California Chrome Gets Post 3 for Preakness

By Tom LaMarra BloodHorse.com
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner California Chrome drew post 3 for the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico Race Course May 17.

Owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, California Chrome will be ridden again by Victor Espinoza. He was assigned morning-line odds of 3-5 by Keith Feustle in the 10-horse field.

“I feel good,” trainer Art Sherman said after the post draw early in the evening of May 14. “I don’t think post 3 will be an hindrance to him. Victor is a patient rider; he can play it by ear when the gates open.”

Social Inclusion, third in the Twinspires.com Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I), drew post 8 and is the second choice at 5-1 on the early line. Owned by Rontos Racing Stable, Social Inclusion will be ridden by Luis Contreras.

The filly Ria Antonia, owned by Christopher Dunn and Loooch Racing, is 30-1 on the morning line. She will be ridden by Calvin Borel from post 6.

Kaleem Shah’s Bayern, disqualified from victory in the Derby Trial (gr. III) in his last start, will take blinkers off for the Preakness. He drew post 5 under Rosie Napravnik and is the co-third choice at 10-1 with Daniel Dougherty’s Ride On Curlin, who drew the outside post 10 for trainer William Gowan and jockey Joel Rosario.