Horse racing: California Chrome misses out on Triple Crown

ELMONT, N.Y. - Horse racing’s 36-year quest to find the next great American hero and propel a fading sport back into the spotlight has once again let opportunity slip from its hooves.
California Chrome, a colt with a crazy back story, became the 13th horse since Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978 to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes but fail to win the Belmont Stakes.
On a Saturday evening in which Elmont, N.Y., became the center of the sporting world the 3-year-old colt finished in a tie for fourth in the 1½-mile race.
Tonalist edged Commissioner at the wire while Medal Count took third. Wicked Strong finished in a dead-heat with California Chrome for fourth.
California Chrome broke alertly and settled on the rail, but he found himself in the unfamiliar position of being behind horses as the race entered the backstretch. Jockey Victor Espinoza angled him out entering the stretch, but when the horse was asked to track down the leaders, he just didn’t respond as he had in the other races.
The crowd of more than 100,000 in New York roared their approval at the sight of California Chrome, and if enthusiasm counted, the horse would have won easily. But it doesn’t.
After the race, co-owner Steve Coburn unleashed a tirade against the Triple Crown system that allows horses to skip a race. In particular he was blasting Tonalist, who did not have enough points to qualify to run in the Derby.
 “I’m 61 years old and I’ll never see in my lifetime another Triple Crown winner because of the way they do this,” Coburn said. “It’s not fair to these horses who have been in the game since Day 1. If you don’t get enough points to run in the Kentucky Derby, you can’t run in the other two races.
 “It’s all or nothing, because this is not fair to these horses that have been running their guts out for these people and for the people who believe in him. This is a coward’s way out.”
Tonalist paid $20.40 to win, $9.60 to place and $7.00 to show. Commissioner was at $23.20 and $13.20 for place and Medal Count paid $13.20 to show. The winning margin was a head. California Chrome finished about three lengths back.
It wasn’t the first time jockey Espinoza has had a chance to win the Triple Crown. He was aboard War Emblem in 2002 when the horse stumbled out of the gate, had to rush to the front, but faded in the stretch and finished eighth.
Sir Barton won the first Triple Crown in 1919. He was followed by Gallant Fox in 1930, Omaha in ‘35, War Admiral in ‘37, Whirlaway in ‘41, Count Fleet in ‘43, Assault in ‘46, Citation in ‘48 and then three superstars in the ‘70s - Secretariat (‘73), Seattle Slew (‘77) and Affirmed.
Still, while the dream ends it makes the story nonetheless amazing.
California Chrome was bred with all the regality of an equine Oliver Twist.
Coburn and co-owner Perry Martin bought a broodmare - Love the Chase - for $8,000 and paid a $2,500 stud fee to the owners of Lucky Pulpit, and out came California Chrome.
Stud fees for the very best horses can go in excess of $50,000.
And the horse was bred in California. In breeding circles, California is to Kentucky as New Jersey is to New York for theater. Only four Cal-bred horses have won the Kentucky Derby and five have won the Preakness. A Cal-bred hasn’t won the Belmont since 1903.
California Chrome was the 13th to try to win the three races over a five-week stretch since Affirmed won in 1978. Among those that couldn’t do it are some of the best names in recent times: Spectacular Bid (1979), Pleasant Colony (1981), Alysheba (1987), Sunday Silence (1989), Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Charismatic (1999), War Emblem (2002), Funny Cide (2003), Smarty Jones (2004), Big Brown (2008) and I’ll Have Another (2012).
So, what happens to California Chrome from here?
First he has to come out of the race healthy.
The owners haven’t announced his next move, but one possibility could be to ship him back to California for some rest and then look to run him in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in late August and then finish the season in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in early November at Santa Anita. The owners seem to like the idea of racing him as a 4-year-old rather than immediately retiring him to stud.
It’s unclear how California Chrome will do once he does transition to the breeding shed. His questionable lineage is likely to keep the price down until he can establish himself as a sire. Some have speculated that his stud fee initially would be well below $50,000.
But for now everyone can reflect on a wonderful ride of history almost in the making. Non-racing fans will likely forget about California Chrome before Labor Day or maybe even July 4.
But for five exciting weeks he ruled a segment of the sports world. And now, he is still a star, just not as big a star as everyone wanted.