California Chrome Wins Preakness; On Course For Triple Crown

By Steve Mullis

Published May 17, 2014 at 6:43 PM EDT

California Chrome (No. 3), ridden by Victor Espinoza, crosses the finish line to win the 139th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday in Baltimore.

The Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome added another notch on his bridle to win the 139th running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

He covered the 1 3/16th-mile course in 1:54:84.

This puts the California-bred horse, ridden by Victor Espinoza, on track to become a Triple Crown winner. If Chrome wins at the Belmont Stakes on June 7, he would be the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first since Affirmed won the coveted title in 1978.

Espinoza won the Preakness in 2002 with War Emblem.

The win was the first Preakness victory for Art Sherman, the colt's 77-year-old trainer.

"It's a dream for any trainer to be able to do this," a teary-eyed Sherman told NBC after the race.

Ride On Curlin finished just behind Chrome, followed by Social Inclusion, General a Rod, Ring Weekend, Pablo Del Monte, Dynamic Impact, Kid Cruz, Bayern and Ria Antonia.