SPORTS

Belmont Stakes | Favorite California Chrome draws post No. 2

Jennie Rees
The Courier-Journal

ELMONT, N.Y. – California Chrome will break from post 2 in Saturday's $1.5 million Belmont Stakes as he seeks to become the first horse to pull off a Triple Crown sweep in 36 years.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was made the 3-5 favorite in the field of 11 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for the 1½-mile conclusion to horse racing's famed trilogy.

California Chrome, who would become only the third California-bred horse to win the Belmont and the first since 1903, broke from post 5 in the Derby and post 3 in the Preakness.

Belmont Stakes favorite California Chrome, ridden by exercise rider Willie Delgado, jogs the track during Wednesday morning’s training.

"I think going a mile and a half, it's a good post position," trainer Art Sherman said. "We can save some ground leaving there. I think it's going to be a jockey's race anyhow. It gives you a chance to see who's going to have the speed and where you're laying going into the first turn."

"With his tactical speed, I don't think post position was really an issue, as long as he breaks good," said Alan Sherman, the trainer's son and assistant, adding of jockey Victor Espinoza: "In the first two races, Victor's done a really good job getting him to the outside and not letting them trap him. If he's not on the lead, he'll be close. He's got a mile and a half to get out."

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Belmont Park oddsmaker Eric Donovan made Wicked Strong, the Wood Memorial winner and Derby fourth-place finisher who will start from post 9, the 6-1 second choice. Peter Pan winner Tonalist (post 11) is the 8-1 third choice, with every other horse at double-digit odds.

Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin drew post 5 and is 12-1. Trainer Billy Gowan hopes that gives his Louisville-based colt a tactical advantage, letting new rider John Velazquez position him just off California Chrome's flank.

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"I like having him on the inside," Gowan said. "I think we got a perfect post position."

The other Louisville-based horses: Medal Count (post 1) is 20-1, Commanding Curve (post 4) 15-1 and General a Rod (post 10) 20-1.

Ride On Curlin and General a Rod will join California Chrome as the only horses to compete in each Triple Crown race.

146th Belmont Stakes

Post time: 6:52 p.m. EDT Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Purse: $1.5 million. Distance: 1½ miles. Weight: 126 pounds. TV: NBC-3. Radio: Horse Racing Radio Network, ESPN-680, Sirius 93/XM 208 and horseracingradio.net.

PpHorseTrainer/JockeyLast raceOdds
1.Medal CountRomans/Albarado8th Kentucky Derby20-1
2.California ChromeSherman/Espinoza1st Preakness3-5
3.MatterhornPletcher/Bravo4th Peter Pan30-1
4.Commanding CurveStewart/Bridgmohan2nd Kentucky Derby15-1
5.Ride On CurlinGowan/Velazquez2nd Preakness12-1
6.MatuszakMott/Mike Smith2nd Federico Tesio30-1
7.SamraatViolette/J. Ortiz5th Kentucky Derby20-1
8.CommissionerPletcher/Castellano2nd Peter Pan20-1
9.Wicked StrongJerkens/Maragh4th Kentucky Derby6-1
10.General a RodMaker/Napravnik4th Preakness20-1
11.TonalistClement/Rosario1st Peter Pan8-1