KENTUCKY–The owners of California Chrome are putting all their hopes into the chestnut colt to win the Kentucky Derby.After all, he's the only horse they own.California Chrome, based at lesser-known Los Alamitos racetrack in suburban Los Angeles, is the early 5�2 favourite for Saturday's 140th Derby with good reason. He has won four straight races by a combined 24 � lengths under Victor Espinoza, who won the Derby in 2002 with War Emblem."He's so light on his feet," Espinoza said. "He just does things so easy and makes my job easy."
California Chrome's owners, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, are no Kentucky blue bloods. They're a couple of working stiffs who live near Reno, Nevada.A trainer called them "dumb a---s" for getting into the racing game, inspiring the duo to put the letters DAP on their silks, which stands for Dumb A-- Partners."We're going to go down in history," Coburn predicted.California Chrome is the product of an US$8,000 mare and a US$2,500 stallion. He's earned more than US$1 million already, making it somewhat easier for Coburn and Martin to turn down a pre-Derby offer of $6 million for a 51 percent stake in the horse."We've been blessed with this colt," Coburn said. "The first time we saw him, we knew it was going to be something special."
If their tale seems improbable, well, it's happened before at Churchill Downs. Mine That Bird, a 50�1 shot owned and trained by two guys from New Mexico mocked as cowboys, pulled off the stunning upset in the 2009 Derby.At 77, Art Sherman, who oversees California Chrome, would be the oldest trainer to win. His colt would be the first California-bred to wear the garland of red roses in 52 years."He's feeling good and he's doing good," Sherman said. "He's coming up to this race right."
Rosie Napravnik wants to grab history, too.No female jockey has won the Derby, although she came closest–fifth last year. Napravnik will ride 20�1 shot Vicar's In Trouble. Her husband, Joe Sharp, works closely with the Louisiana-bred colt as assistant to trainer Mike Maker."The story would almost be too good if we won it," she said. (AP)