Steve Coburn, a co-owner of California Chrome, offered a sincere, emotional apology Monday for unsportsmanlike and insensitive statements he had made in the aftermath of California Chrome’s defeat in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.
Appearing on the ABC program “Good Morning America” in New York with co-host Robin Roberts, Coburn said, “I need to apologize to the world. I sincerely apologize.”
In the days leading up to the Belmont Stakes, California Chrome’s pursuit of the Triple Crown was depicted as a fairy-tale story. Two down-to-earth owners had struck it rich. Jockey Victor Espinoza had delivered flawless performances on the colt, with whom he had a wonderful affinity. And the horse himself became almost larger than life -- a budding superstar who might resuscitate the whole sport.
ELMONT, N.Y. – After coming off publicly as a fortunate, grateful man through the first two legs of the Triple Crown, Steve Coburn, a co-owner of California Chrome, came off as petty and ungrateful immediately following the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, calling the connections of the victorious Tonalist “cowards” for bypassing the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
Given a night to sleep it off, Coburn doubled down on the invective on Sunday morning in a televised rant that tastelessly invoked children in wheelchairs.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The New York stewards are conducting an investigation into whether trainer Mike Maker brought General a Rod to the assembly barn in the proper time frame leading up to Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, according to Braulio Baeza, the steward for the New York Racing Association.
The overnight rating for the Belmont Stakes broadcast Saturday on NBC was a 12.9, the second-highest rating of all-time for the race, behind the 15.9 overnight rating posted for the 2004 race, when Smarty Jones was bidding for the Triple Crown, the network said on Sunday.
The broadcast, from 4:30 to 7:15 p.m. Eastern, had a 29 share, a measure of how many televisions in use were tuned to the broadcast, NBC said. The 2004 broadcast had a slightly higher share, at 31.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Any time you win the prestigious Metropolitan Handicap it’s a good day. But trainer Todd Pletcher was about a length away on Saturday from having arguably his greatest day as a trainer.
On a day when Palace Malice won the Grade 1, $1.25 million Met Mile, Pletcher finished a combined length away from winning four other graded stakes - including the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, where his 28-1 shot Commissioner was beaten a head by Tonalist.
ELMONT, N.Y. – California Chrome emerged from Saturday’s Belmont Stakes with a minor injury to his right front hoof and will be given a lengthy rest before a scheduled return to racing this fall, trainer Art Sherman said Sunday morning at Belmont Park.
“He’s good, other than having a good chunk of his quarter cut,” Sherman said. “We’ll get that healed up at the barn for two to three weeks, then stop on him for six or seven weeks, give him some pasture time. He needs a rest.”
ELMONT, N.Y. - Christophe Clement used to resent when he would be characterized in the media as a turf trainer. But he learned to live with that reputation after taking some advice from his friend and colleague Bill Mott who said “never complain about being labeled as any kind of trainer because it keeps good horses coming your way.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – The Triple Crown elevator still stops on the 11th floor.
California Chrome could not end a 36-year drought of Triple Crown winners Saturday, when he finished in a dead heat for fourth in the 146th Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park behind the victorious Tonalist, a late-developing colt who did not run in the Kentucky Derby nor the Preakness Stakes.
For at least another year, Affirmed, in 1978, remains the last and 11th Triple Crown winner.
