Up the Backstretch: Finding No. 2 to California Chrome

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – We are down to the final two major Kentucky Derby preps races before the 140th Run for the Roses on May 3.

Unlike most years, the main purpose of the Blue Grass Stakes and Arkansas Derby now is to determine who will be the second choice behind presumptive Kentucky Derby favorite California Chrome in the 1 1/4-mile classic.

California Chrome so definitively won the Santa Anita Derby as the 7-10 favorite that all that’s left for 3-year-olds still seeking a spot in the Run for the Roses is to be impressive enough to be the second pick in the morning line.

“Right now to me, if you said who the horse to beat is, it’s definitely California Chrome,” trainer Mark Casse said in a conference call. “That being said, you know, he may be a great horse, but there’s a lot of things that could happen in a 20-horse field.

“I watched him run the other day (in the Santa Anita Derby), and I thought, well, we’ll see because they put him in a little tight spot for a minute and it didn’t seem to bother him. They were running him along at a pretty good click, and it looked like the rider (Victor Espinoza) moved his hands and he just accelerated, and at that point in time I became a believer. He’s impressive to me.”

The major Kentucky Derby prep races already completed offered little in defining a solid second choice behind California Chrome.

Constitution won the Florida Derby on March 29, but he has just three career starts, although he hasn’t lost yet.

Later that same day, Vicar’s in Trouble may have stamped himself as the second- best 3-year-old with a 3 1/2-length victory in the Louisiana Derby. He’s a veteran of five races and was 3-1 for the Fair Grounds’ stakes.

Last week in the Wood Memorial, a 9-1 shot, Wicked Strong, posted a 3 1/2- length victory after showing very little before it.

“Here’s a horse that had run two poor starts before and then he was super on Saturday. So I don’t know; I’m not the only one that’s scratching my head,” Casse noted.

Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes can’t be any more wide open with 14 3-year-olds set to leave the starting gate and travel 1 1/8 miles.

When the favorite, Bobby’s Kitten, is 3-1 in the morning line and just five horses are considered true longshots, the winner of the Blue Grass will have to do so quite convincingly in order to be placed as a top Kentucky Derby contender.

“It would be a dream come true and absolutely amazing,” Katerina Vassilieva, trainer of Blue Grass starter Big Bazinga, said about having a horse start in the Run for the Roses. “It would probably make my entire career. I would be so grateful.”

About 75 minutes later, the Arkansas Derby will go off with nine 3-year-olds starting.

Tapiture, the 9-5 favorite, has shown enough talent this season that a victory in the 1 1/8-mile race could well put him second behind California Chrome in the Kentucky Derby rankings. Even 2-1 second choice Bayern could leap up the ladder with a win.

Of course, being second going into the Kentucky Derby means nothing. The race still needs to be run.

Categorized in: Horses