The Chrome-plated Kentucky Derby outcome Saturday in Louisville has the Triple Crown crowd thinking this might be the year.

California Chrome is easy to cheer for. He has a scoffed-at pedigree. A humble old-school trainer. Regular-guy owners. And then on the big day, the good-looking colt flashed a big, steady stride as he cut through a strong headwind down the main straight. His victory looked easy. Is this the year? Nah. Don’t get too excited about the prospect of seeing California Chrome become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.

Chrome’s trainer Art Sherman is already expressing apprehension about running the Derby winner in the Preakness off just two weeks rest. Nowhere in Sherman’s playbook is the diagram that shows him how to run back so quick off a win at a mile and a quarter. If there wasn’t such a crazy obsession over the rarity of the Triple Crown accomplishment, Sherman wouldn’t think twice about taking Chrome back west for a month or two before finding another spot to run him in. Someday, a guy like Sherman will do just that and say the heck with the crown. But right now too many people are telling him (his owners included) that a Triple Crown is within reach. So Sherman will succumb to extreme peer pressure and run Chrome in the Preakness a week from Saturday. If he wins at Pimlico – and he could – he’ll stay on the Crown trail and try to win the Belmont Stakes the first Saturday in June. It’s all too much for the modern thoroughbred to handle. But Sherman will give it a shot. And I think all racing fans wish him well.

I watched the Derby over at Marc’s house. Perl was there. It was a party. Super ramped-up ramp dip was served. So were juleps.

I thought Johnny Weir’s effort to mimic the manic movements of a horse’s mouth during the NBC broadcast was really funny. The on-air chemistry between Weir and Tara Lipinski is kinda hard to find. For me, their combined wit and humor is a welcome addition to horse racing coverage on television. If the usually reliable Costas can’t handle the job of putting Steve Asmussen on the grill, why not let Johnny and Tara run around the barns and don frilly hats.

The 97 Beyer number assigned to Chrome’s Derby effort is the lowest such figure for a Derby or Preakness winner since Andy Beyer devised his rating system. Beyer himself said it was the “lowest ever” score given to a Derby or Preakness victor. The new horseplayer-friendly past performance/handicapping web site TimeformUS was a bit more favorable with its final assessment of Chrome’s run but came to that conclusion after reconsideration of the stiff winds and tiring surface said to be left unsprayed by water (which is unusual) for a long period before the feature. TFUS initially set Chrome’s number at 104 but revised it upward to a 110 which would translate a notch or two better than Beyer’s take.

The low numerical assessment connected to Chrome’s Derby win probably works in his favor. Perhaps it indicates less-than-all-out gut-busting and something left for the quick turnaround. Whatever happens on Old Hilltop however, fumes are all that’ll remain if Chrome stays on the crown trail up to Elmont. Don’t get too excited about all this. Or go ahead. That’s what the Crown is all about.

At least you didn’t bet on Candy Boy. Imagine staring at the tote as they loaded into the gate for the Derby only to see Candy Boy’s price plunge from 16 to 1 all the way down to 9 in a blink. An unidentified whale put a big stack of chips (more than a million bucks) on Candy at the last second. So, not only did Candy bettors lose value without time to cancel, they then watched their horse go five wide into the first turn. Candy Boy finished 13th.

A friend who attended the Derby this year (and spent a lot of time on track in the days prior to the event) said the ostentatious Churchill Downs makeover that started several years back with obstructed views of the twin spires is now giving way to some fan-friendly developments. Most interesting to me was our friend’s observation that the massive new hi-def video board on the backstretch is so effective it’s relieved congestion in the paddock area where in years’ past many general admission fans would congregate to watch a much smaller lo-def board. The new screen’s magnificence has created what perhaps is an unintended shift in crowd movement but is a win-win given the enhanced experience for the tens of thousands of fans who previously had a sub-par perspective of the oval that surrounded them. At the same time, those who cherish visits to the saddling area without getting stuck in human gridlock benefit from clearer paths to and fro.

-Rutgers University will hold its commencement celebration at the big, on-campus football stadium in Piscataway a week from Sunday but the invited featured speaker isn’t showing up. In another unscripted episode in a year or two full of them at Rutgers, Condi Rice announced on Facebook of all places that she won’t come to Jersey to get booed by rabble rousers. Said Condi: “Commencement should be a time of joyous celebration for the graduates and their families. Rutgers’ invitation to me to speak has become a distraction for the university community at this very special time…As a Professor for thirty years at Stanford University and as it’s former Provost and Chief academic officer, I understand and embrace the purpose of the commencement ceremony and I am simply unwilling to detract from it in any way.” Rice’s invite was disclosed at the University’s Board of Governors meeting three months ago. She was to receive an honorary degree and a 35-grand fee. Students and faculty at Rutgers who remember Rice’s role in the Bush/Cheney rush to war started making noise. Condi heard the noise from afar and probably expected a less than warm reception in the football stadium. So she bailed out. I support those on that campus who objected to a payday and a spot on the dais for a warmonger. But when Condi accepted the invite from a university looking for someone with stature to headline the commencement, she had to know there would be grumblings. She should’ve showed up, weathered the storm and tailored remarks to an audience that includes people who taught and studied her role in history. Instead now Rutgers will roll out a less controversial Republican. Former Governor Tom Kean will speak (for free). Former Rutgers defensive lineman Eric LeGrand, who has worked to overcome an on-field injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down is also slated to say some words. Rutgers botched LeGrand’s involvement in the ceremony. The university first told him he’d speak – then said he’d been replaced by Kean – only to announce both would participate. Because of the size of the venue, Rutgers says any and all can attend the commencement without a ticket or invite.