill Downs, where exercise rider Willie Delgado says he is thriving.
“He loves it out there,” exercise rider Willie Delgado said. “Whatever he does, I just let him do. He is a rock star and I am just a groupie. He is the Kentucky Derby winner; he can do whatever he wants.”
The colt will either jog or gallop one final time at Churchill Downs Monday morning before heading to Pimlico for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. He will share a plane with Pablo Del Monte, Ride On Curlin, and General a Rod with those three also running in the Preakness Stakes.
Illinois Derby winner Dynamic Impact put in a five-furlong workout at Churchill Downs on Sunday, going 1:03.60 with jockey Miguel Mena aboard. The colt, who will be ridden by Mena in the Preakness, is scheduled to fly to Baltimore on Wednesday.
Bayern, who also will ship to Pimlico on Wednesday, will have an equipment change in the Preakness Stakes. The colt, who finished first but was disqualified to second in the Derby Trial, will again run without blinkers in the race.
Bayern has run without the blinkers before, winning an allowance race by 15 lengths without them in addition to finishing third in the Arkansas Derby without them. With speed looking to be in abundance in the Preakness, trainer Bob Baffert feels that Bayern needs the blinkers off so he can track the early leaders. He is scheduled to work tomorrow morning.
General a Rod, Kid Cruz, Social Inclusion, and Ride On Curlin all galloped at their respective tracks today. Pablo Del Monte walked at Keeneland the day after his final workout before the Preakness Stakes, and Ring Weekend jogged at Fair Hill Training Center the day after his final work.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Ria Antonia, who remains under consideration for the Preakness, worked four furlongs on Sunday in a time of :47.60 at Churchill. Trainer Tom Amoss expects that a decision on the Preakness will be made Monday.
“Everything has been extremely positive with her and whatever the plan is, we are excited about her,” said Amoss. “All of her preparation with me has been very good.”