Racing: California Chrome shines

Santa Anita Derby winner California Chrome is all the rage for the Kentucky Derby on Sunday. Photo / AP

Visiting colt a warm favourite for Kentucky Derby dominating in lead-up events.

Kentucky Derby favourite California Chrome arrived at Churchill Downs yesterday afternoon amid a gaggle of reporters, photographers and videographers.

The Santa Anita Derby winner, who flew in from Ontario, California, to Louisville International on an equine charter, was backed off the horse van in front of Barn 20, his Derby Week residence, reported USA Today Sports.

Not because the colt was reluctant to arrive in a climate so grey and misty after spending his whole life in California, but rather California Chrome doesn't like walking down the van ramp, and it was a precaution to avoid any temptation to lunge off the incline.

One thing California Chrome hasn't backed into is favouritism for Sunday's 140th Kentucky Derby. The copper-colored colt, with his blaze and four white stockings, has been the year's dominant 3-year-old, the winner of four straight stakes by a combined 24 lengths, capped by a 5-length romp over fellow Kentucky Derby contenders Hoppertunity and Candy Boy in the Santa Anita Derby.

Entries will be taken and post positions drawn today. But Mike Battaglia, Churchill Downs and the Derby's odds-maker for 40 years, says he expects to make California Chrome the 5-2 favourite, which is a strong pointer in a 20-horse field.

He said Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong figures to be the second choice, with odds of at least 6-1, with the other horses double digits.

Trainer Art Sherman's own arrival yesterday was to be later than expected after he was stuck in Phoenix with his connecting flight delayed. But his son and assistant, Alan, and exercise rider William Delgado flew in on Monday.

Of course, California Chrome missed the really bad weather, the thunderstorm and torrential rain that soaks Churchill Downs at dawn. That's the type of weather that motivated the Shermans to keep California Chrome home at Los Alamitos as late as possible.

Still, Alan Sherman took the morning storm in stride.

Winning his last four races by at least five lengths, the horse seems poised to bring 77-year-old trainer Art Sherman a Derby win.

"You've got to expect it back here this time of year," he said before his stable star arrived. "It changes daily. It's supposed to be pretty nice the rest of the week, rather than tomorrow."

California Chrome's winning streak coincides with jockey Victor Espinoza picking up the mount.

"The horse doesn't like to be restrained too much, and Victor has light hands and the horse really relaxes nice for Victor," Alan Sherman said.

"I always expect big efforts from him, but it's been a little more than my expectations.

"I just think the horse loves to do it. He loves to train, loves to run. He's a very happy horse ... He's definitely very confident in himself right now."