California Dreamin’ About the Kentucky Derby

Derby hype is reaching a fever pitch in California – the home of this year’s early favorite for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, a flashy chestnut colt by the name of California Chrome. He is currently listed at 11/5 odds as seen here at Kentucky-Derby-Online-Betting.com.

Santa Anita Racetrack, which for the first time will conduct a live race meet during the Triple Crown races, is touting the “biggest Derby party west of Kentucky.” It will include a hat contest, California Chrome T-shirts, a craft beer garden, food trucks, and a gourmet BBQ in an exclusive VIP area.

The excitement is understandable. If California Chrome lives up to expectations with a victory in Saturday’s Run for the Roses, he will be only the fourth California-bred Derby winner and the first one in more than 50 years, joining the ranks of Morvich (1922), Swaps (1955) and Decidedly (1962).

California Chrome was an impressive 5-length winner of the Grade I, $1 million Santa Anita Derby April 5.  In 78 runnings of the Santa Anita Derby, only three horses have run the historic race faster than California Chrome. He put in his final work before the Kentucky Derby on Saturday morning, going four furlongs at his Los Alamitos headquarters in 48 1/5 under regular rider Victor Espinoza. He shipped to Churchill Downs Monday, apparently taking everything in stride.

 “He’s my Swaps,” said Trainer Art Sherman, who is making his first trip to the Kentucky Derby as a trainer. “I’m very humbled to have a horse like this.” Things have come full circle for Sherman, who at the age of 18 accompanied Swaps to Louisville as his regular exercise rider.

Owned by his breeders, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, California Chrome is a chestnut colt by Lucky Pulpit out of the mare Love the Chase. He has won six races from 10 starts and has been second once while earning $1,134,850. Now the hopes and dreams of the entire state rest with him as he seeks to become the first California-bred since 1962 to win the Kentucky Derby.

“He’s a Cal-Bred, but he doesn’t know that!” said co-owner Steve Coburn.

California pride will certainly be on display at Santa Anita, Los Alamitos, and all of the California off-track wagering locations on Saturday.

The west coast post time for the 140th Derby is at 3:24 p.m. The first live race post time at Santa Anita on Saturday is at 11:30 a.m.

I Got the Horse Right Here! California Chrome Wins Santa Anita Derby

Congrats California Chrome!! 2014 Santa Anita Derby Winner.

California Chrome canters home 5-1/4 lengths clear on a sparkler of a Derby Day.

Robert B. Lewis Stakes - a key prep for the Santa Anita Derby

Midnight Hawk preps for the Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita.

Saturday's Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes is one of the key prep races for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 5. It also has a long tradition as the first steppingstone of the year on the Southern California derby trail, the next one being the San Felipe Stakes on March 8. The last horse to pull off a Robert B. Lewis-San Felipe-Santa Anita Derby triple was Pioneer of the Nile, trained by Bob Baffert, in 2009. Pioneer of the Nile went on to finish second to Mine That Bird in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. He finished 11th in the Preakness before being retired in July 2009 due to a soft tissue injury.

The Robert B. Lewis Stakes is for 3-year-olds at a mile and a sixteenth. The race was inaugurated as the Santa Catalina Handicap in 1935, and after a series of condition and distance tweaks it officially became the Santa Catalina Stakes in 1964. It was renamed in 2007 to honor prominent racehorse owner Robert B. Lewis following his death in 2006.

Lewis, who was born in Minneapolis and raised in Glendale, California, owned Foothill Beverage Co., one of the largest Anheuser-Busch distributors in the country. He was an active philanthropist as well as a highly esteemed racehorse owner. A founding director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, Lewis served as chairman of that organization from 1997-2001. He and his wife Beverly bought their first Thoroughbreds in 1990 and subsequently raced many great horses including champion and 1995 Preakness winner Timber Country and Eclipse Award champions Serena's Song,  Silver Charm, Charismatic, Orientate and Folklore. More importantly, he was beloved in California Thoroughbred racing for his graciousness, generosity, and sportsmanship. His trainer, Bob Baffert, once called him "a very gracious winner and a very gracious loser."

The Robert B. Lewis is well established as an important prep race for the Santa Anita Derby. In addition to Pioneer of the Nile, winners of both stakes include Sham (1973), An Act (1976), Larry the Legend (1995), General Challenge (1999), The Deputy (2000), Brother Derek (2006), and I'll Have Another (2012).

Once again, Derby fever is heating up in California as all eyes turn toward Saturday's Robert B. Lewis Stakes. This weekend marks the opening of pool #2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, just one of the many types of Kentucky Derby bets that can be made on track as well as online. Robert B. Lewis contender Midnight Hawk, pictured above and trained by Bob Baffert, is likely to take some heavy action in those pools.

The Lewis will be run as the eighth race on a nine-race card. The complete field with jockeys and weights in post position order: Candy Boy, Gary Stevens, 118; Diamond Bachelor, Julien Leparoux, 118; Midnight Hawk, Mike Smith, 120; Home Run Kitten, Joe Talamo, 118; Cool Samurai, Corey Nakatani, 118; El Nino Terrible, Edwin Maldonado, 118, and Chitu, Martin Garcia, 118.

