After mowing down the competition in the Kentucky Derby, California Chrome is now poised to take another stride closer to a rare Triple Crown sweep. He is, after all, is the heavy favorite to win the 138th staging of the Preakness Stakes at -155.
Will California Chrome maintain his bid to be the first Triple Crown winner since 1978? Or will another colt spoil his dreams, like Social Inclusion, who made our list of high-value Preakness Stakes sleeper picks.
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Three Reasons Why California Chrome Will Win the 2014 Preakness Stakes
1. Lack of Competition
In the first leg of the Triple Crown, California Chrome needed to outrace 19 colts to win the Kentucky Derby. But in the Preakness Stakes, the field is reduced to just 10 horses. What’s more, among those who are going to miss the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans are some of the horses that gave California Chrome the stiffest competition back at Churchill Downs.
[sc:horses240banner ]Commanding Curve, who finished second in the Derby, won’t be at Pimlico. Danza, Wicked Strong, Samraat, and Dance With Fate – all of which finished in the top six – have also been left off the starting list, for various reasons. Although there will be a number of non-Derby participants looking to outshine California Chrome, his track record (four straight wins) and domination at the Derby speaks volumes on how strong the Art Sherman-trained colt is.
2. Jockey Victor Espinoza Has Won it Before
Victor Espinoza came awfully close of winning the Triple Crown on War Emblem in 2002. During that year, the Bob Baffert-trained horse won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before suffering a costly stumble out of the gate in the Belmont Stakes. You can bet Espinoza will be even more dialed in this year on a horse that has as good a chance as any ever has.
3. California Chrome Will Break Out of a Favorable Post
Owner Ron Sanchez and trainer Art Sherman expressed confidence after California Chrome was assigned the number three post in the Preakness Stakes. Historically, gate No. 3 has produced the second-most number of Preakness winners with 10.
All told, it’s a very convincing situation for a horse that excels at this distance, against a field that he clearly has an edge on at -155. Visit our Preakness Stakes odds, get your bets down today, and above all: enjoy the race!
