Kentucky Derby results: California Chrome wins first leg of Triple Crown

California Chrome left little doubt in the 140th Kentucky Derby. The heavy favorite cruised to a win on Saturday with a dominant performance down the stretch, winning his fifth race in a row.

Uncle Sigh led for most of the beginning of the race as California Chrome got off to a bit of a slow start, but he turned on the burners at the top stretch and left the competition in the dust. Commanding Curve and Danza finished second and third, respectively.

California Chrome won the 2014 Kentucky Derby, becoming the latest horse to win the “Fastest 2 Minutes in Sports.” If you missed any of the action from Churchill Downs, or would like to watch California Chrome “Run for the Roses” again, here is full video of the race.

California Chrome, the pre-race favorite at 2-1, broke well and was among the lead from the start. Uncle Sigh set the pace for the first three-quarters of a mile before California Chrome broke strong at the final stretch and blew away the rest of the field. He built up a big lead, ahead of the field by five lengths at one point on the closing stretch.

California Chrome entered Saturday as the big favorite for the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby and will be an even bigger favorite at race time, as money has continued to fly in for the favorite. After entering the day as a 5-2 favorite, California Chrome has now climbed to 2-1.

Behind the favorite are Wicked Strong and Danza, getting 6-1 and 9-1 odds, respectively. Both horses have seen their odds improve as well, as Wicked Strong entered the day with an 8-1 chance at the victory, while Danza was listed at 10-1.

The 140th running of the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday night. It’s going to begin just before 6:30 p.m. ET, and the weather is looking optimal for the race. We have picks and predictions, some more odds -- California Chrome is still the favorite, though money is coming in on Wicked Strong as well -- and more at our Derby hub.

California Chrome has been the favorite to win this year’s Run for the Roses throughout this entire process, and that’s not going to change prior to the race. California Chrome is a good story as well, as a win would make him the first California-bred horse to win since Decidedly in 1962. Chrome’s odds have improved since Hoppertunity was scratched on Thursday.

The 2014 Kentucky Derby will feature 19 competitors, but one horse is viewed as the favorite. California Chrome is receiving plenty of buzz, which makes sense since he is the top betting favorite.

At SB Nation’s horse racing site, And Down the Stretch They Come, the resident staff pickers, Siva’s #3 Rose and TFTribe, seem to be on board with California Chrome.

With a four-race winning streak and speed figures that are tops in the field, California Chrome remains the heavy betting favorite for the 140^th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

The colt’s task got a bit easier on Thursday with the scratch of Hoppertunity, who was the second choice on the morning line at 6-1. The Bob Baffert trainee is suffering from a minor foot bruise, but the colt could still be headed to Pimlico for the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

The Kentucky Derby is more than just the “fastest two minutes in sports” that we witness the first Saturday afternoon each May, it is an all-day event with several other horse races going on that lead up to the run for the roses.

The first race of the day starts 10:30 a.m. ET with the Kentucky Derby at 6:24 p.m. The good news for all of these races is the weather will not be a problem for horses, jockeys or those attending the race. Your complete weather forecast is found below.

The 140th Kentucky Derby is Saturday at 6:24 p.m. ET, but it’s the 11th race of the day at Louisville’s Churchill Downs. The Derby undercard races have increased in popularity in recent years, and the races have gotten better because of it. The undercard now includes two Grade 1 Stakes and three Grade 2 stakes.

The most notable race may be Race 8, the American Turf Stakes, because of one entrant. Big Bazinga was 22nd in points standings for Kentucky Derby qualification, and instead of entering the field with hopes of qualifying for the race after a scratch, trainer Katerina Vassileva entered him in the American Turf, hoping for a strong finish in hopes of qualifying for the Preakness Stakes on May 20.

After California Chrome is Danza, trained by Todd Pletcher and mounted by Joe Bravo, and Wicked Strong, trained by Michael Maker and mounted by Joel Rosario, both currently locked in at 8-1 odds.

The rest of the pack looks like this:

The 140th Kentucky Derby will go to the post at Churchill Downs just before 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, kicking off the 2014 Triple Crown.

California Chrome has long since been the favorite to win this year’s Run for the Roses, and that’s no different as the race is finally here. He’s a 5-2 favorite, and he’d be the first favorite under 3-1 odds to win since Big Brown did so in 2008 were he to win.