THE PAMPLEMOUSSE SCRATCHED FROM SANTA ANITA DERBY

Santa Anita Park press release.

The Pamplemousse, 9-5 morning line favorite for today’s Santa Anita Derby, was declared a stakes scratch shortly after 10 a.m. Saturday.

“Dr. (Jill) Bailey (D.V.M. representing the Los Angeles Turf Club), during her pre-race examination, identified an issue that she brought to the attention of (trainer) Julio (Canani),” explained Dr. Rick Arthur, Equine Medical Director for the California Horse Racing Board in a telephone press conference in Santa Anita’s press box around 11 a.m.

“Julio had his veterinarian, Dr. Helmuth von Bluecher, look at the horse, and agreed there was an issue that needed further diagnostics, and they scratched the horse, because what needed to be done couldn’t be done between now and race time (post time for the Santa Anita Derby was listed at 2:40 p.m.),” Arthur continued. “Julio erred on the side of the horse, which they should have done, and in line with the type of horseman he (Canani) is.”

Co-owner Alex Solis II confirmed that a soft-tissue issue necessitated the scratch. “The tendon had a little heat and as a result, Julio decided to scratch him. We’ll scan the tendon and evaluate it and go from there,” he said. “We’re not going to take any chances with him.”

Arthur reiterated that although Bailey, von Bluecher and himself agreed there was an issue with the tendon. “This is a stakes scratch. He is not on the vet’s list, and frankly, I wouldn’t talk about the specifics of anything like that. It’s inappropriate for obvious reasons . . . You can scratch a horse in stakes races up to an hour before post time . . . Julio still has goals for this horse.”

Arthur said Dr. Bailey’s examination “probably was a little after seven (a.m.), and Dr. von Bleucher probably got to the barn about 9:30. They sent the horse out (to the track) and trained and looked at the horse a little bit later. Julio understands what Dr. Bailey’s concern was, and when it was pointed out to him, he became concerned as well, so I think everything worked the way it was supposed to work.

“Julio obviously is terribly, terribly disappointed . . . We’ve been in this game long enough to know that the Derby trail breaks a lot of hearts.”

Chocolate Candy Schools for Jerry Hollendorfer

Chocolate Candy, the Northern California based Derby contender, schooled at Santa Anita during the 5th race on Friday for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Chocolate Candy will face The Pamplemousse, Pioneer of the Nile, and 7 other 3-year-olds in Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.

The Pamplemousse Schools for the Santa Anita Derby

The Pamplemousse looked awesome schooling in the Santa Anita paddock Friday afternoon during the 4th race, in preparation for Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby.

The Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, for 3 year olds at 1-1/8 miles, is the final west coast prep for the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. The Pamplemousse is the likely favorite in a field of ten 3-year-olds, including Pioneer of the Nile and Chocolate Candy.

The strapping roan son of Kafwain has won three of five starts and earned $209,280. He was a wire-to-wire winner of the San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 17, then won Santa Anita’s Sham Stakes at by six lengths on Feb. 28.

The Santa Anita Derby will go as the 6th race Saturday, at approximately 2:45 p.m. (pst) on an 11-race card, which includes four other stakes races.

Pioneer of the Nile Schools for Santa Anita Derby

Pioneer of the Nile schooling at Santa Anita 3/2/09.

Impressive doesn't begin to describe how Derby hopeful Pioneer of the Nile looked schooling during the second race at Santa Anita Thursday. The colt looked spectacular -- all dappled and fit, nicely filled out, relaxed and very well behaved.

Pioneer of the Nile faces The Pamplemousse, Chocolate Candy, and seven other three-year-olds in the 72nd running of the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, the final California prep race for the Kentucky Derby on May 2nd. In his last start, Pioneer of the Nile won the San Felipe Stakes for an enthusiastic St. Patrick's Day celebration crowd.

Pioneer of the Nile and Other Derby Future Picks

Pioneer of the Nile returning from a morning work at Santa Anita.

Pioneer of the Nile, winner of the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park on Dec. 20, 2008, is one of my top early Derby picks.

In its 26-year history, the CashCall Futurity, known as the Hollywood Futurity from 1981 to 2006, has been an important steppingstone to the Santa Anita Derby.

CashCall Futurity winners who also won the Santa Anita Derby include:

• Brother Derek, 2005 Futurity, 2006 Santa Anita Derby
  
• Point Given, 2000, 2001
  
• A.P. Indy, 1991, 1992
  
• Temperate Sil, 1986, 1987
  
• Snow Chief, 1985, 1986

Point Given went on to win the Preakness and Belmont Stakes en route to Horse of the Year and Top 3-Year-Old honors.

A.P. Indy subsequently won the Belmont and Breeders' Cup Classic and was also named Horse of the Year and Top 3-Year-Old.

Snow Chief went on to win the Preakness and Top 3-Year-Old honors.

Over the next 12 weeks leading up to the Santa Anita Derby, I will be watching several promising 3-year-olds in California, including my other current faves: Square Eddie, The Pamplemousse, and Majormotionpicture. Stay tuned.