Chrome will run the best race of his life - Espinoza

Dubai: Champion Mexican jockey Victor Espinoza is confident that California Chrome will run the best race of his life at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday.

Espinoza, who won the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Preakness Stakes (G1) aboard the horse last year, is blissfully aware that the horse’s humanness will come to the fore on the big night.

“I believe California Chrome is nothing less than a human being,” Espinoza told Gulf News during the Breakfast With the Stars event. “My priority always is to keep him happy at all times. He is so much like a top-level sportsman who is capable of delivering the best performance when he is content. At this moment, he is in this zone and I am confident he can go out there and win it.”

The American raider, who is the hot favourite to win the $10 million (Dh36.7 million) contest. has drawn the outside gate with his eight rivals on his left.

“From my experience, California Chrome has always been more aggressive and determined while starting from the outside,” he said. “It is funny now that I recall how he was not running as well as before while starting among the crowd.

“So he has clearly shown that he prefers a position on the outside. I think it always suits us both.”

Having been called up by trainer Art Sherman in December 2013 to ride California Chrome, who had won only two of his six starts, Espinoza started to turn things around for the soon-to-be-champion horse as he rode him to consecutive victories in the King Glorious Stakes, the California Cup Derby, the San Felipe Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby.

Less than a month later, the Mexican jockey lengthened the winning streak as he rode California Chrome to victory in the Kentucky Derby before landing the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the American Triple Crown. Chrome’s attempt to make history by winning the Belmont Stakes (G1) failed to materialise.

“On Saturday, I will let him do his thing. Till then, I will not stress him out. He loves to run and has no problem whatsoever with that. This is going to be his night,” Espinoza said.