2014 Preakness Betting Preview Pt 1

After a scintillating victory at Churchill Downs in last weekend’s Kentucky Derby, the first betting favourite to win the race in quite some time wound up conquering his nineteen rivals - storming home under pilot Victor Espinoza to win the first American classic of the season geared down. 

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE BET WITH BET365!

California Chrome deserves all the plaudits for his gutsy performance - a run that came over a surface that trainer Art Sherman said his charge didn’t even like - and you can expect them to follow it up with another big effort in next weekend’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. 

There is a lot to like about this race, especially with California Chrome said to be in very good nick coming into this one. With Espinoza realizing at the quarter pole that the pair were going to win the Derby, he did the smart thing and stopped asking the horse - celebrating a full two lengths before the wire.

There has been plenty of criticism thrown California Chrome’s way - mostly from disgruntled Kentucky and New York racing aficionado’s who saw the blue collar Cal-bred make the rest of their runners look mostly ordinary. Only a small handful of horses came out of the race with their reputations enhanced and that includes Commanding Curve and Samraat, while Danza finished well but interfered with several different horses at various points in the race. 

Expect another good ride here - particularly if California Chrome demonstrates his usual habit of breaking sharply from the gate and settling down quickly. 

The ante post markets now have California Chrome as low as 1/2 - which is probably higher than he will be at on the board come post time in the Preakness Stakes. His best price is hovering around 8/11 and it will be interesting to see what happens if the post draw affects him negatively or there is a late announcement of a racing superstar.