California Chrome Draws No. 2 Post for Belmont Stakes
There has always been a sense of destiny surrounding California Chrome - his owners called him their Kentucky Derby horse as soon as he hit the ground. They were right, and after the colt won the Preakness Stakes, too, the air of inevitably has only thickened.
Art Sherman, Chrome's 77-year-old trainer, has been the voice of reason. He tried to manage the expectations of the horse's owners, Perry Martin and Steve Coburn, as they headed down the road to the Derby. He tried to temper Coburn's brash predictions about what achievement California Chrome was going to notch next.
No more. Since arriving in New York and seeing a bigger and feistier colt, Sherman has surrendered to the high hopes of the California Chrome entourage. After all, the colt has reeled off six straight victories, with each win looking better than the last.
'I really think you are going to see the next Triple Crown winner,' Sherman said as he mingled on the grassy rooftop of a building that gave a solid view of St. Patrick's Cathedral. 'I just think he is the best horse.'
The Belmont Park oddsmaker Eric Donovan agrees. He made California Chrome the 3-5 favorite to win the 146th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and become the 12th Triple Crown champion and first since Affirmed swept the series in 1978.
Ten other rivals, however, will show up for the Test of the Champion and try to deny him that piece of history, including the morning line's 6-1 second choice, Wicked Strong, the Derby's fourth-place finisher; and the Peter Pan winner Tonalist (8-1)
Commanding Curve (15-1), who finished second in the Derby, and the Preakness runner-up, Ride On Curlin (12-1), are here, too.
Sherman knows that California Chrome is facing some nice horses, but now is neither the time to worry about his horse nor doubt him. So he won't. His colt will break from the No. 2 post. Then, it's up to Chrome.
'I really feel better about this race than any other race,' Sherman said. 'I think he is a tough horse, and they better worry about me, I can tell you that. I know there are a lot of fresh horses coming in to take shots at me. Right now, California Chrome has everything going for him.'
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