California Chrome Wins Kentucky Derby

California Chrome won the Kentucky Derby very easily.  For the last furlong, his jockey, Victor Espinoza, was waving his whip in a salute to the Derby fans, while Commanding Curve was struggling to catch the winner.  Commanding Curve came from the back of the pack, a 37 to 1 long shot, and toiled to second place, a length and a half  behind the the easily galloping California Chrome.  Danza made it into third place, with Wicked Strong fourth and Samraat in fifth.  Once again, my choices fell flat.  California Chrome paid $7 for a $2 win ticket; Commanding Curve paid $31.80 for a place bet; and Danza paid $6 to show.  A $2 exacta bet of numbers 5 and 17 paid $340; while the $1 trifecta bet (5, 17, and 4) paid $3,424.60.
   I placed $30 in bets on the Derby - including a $2 place bet on Commanding Curve, and a $2 exacta with California Chrome and Commanding Curve.  I received a pay out of $371.80, so I came away with a profit of $341.80. At least, like yesterday, I wasn't in the red.
  California Chrome has (my favorite horse) *Forli in both his sire and dam's pedigrees - he is a superb looking chestnut colt and looks the part of a champion - like Man o'War.  His trainer, Art Sherman, was once the exercise rider for the 1955 Kentucky Derby winner Swaps...  The colt is modestly bred, but he's certainly a winner.  His sire is Lucky Pulpit, a grandson of A. P. Indy; the sire's dam has Lucky Mel in her pedigree.  His dam, Love the Chase, goes back to Mr. Prospector, Danzig, and Northern Dancer.
   Commanding Curve was a betting choice for me because of his pedigree, also.  His sire is Master Command, by A. P. Indy; the sire's female line includes Secretariat and Hail to Reason.  The dam's line includes Storm Cat and Alydar.  And Commanding Curve is a good-looking bay, too.
   In the Arkansas Derby, I had chosen Danza because of his jockey, Joe Bravo, and due to his breeding.  Danza has Street Cry and Ogygian in his sire lines, and Deputy Minister and Mr. Prospector on his dam's side.
  Vicar's In Trouble was highly touted coming into the Derby, and he had red-hot jockey Rosie Napravnik; but the colt drew the first post position.  I like his breeding, and his rider.  But I didn't think he could win.  The colt had to use his speed early in the race, and was then checked by horses in front of him later.  He finished last.
  This copy-righted photo of California Chrome winning the 2014 Kentucky Derby was taken by Dylan Buell: