The roar began immediately, near 120,000 racing fans pleading for history, screaming themselves hoarse, for a horse, of course, for California Chrome and his date with destiny, and history.
Frank Sinatra Jr. had just belted out “New York, New York,” in a way that would have made his dad proud, and now California Chrome would try to pass The Test of Champions and remind us that if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.
Here meant Belmont Park, meant the possibility of the first Triple Crown winner since Steve Cauthen on Affirmed 36 long years ago, and as California Chrome raced for immortality, hearts all across America raced with him as night didn’t dare begin to intrude on a glorious sun- and star-kissed day.
A day that ended, alas, with California Chrome in a dead heat for fourth with Wicked Strong, and an anguished Triple Frown for owner Steve Coburn, who sagged forward when his horse had no finishing kick and quickly lashed out at a system that allows the Belmont Stakes winner, 9-1 Tonalist, to sit out the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and show up fresh for the Belmont Stakes.
“This is the coward’s way out,” Coburn would rage, not once, not twice, but three times in a Triple Clown rant for the ages:
“I’m 61 years old and in my lifetime, I’ll never see another Triple Crown winner because of the way they do this. It’s not fair to these horses that have been in the game since Day 1. If you don’t make enough points to get into the Kentucky Derby, you can’t run in the other two races. It’s all or nothing. Because this is not fair to these horses that have been running their guts out for these people and for the people that believe in them.
“This is the coward’s way out in my opinion.
“This is the coward’s way out.
“Our horse had a target on his back and everybody lays out one and they won’t run in the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness: They’ll wait until the Belmont. If you’ve got a horse, run him in all three. … Those 20 horses that start in Kentucky are the only 20 eligible to run in all three races.
“This is the coward’s way out.”
California Chrome ought to feed this guy sour grapes back at the barn.
Coburn had mentioned in passing the injustice of owners resting horses for the Belmont, but never made a big stink about it. Hell, he had guaranteed a Triple Crown to The Post 24 hours before the race. The last thing he expected was California Chrome, according to trainer Art Sherman, grabbing a quarter out of the starting gate after kicking himself, drawing blood.
But this was the wrong time and the wrong place for a conspiracy theory.
Asked about Coburn’s outburst, Tonalist owner Robert Evans said: “I have no comment on that.”
Much to his shock as well, jockey Victor Espinoza knew right from the start that this was some Triple Crown imposter he was riding.
“I noticed something soon as he come out of the gate, he was not the same,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza could be second-guessed for not taking the lead early, and staying inside and behind and forcing California Chrome to take dirt, but he worried about using him on the first turn.
“By the five-eighths pole, he was just empty,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza moved his horse to the outside, but the frenzied crowd could not will California Chrome to be Triple Chrome.
Coburn and Perry Martin were the self-proclaimed Dumbass Partners who purchased a most improbable dream for $8,000 in the form of a mare named Love the Chase. The rest of the sentimental favorites included 77-year-old journeyman trainer Sherman, Espinoza, whose Triple Crown bid was spoiled 12 years ago by a stumbling War Emblem and, of course, the personable chestnut colt with the swag, the prohibitive favorite, hungry to be the first California-bred horse to win a Triple Crown.
Only 15 minutes from the Belmont Stakes, the sight of Coburn in his white cowboy hat had brought cheers from the crowd below him. Coburn pumped his right fist and kissed his wife moments before the race began.
This was more than a horse race, it was an event, the place to be and be seen. Women wore colorful sun hats and men smoked cigars in the paddock area and lines were long for beer and spirits. Less than an hour before the race, the crowd rocked to LL Cool J on a stage by the winner’s circle. Everybody loves a party, a big New York party.
But, in the end, Tonalist crashed Coburn’s Triple Chrome party.