California Chrome … Two Down One To Go … On To New York.

I began watching this race sitting, by the half mile I was standing and yelling at the TV…Gooooo…. Goooo… Goooo… Stay Safe… Goooo ….Goooo. Open Up. Then Yeah, Yeah, Yeah …across the wire and let out another scream Whew!!! Yeah Baby, Yeah! LOL

That’s a Triple Crown Race people and a horse racing lover. We dream of that moment, first leg, second leg and now the praying really begins.

This is a dream story as I stated on my KY Derby Blog.

Two men called crazy & dumb asses scraping together $8,000.00 and another $2,500.00 for the stud fee and out came a Champion who is now 6 for 6. California Chrome has now captured the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. First & second leg of the triple crown.

We know Belmont is no lock, there is a reason why it was last won in 1978 and Affirmed was bred by a multi-millionaire.

This next race will be challenge, a mile and a half of strategy. How long to rate and when to let go and with accurate precision. That’s when the horse will show all its Heart. If it can be done it’s the ultimate achievement. To me it beats all of the other sports prizes combined, because for most it is a large team made up of people.

Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey, Soccer, people.

Car racing is a driver, pit crew and a car. The engine a machine constructed by parts.

Nothing can equivalate to the Heart of a Horse.

Make mo mistake Chrome has a crew to and I thank co-owner Steve Coburn for respectfully thanking a groom by name on air after the race and presentation of the Woodlawn Vase.

Unlike the millionaire owners who usually only rave about their trainers, this humble owner of this now KY Derby and Preakness winner finally gave some long overdue recognition to the very person who spends the most time taking care of the horse from head to feet 7 days a week.

For this horse, Raul Rodriguez. Coburn stated Raul sleeps with this horse, his wife’s a little upset, but he don’t care. LOL

We honorably do our work but rarely get a mention. I’m glad California Chrome’s owner realizes it and I personally have gained even more respect for this owner because of it.

But then also in reality back in 2011 Chrome’s winning Jockey Victor Espinoza donated 100% of his earnings for a week at Del Mar to be used exclusively to assist Southern California racetrack grooms.

Excerpt from BloodHorse: “Everybody has done a lot of things for different foundations, but I never hear about anybody doing something just for the grooms,” said Espinoza. “The grooms are important for everybody in horse racing; they take care of the horses more than anybody, sometimes 24 hours a day,” he continued. “If a horse gets sick at midnight, who’s going to be there? The groom has to get up. But if the grooms are sick, they can’t take care of the horses.”

”To be honest, a good groom can make the difference between winning and losing.”

So hats off for all of this Horse’s connections. They are all “Class“.

Sadly co-owner Perry Martin and his family were missing. Seems Churchill Downs didn’t treat these owners very respectfully at the Derby, thus he skipped the Preakness. Hopefully that will change for the Belmont. These owners deserve to be treated in a grand fashion.

People were questioning the KY Derby time, I wonder if they’ll question Chrome’s time in the Preakness. 1:54.84 The track record for the one mile and three sixteenth’s is 1:53, Secretariat’s record.

Espinoza won this race with ease although he stated after the race he was more mentally tired than physically.

The Belmont no doubt will be Chrome’s biggest test. There are millions wishing, hoping & praying this dream becomes complete three weeks from now.

Horse Racing fans, but far more than that those of us whose careers was this sport. Every TB horse farm worker & backsider on every race track lives and breathes for this moment. It’s been 36 long years. Will California Chrome be the next Triple Crown winner?

June 7th we will find out.

Go Chrome Go!