California Chrome Back in Action as Favorite in Pennsylvania Derby
Summer break is over, and it is back to work for Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome, who takes on seven foes in Saturday’s Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing.
After Chrome finished in a dead heat for fourth in the Belmont Stakes, ending his bid to become the 12th Triple Crown winner, trainer Art Sherman gave the strapping three-year-old colt some rest. The colt has been training for his return at Los Alamitos.
"The timing [of the Pennsylvania Derby] is perfect. And it's a three-year-olds race, the last time he'll be up against just three-year-olds," assistant trainer Alan Sherman told Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer. "We just want to get a good race. If he doesn't win, he doesn't win. You hope he wins. That's always the goal, but the ultimate goal is the Breeders' Cup."
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The race will be streamed live at America’s Best Racing. Beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET, the 90-minute telecast will be a feed of the regional broadcast produced by The Comcast Network. The $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) for three-year-old fillies and the $300,000 Gallant Bob (G3) for three-year-old sprinters also will also be shown during the live stream.
The race will serve as a prep for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), which will be run at Santa Anita on Nov. 1. The much-anticipated showdown between the Derby winner and the undefeated Shared Belief will be the highlight of the two-day championship event.
Shared Belief missed the Triple Crown due to foot issues but has come back strong, beating older competition in the Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar in his last outing. The colt is currently the early Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite at odds of 3-1, according to OddsShark.com. California Chrome is the second choice in future betting at 9-2.
Shared Belief will make his final prep for the Breeders’ Cup in the $300,000 Awesome Again (G1) Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27. The race is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race for the Classic. The colt is owned in part by Jim Rome.
The Triple Crown can take its toll, with three races over just a five-week period. In addition, California Chrome is going to be a short price, offering little value in the wagering.
The foe most likely to beat him is the Bob Baffert-trained Bayern. The colt put in one of the most impressive efforts by a three-year-old this year when he won the Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park by 7 1/4 lengths on July 27.
The colt then tried to get 1 1/4 miles in the Travers (G1), backing up to finish a well-beaten 10th, 20 lengths behind the winner. The colt caught a racing strip that day that was not kind to speed, and jockey Martin Garcia did not ask much from the colt in the stretch. Look for the colt to bounce back with a much better effort.
Another colt worth a look is Protonico, who will be sent out by the Todd Pletcher barn. The colt is one of two in the field with a win over the Parx main track, taking the Smarty Jones Stakes on Sept. 1.
The best three-year-old filly in training will be in action in the preceding race, as Untapable is the 7-5 morning-line favorite for the $1 million Cotillion (G1).
The filly won her first four starts this year including the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose, and then she took on the boys in the Haskell Invitational, where she checked in fifth.
Her main rivals figure to be the speedy Jojo Warrior, winner of the Torrey Pines (G3), and Sweet Reason, who comes into the race off back-to-back Grade 1 wins, taking the Acorn at Belmont Park and the Test at Saratoga.
Pennsylvania Derby Selections: Bayern – Protonico – California Chrome
Cotillion Selections: Untapable – Jojo Warrior – Sweet Reason
Follow Michael Dempsey on Twitter @turfnsport
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