California Chrome, as it TURNS out, resembles one his owners -- not so much in appearance, of course, for he would look rather droll in a cowboy hat, but in temperament and disposition. When life goes smoothly, California Chrome performs admirably. He's all about a breeze, a picnic and a bowl of duck soup. He likes child's play, easy streets and pieces of cake. And he's talented enough that he can usually force circumstances and rivals into compliance.
But when life gets difficult, when the easy street becomes a washed out bridle path and the breeze a sirocco, he performs, well, a lot like Steve Coburn. He's the owner, as you probably recall, who threw a tantrum after the Belmont Stakes, all because everybody didn't acquiesce to his idea of a proper cakewalk. That's what happened Saturday at Parx in the Pennsylvania Derby: There was no cakewalk for the flashy colt who owns two-thirds of the sport's most honored jewels. Inside and in traffic for much of the race, with less than a quarter-mile remaining, California Chrome acted as if he were just overwhelmed by frustration and had had enough. Instead of throwing a tantrum, though, he surrendered and faded to sixth. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was the 4-5 favorite, but he never looked comfortable, never threatened and never gave his supporters reason to cheer or even imagine he might win. He finished more than seven lengths behind Bayern, who led throughout and set a track record, 1:46.96, for the 1-1/8 miles.
Bayern had everything his way. The Parx surface was lively, and it played to the advantage of speedsters all day. Seven of the 12 winners on the main track Saturday led virtually throughout their races. Despite the obvious speed bias, Bayern, most remarkably, was allowed to steal away unchallenged: He led by two lengths after just a quarter-mile, he sailed comfortably through the opening half-mile in 47.89 seconds, and he led by 1 1/2 lengths as he took the field into the second turn. How casual was the pace? Well, a race earlier, in the Cotillion Stakes, Jojo Warrior led through an opening half-mile in 46.62, and she held on to finish third, two lengths behind the formidable Untapable. So what was Bayern, one of the fastest 3-year-olds in the country, going to do when handed a cotton candy lead in slow fractions?
He was going to cruise, of course, and he did. Tapiture rallied to finish second, with Candy Boy third, as California Chrome faded. He faded badly, in fact, and without protest. For much of the race, he had followed Bayern, and with a horse tracking at his hip, jockey Victor Espinosa couldn't get the Derby winner out into the clear. Still, when there was running room, California Chrome capitulated. Unable to have his duck soup, he gave up. Unable to overcome trouble, he took his talent and went home. And in deep stretch, Espinosa wrapped him up.
So the winner-take-all showdown that would have been the best thing that could happen to racing won't happen, or at least not as it might have been imagined, with both Shared Belief and California Chrome approaching the Breeders' Cup Classic with winning momentum. California Chrome's clearly rolling the wrong way. He enjoyed a perfect trip in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and in those he sparkled. But after his taciturn yielding Saturday, his reputation desperately needs refurbishing. At this point, it's hard to imagine him having much impact on the Classic; he looked like an indifferent and spent horse in the stretch Saturday.
Shared Belief, on the other hand, appears to be moving in the other direction, and he'll have an opportunity to move all the way to the top of the division next week. With a victory in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita, Shared Belief would also become the early and overwhelming favorite to win not just the Classic but also Horse of the Year honors.
Forced by minor foot problems to miss the Triple Crown, the unbeaten gelding has won only three races this season. But unlike California Chrome, Shared Belief has beaten older horses and has proven he can overcome trouble to win. Early in the Pacific Classic, he found himself farther behind than he ever had been in any of his races. When blocked in traffic on the backstretch, he had to wait before advancing between rivals, and then he had to race four-wide in the second turn. Rather than capitulate, he drew clear to win by nearly three lengths in his first race at the classic 1-1/4-mile distance.
Shared Belief seems the sort of competitor that accepts trouble as a challenge. He might even prefer a washed-out bridle path to an easy street and a sirocco to a breeze, and he definitely prefers a win to a whine.