California Chrome, trained by Art Sherman and ridden by Victor Espinoza continued its dream run with a comfortable win in the G1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland, the second leg of the US Triple Crown. Having won the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the championship, the son of Lucky Pulpit now sets his sights on the Belmont Stakes coming up in three weeks to be the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years.

Favoured strongly at 1-2, California Chrome took a perfect jump and settled well in third behind the pace setter Pablo Del Monte and Ria Antonia. Approaching the home turn ‘Chrome’ was niggled early to make his move as the second in demand Social Inclusion made its bid from the outside. The pair came in almost together on the straight but the Kentucky Derby winner was always travelling better and cruised ahead to be sighted a winner with a furlong left. Ride On Curlin came from behind with a strong bid but found the winner too good and ended up as the runner-up, a length and a half behind. Social Inclusion was a faraway third while General A Rod finished fourth.

“I had to move early today,” said Espinoza after the race.” I had to start moving in the half-mile pole, which is tough for a horse to start moving early and keep going all the way to the end. It's not easy and today, California Chrome proved he can move. Even if he's a little early, he still has it. I don't know how much still he has, but I made sure I got him to the wire first today.”

“A Triple Crown winner, if you had said that to me at the beginning of the year, I would have said, "Are you crazy?”, said the 77-year-old trainer Art Sherman when asked about being close to achieving the Triple Crown. “Now that I'm getting closer, I'm elated, really big time, “he added.