2014 Kentucky Derby: Video Replay, Purse Earnings and Triple Crown Odds

Get ready for the California Chrome media blitz. After the horse from modest breeding easily won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, we'll be hearing a lot more about this Art Sherman trainee as we approach the Preakness on May 17. 

It's not all hype, either. Chrome coasted across the finish first at the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on Saturday and looks like a horse that could pull off an historic Triple Crown. 

Considering that only 11 horses have won the Triple Crown since 1911 and no horse has done so since Affirmed in 1978, it would appear from the tweet by Sportsbook.com that the betting public likes Chrome's chances: 

Pos.	Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Earnings	Lengths
1	5	California Chrome	Victor Espinoza	Art Sherman	$1,442,800	-
2	17	Commanding Curve	Shaun Bridgmohan	Dallas Stewart	$400,000	1 3/4
3	4	Danza	Joe Bravo	Todd Pletcher	$200,000	3
4	20	Wicked Strong	Rajiv Maragh	Jimmy Jerkens	$100,000	5 3/4
5	6	Samraat	Jose Ortiz	Rick Violette Jr.	$60,000	5 3/4
6	12	Dance With Fate	Corey Nakatani	Peter Eurton		6 1/4
7	19	Ride On Curlin	Calvin Borel	Billy Gowan		6 3/4
8	14	Medal Count	Robby Albarado	Dale Romans		7 1/2
9	13	Chitu	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert		8
10	7	We Miss Artie	Javier Castellano	Todd Pletcher		8 1/4
11	8	General A Rod	Joel Rosario	Mike Maker		8 1/4
12	16	Intense Holiday	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher		9
13	18	Candy Boy	Gary Stevens	John Sadler		11 3/4
14	3	Uncle Sigh	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Gary Contessa
15	15	Tapiture	Ricardo Santana Jr.	Steve Asmussen		15
16	2	Harry's Holiday	Corey Lanerie	Mike Maker		16 1/4
17	9	Vinceremos	Joe Rococo Jr.	Todd Pletcher		22 1/2
18	10	Wildcat Red	Luis Saez	Jose Garoffalo		28
19	1	Vicar's In Trouble	Rosie Napravnik	Mike Maker		28 1/4
	11	Hoppertunity	Mike Smith	Bob Baffert		38 1/4

Now, have a look at the results and earnings from the race:

As you can see in the replay, this race got off to a slow but fairly clean start. This allowed the contenders to jockey for position while not expending too much energy. 

Chrome was right behind the leaders until the horses hit the homestretch. At that point, it was no contest. 

Using unmatched speed, Chrome easily pulled away from the pack, and he would have won by a greater margin had he and jockey Victor Espinoza not enjoyed the moment before the line. 

Chrome left the gate as the runaway favorite for the race and did not disappoint. 

Sherman, who at 77 became the oldest trainer of a Kentucky Derby winner, was ecstatic after the race. Americas Best Racing passed along this quote: 

The ease with which Chrome pulled away from the other horses is a great sign for his chances at the Triple Crown. The final leg of the amazing accomplishment would come at the Belmont Stakes. This is the longest race of the three. 

If California Chrome wins the Preakness, he would likely enter the Belmont against plenty of horses who have not had as taxing a recent schedule. 

With a finishing kick on another level than his competitors, however, Chrome might just be great enough to pull off the feat.