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And the Kentucky Derby was won by another Big Red Three Year Old Colt.

Someone tell that man to sit down in the saddle until the race is over. If Victor Espinoza wants to win the Triple Crown and set records he has to ride the race to the finish, not just to the point where he has everyone else following behind.

California Chrome has incredible bloodlines (click here) that brought him career earnings of $2.552,650.

By Andrew Beyer 
Published: May 4

In almost every respect (click here) but one, California Chrome’s victory in the Kentucky Derby was satisfying and heart-warming, a triumph for the little guy that fans and the media always relish.

The colt’s co-owners, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, are so self-effacing that they dubbed their modest racing operation “Dumbass Partners” and feature a donkey on their racing silks. Trainer Art Sherman, 77, was asked a thousand times to retell the story of how he rode to Louisville in a railroad boxcar with Swaps for the 1955 Derby. He had waited nearly six decades for his chance to come to Churchill Downs as a trainer....

Mr. Art Sherman is very familiar with California thoroughbreds with great blood lines.

"Swaps" (click here) with a blanket of red roses, in the winner's circle after winning the Kentucky Derby.

Swaps (click here) is a descendant of Man o' War, through his dam, Iron Reward, a granddaughter of the Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. In the list of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century by Blood-Horse magazine, Swaps ranks 20th.

Swaps was a 1952 colt born in California. He went on to earn $848,900 in his career. That was $848,900 in the late 1950s. It was a fortune. He had 25 starts, 19 wins, 2 second place and 2 third place. That left him only 2 starts out of the money. He was horse of the year in 1956.

At the age of 77 years old, Mr. Art Sherman still knows a champion when he sees one.

Congratulations and good luck for the Triple Crown.

Swaps did not win the Triple Crown, but, Seattle Slew did and he is the Great Grandfather to California Chrome. Chrome's bloodlines include AP Indy, Mr. Prospector and Numbered Account is represented twice on his dam side. You ready for this? Numbered Account's sire, Buckpasser's bloodline included Tom Fool, War Admiral and Man 'o' War . But, this is what is really interesting. Numbered Account's dam, Intriguing's bloodline included Nasrullah and Swaps. Nice. 

There was a very nice surprise at the Kentucky Derby this year, Rosie Napravnik.