Before there was American Pharoah, there was California Chrome. He was the three-year old du jour who nearly captured the Triple Crown in 2014. Believe it or not, he's still on the track beginning his five-year old year, and his first offering in what will likely be his final campaign will take place at the San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.
You can find horse racing odds at BookMaker.eu at the online racebook.
ODDS ANALYSIS
1: Alfa Bird
2: Blingo
3: Point Piper
4: California Chrome
5: Hoppertunity
6: Hard Aces
7: Mystery Train
8: Imperative
Obviously, everywhere California Chrome has gone, he's been a favorite, and this isn't going to be the exception here at the San Pasqual Stakes. However, he hasn't been on a track since last March in Dubai, and he hasn't seen the track competitively in America since last February. That's a long layoff for any colt, particularly one of his age.
Hoppertunity is sure to be amongst the favorites as well, as will Hard Aces.
FAVORITE TO FOLLOW
It's still tough to not like what California Chrome brings to the table. He blew through six furlongs in just 1:10 flat on January 2, and that type of workout tells us that he's ready to go once again for Victor Espinoza. It's a little concerning that he hasn't won a race since November 2014, and he's actually failed to win five of his last six races since coming in fourth at the Belmont Stakes with the Triple Crown on the line.
However, California Chrome is still a big, strong horse who seems to always put himself into a position to win. He's virtually assured to run a 100+ Beyer Speed Rating, something that he's done in every race he's run since the beginning of his three-year old year, and theoretically, that should be good enough to win this race.
UNDERDOG TO WATCH
We're not going to discount the possibility of Blingo pulling off an upset here. Blingo already knows what it's like to upset Imperative, having done so last year in the San Antonio Stakes. He's hit the board twice in three race here at Santa Anita, and a switch back to the West Coast might do him some good after a poor winter in New York.
Alex Solis has ridden Blingo to victory once at the I'm a Banker Stakes at Belmont in October 2013. Blingo is seven now, and we're not sure what he has left in the tank. But we aren't ruling out the possibility.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
If California Chrome wasn't training and working out so well, we'd have different thoughts.
However, his workouts have been sharp, and all of the news out of his camp has been good. With that being the case, we're going to assume that he's the best horse in the field at the San Pasqual Stakes.
Hoppertunity feels like the only legit contender without there being a bit of an upset, and he hasn't run since November either. Yes, his workouts have been good, but he's never beaten California Chrome either.
The price on California Chrome might actually not be odds-on, and if that's the case, that's as good of a price as we're going to see on him until he truly just becomes too old to race any longer. This is an opportunity that shouldn't be missed.
Play California Chrome to win the San Pasqual Stakes
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