LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For the second straight year, trainer Dallas Stewart was second to one in the Kentucky Derby.
One year after finishing second to the favored Orb with 34-1 shot Golden Soul, Stewart was again second-best to the favorite, this time with 37-1 Commanding Curve, whose furious late rally in the stretch Saturday fell 1 3/4 lengths short of California Chrome in Kentucky Derby 140 at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Here are the top five finishers, with all available mutuel prices involving the 140th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs:
Top 5 order of finish, $2 mutuels
1 – California Chrome, No. 5, win $7; place, $5.60; show, $4.20
2 – Commanding Curve, No. 17, place, $31.80; show, $15.40
3 – Danza, No. 4, show, $6
4 – Wicked Strong, No. 20
5 – Samraat, No. 6
Exotic payoffs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Art Sherman first came to Churchill Downs in 1955 as a stablehand associated with Swaps, who won that year’s Kentucky Derby. The other day, Sherman, now 77 and the trainer of California Chrome, paid a visit to the gravesite of Swaps, whose remains are at the Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, and said a little prayer.
“It came true,” he said. “I was hoping he was another Swaps.”
Steve Coburn knew when he saw the newborn colt.
“I saw this baby twice,” the co-owner of California Chrome said. “Once in a dream, and then the day after he was born.”
Since the chestnut colt with the white face hit the ground Feb. 18, 2011, the clock has been ticking down to today. Tick-tock.
On Saturday morning, California Chrome went for an easy one-mile jog with exercise rider Willie Delgado aboard, the sun just beginning to brighten the twin spires as they loomed over the Kentucky Derby favorite.
Saturday, May 3, preview
Happy Derby Day! We’re looking at a fast track, a firm course, and nice weather, with Weather.com calling for a mix of sun and clouds. Temperatures should be in the 50s when the card kicks off at 10:30 a.m. and warm to about 70 degrees by the time the Derby is run.
Now to the question of the day: Who’s going to win the Derby?
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After the close of ontrack wagering Friday, Santa Anita Derby winner California Chrome was the 3-1 favorite in advance wagering for Saturday's Kentucky Derby, with Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong and Arkansas Derby winner Danza co-second choices at 8-1.
Ride On Curlin, to be ridden by three-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel, was next at 12-1 odds, followed closely by Louisiana Derby runner-up Intense Holiday at 13-1.
All 75 blood samples pulled from horses entered on the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby cards at Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday tested negative for blood-doping drugs and illegal peptides, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced on Friday morning.
