Sherman Pleased With Post 3 for Heavily Favored Chrome
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Trainer Art Sherman fields a question on Wednesday morning at Pimlico Race Course, a few hours before California Chrome drew post position three for the 2014 Preakness Stakes. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
BALTIMORE – A cheer erupted and Art Sherman, trainer of California Chrome, smiled broadly after his Kentucky Derby winner drew post position three on Wednesday night as part of a field of 10 for the 139th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.
“Three is fine with me,” Sherman all but sang out after his streaking colt was established as an overwhelming 3-to-5 favorite for the 1 3/16-mile race on Saturday. “Most of the speed is on the outside of me and if they go, they go. I can tuck in right behind them without any problems.”
Sherman expects Bayern, leaving from post five for trainer Bob Baffert, to bolt to the front.
“That’s usually what Bob does,” he said.
Rosie Napravnik, who is attempting to become the first female jockey to win the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, will ride Bayern. In what may be a key equipment change, Baffert is removing the blinkers from Bayern, which could lead the colt to be less keen in the early stages.
Ron Sanchez, owner of Social Inclusion, has said his horse will gun for the early lead. Social Inclusion, a winner of his first two starts by a combined margin of 17 ½ lengths before he was nosed out of second in the Wood Memorial Stakes, received post eight. He is the second choice on the morning line at 5-to-1 for jockey Luis Contreras.
“From the first time he started, we said our goal was the Preakness, not the Derby,” said Sanchez. “Now, we are in the place we dreamed of being.”
SOCIAL INCLUSION AT PIMLICO WEDNESDAY
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Bayern and Ride On Curlin, who drew farthest outside, are the co-third choice on the morning line at 10-to-1. Ride On Curlin and General a Rod are the only horses among 19 Derby starters willing to test California Chrome here. Both endured difficult trips at Churchill Downs.
General a Rod will start from post two for his rider, Javier Castellano.
“We will save some ground,” trainer Mike Maker said. “Hopefully, he’ll get a cleaner trip than he got in Kentucky. He’s doing good. That’s why we’re here.”
Ria Antonia, the lone filly in the group, has Calvin Borel in the irons in place of Mike Smith after she fell out of contention early in the Kentucky Oaks and never recovered. Borel will be told to keep her closer to the pace from post six.
Owner Ron Paolucci, who also changed trainers, moving from Hall of Famer Baffert to the well-respected Tom Amoss, said of his willingness to challenge California Chrome: “He has an amazing turn of foot. My only question is whether California Chrome has that turn of foot in two weeks.”
California Chrome is undefeated since jockey Victor Espinoza hopped aboard, rattling off five consecutive stakes victories by a combined margin of 26 lengths. He held off a bold rally by Commanding Curve by 1 3/4 lengths in the Derby, but his winning time of 2:03.66 led some experts to think he was vulnerable.
Sherman admitted he was surprised by how heavily favored his California-bred is.
“I never thought he would be that kind of price,” he said. “Really, I thought he would be 6-to-5.”
Oddsmaker Keith Feustle expects fans to back Chrome with both hands. He suggested the 3-to-5 odds might be a tad high.
“He may end up slightly lower,” he said.
$1.5-million Preakness Stakes
Saturday, Pimlico, Race 12, Post Time 6:20p.m. ET.
1 3/16 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds
Television: NBC coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. ET
Post
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Odds
1
Dynamic Impact
Miguel Mena
Mark Casse
12-1
2
General a Rod
Javier Castellano
Mike Maker
15-1
3
California Chrome
Victor Espinoza
Art Sherman
3-5
4
Ring Weekend
Alan Garcia
Graham Motion
20-1
5
Bayern
Rosie Napravnik
Bob Baffert
10-1
6
Ria Antonia
Calvin Borel
Tom Amoss
30-1
7
Kid Cruz
Julian Pimentel
Linda Rice
20-1
8
Social Inclusion
Luis Contreras
Manny Azpurua
5-1
9
Pablo Del Monte
Jeffrey Sanchez
Wesley Ward
20-1
10
Ride On Curlin
Joel Rosario
William Gowan
10-1