Blazing Bayern Spoils Chome’s Return in Pennsylvania Derby

Bayern rolled into the Parx Racing stretch on Saturday and blazed his way to a new track record in the Pennsylvania Derby (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
BENSALEM, Pa. – Perhaps California Chrome’s fate in Saturday's $1-million Pennsylvania Derby on Saturday was sealed last Monday.
That is when post positions were drawn. That is when the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner got stuck on the rail, an unenviable position he and jockey Victor Espinoza never could escape.
Chrome’s distaste for that inside position was readily apparent as he finished a dismal sixth, thoroughly defeated by record-setting Bayern at Parx Racing. Bayern’s final time of 1:46.96 for 1 1/8 miles eclipsed the previous standard set by Selari Spirit, whose mark of 1:47 had stood since Nov. 30, 1974.
“When I asked him to go,” said triumphant jockey Martin Garcia, “he took off.”
The day represented a rousing success for Parx Racing, which reported an all-sources handle of $10,396,671, an 88% jump from last year’s handle of $5,519,897. Since there was free admission, officials estimated that attendance exceeded 16,000 fans.
2014 PENNSYLVANIA DERBY

California Chrome was competing for the first time since he finished in a dead heat for fourth in the Belmont Stakes on June 7 to deny his Triple Crown bid. Espinoza noted that his mount was uncomfortable for much of the way. He also pointed to the difficulty of overcoming such a prolonged layoff.
“He had a long break. It was his first time back,” Espinoza said. “He’ll come back in the Breeders’ Cup and be a different horse.”
Art Sherman, who became the oldest trainer to win the Derby at age 77, knew he was in trouble early.
“He is a lot more comfortable if you can ease him out. That didn’t happen,” he said, adding, “He hasn’t run in a long time. He probably needed the race.”
Sherman believes something positive will come out of the Pennsylvania Derby despite the colt’s poorest finish since he ran sixth in a stakes race restricted to California-breds at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, 2013.
“He has a race under his belt. He will be a lot stronger and we will train him over at Los Alamitos,” Sherman said. “We’ll bring him home and get him ready for the Breeders’ Cup.”
Bayern was a much different horse from the one that faded to last in the Travers Stakes in his previous start. He reverted back to the brilliance he displayed the race before that, when he shook loose on the lead and thrashed his foes by 7 ¼ lengths in the Haskell Invitational Stakes.
In the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby, his winning margin was a commanding 5 ¾ lengths over multiple graded stakes winner Tapiture. Candy Boy was a head back in third.
CALIFORNIA CHROME MADE A RUN AT BAYERN AT THE TOP OF THE STRETCH BUT COULD NOT MATCH STRIDES WITH THE VICTOR

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
“I drew a line through it walking back to the barn,” assistant trainer Jim Barnes said of the Travers. “It had rained two days before. The track was wet and tiring. Saratoga is a very difficult track to win at.”
Kaleem Shah, who owns Bayern, said he will leave it to trainer Bob Baffert to determine whether Bayern competes in the Dirt Mile or in the 1 ¼-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic as part of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita. “Whatever he chooses to do will be fine with me,” Shah said.
Shah noted that the only family member who will be allowed input will be Arman, his 16-year-old son, who suggested the horse to Baffert before he was purchased. Arman was conspicuous in his absence at the Pennsylvania Derby. “He was busy with school,” his father said.
In the $1-million, Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, the other marquee race on the card, Untapable rebounded from her disappointing showing when she tested males for the first time in the Haskell Invitational by rallying for a one-length victory over Sweet Reason for jockey Rosie Napravnik.
Napravnik sat coolly in third behind JoJo Warrior and Cassat before making her bid around the final turn. She was far from overpowering during the stretch run, however, but did well to withstand Sweet Reason’s surge.
UNTAPABLE PREVAILED IN THE COTILLION

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
“We saw a speed-holding surface earlier today. Rosie had to keep her close to a fast pace,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “We are very happy to see her back in the winner’s circle.”
Napravnik already was looking forward to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Oct. 31 and a confrontation with Close Hatches, among others, at Santa Anita Park.
“She’s running great. She’s been training great,” Napravnik said. “There is no reason not to go on to the next one.”
Untapable, in winning for the fifth time in six starts this season and for the seventh time in 10 starts in her career, hiked her career earnings to $1,896,725 with the lion’s share of the $1-million purse. The bay daughter of Tapit completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:42.71. She returned $3 for a $2 win wager.
For Equibase charts, click here.