LOOKING UP
Chrome’s working-class co-owner thinks late sister will help horse
BESIDES his nasal strip, California Chrome will also have a little help from above as he tries to become horse racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner.
Before ever y race, co-owner Steve Coburn says a prayer to his sister, Brenda, who died of cancer.
“I pray to her to keep him safe,” the 61-yearold Coburn said at a press luncheon in Manhattan on Tuesday. “He was born on my sister Brenda’s birthday, Feb. 18. She died of cancer when she was just 36 years old and it’s been 36 years, this year, since t here’s been a Tr iple Crown winner. I’ve always said she’s this colt’s guardian angel and I honestly believe that.”
On Saturday, California Chrome will try to become the first horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes since Affirmed in 1978.
When asked if his 3-year-old will do it, Coburn confidently replied, “Yes I do. Yes, I expect him to win on Saturday, I really do. He’s putting on weight, he’s putting on size, he’s putting on muscle.” Coburn, who works five days a week at a factory that makes the magnetic str ips for the backs of credit cards, arrived in New York late Monday af ter noon with his wife Carolyn.
Tuesday was Coburn’s first trip to Manhattan, some - thing he and Carolyn have always wanted to do but were unable to until California Chrome came along.
“Actually that’s always been on our bucket list (coming to Manhattan),” said Coburn, while holding a bottle of beer in his hand. “One of them was to go to Kentucky also, but we never thought we’d go there with the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. We got to go to Maryland and now we’re here in New York. We always wanted to come here and see the sights and we’re here because of the horse we have. We’re blessed to have this horse and if it weren’t for him we probably wouldn’t be here today.”
California Chrome was bred by Coburn and his partner, Perry Martin, who formed “Dumbass Partners” and bred their $8,000 mare Love The Chase to the sire Lucky Pulpit, who stands for just $2,500.
“From the first day that I saw him, I knew he was special,” said Coburn, who was wearing his trademark white cowboy hat.
Win or lose, Coburn will be on a plane early Monday morning, heading back to Nevada so he can be at his job at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
“We’re just everyday guys, we work every day,” said Coburn, who was married four previous times before meeting Carolyn, to whom he’s been married for 20 years. “We believe in the horse. We believe i n our horse. We’re just glad we can share this story with people. We just hope it gives other people the incentive to go out and try hard. You can make your dreams come true if you’re willing to put your hard work into it and that’s exactly what we did.”