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California Chrome made 3-5 favorite for Preakness

By WTOP Staff

BETH HARRIS
AP Racing Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) — Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome was made the odds-on favorite at 3-5 on Wednesday for the Preakness Stakes, and he drew an inside post position in the 10-horse field that includes a filly for the first time in five years.

Trained by Art Sherman and ridden by Victor Espinoza, California Chrome will break from the No. 3 post, which has produced 10 winners in the previous 138 runnings of the 1 3/16-mile race, the last being Prairie Bayou in 1993.

“Three is fine with me,” Sherman said. “Most of the speed is on the outside of me. If they go, they go, I can tuck in right behind them without any problems. I think my horse will perform.”

So does California Chrome’s co-owner Steve Coburn, who dared to look ahead.

“One race at a time,” he said, “but I’m still thinking Triple Crown.”

If California Chrome wins on Saturday, next up would be the Belmont Stakes on June 7. Only 11 horses have swept the Derby, Preakness and Belmont and none since 1978.

California Chrome brings a five-race winning streak into the Preakness, having won that many by a combined 26 lengths. Still, his overwhelming odds surprised Sherman, a 77-year-old trainer who has never had a colt this good.

“I never thought I’d be that kind of price,” he said. “I really thought I’d be 6-5.”

Speedster Social Inclusion was the 5-1 second choice of new Pimlico oddsmaker Keith Feustle. The colt drew the No. 8 post. He skipped the Kentucky Derby and is one of seven new horses lining up to challenge California Chrome.

“I’m never afraid of nothing,” owner Ron Sanchez said. “We have a great post position. We have slow horses to our outside. That’s going to help us a lot.”

Bayern and Ride On Curlin are the co-third choices at 10-1. Bayern, who drew the No. 5 post, is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who is seeking a sixth Preakness win. Rosie Napravnik will ride the colt, trying to become the first female jockey to win the race.

Ride On Curlin finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago.

Once again, Ride On Curlin drew an outside post, landing in the No. 10 spot after breaking from the 19th position in the Derby starting gate under Calvin Borel. This time, Joel Rosario will ride the colt.

Borel has switched to filly Ria Antonia, who is the longest shot in the field at 30-1.

“I wish she was 50-1,” co-owner Ron Paolucci said. “The way she works and trains, she thinks she’s 3-5.”

She will try to become the first filly to win the Preakness since Rachel Alexandra beat the boys in 2009. Like Rachel, Ria Antonia did not run in the Derby first. She finished sixth in the Kentucky Oaks, held the day before the Derby. After the Oaks, Ria Antonia’s owners switched trainers, dumping Baffert for Tom Amoss.

“I always wanted to run in this race,” Paolucci said. “My filly is a really big filly, she’s really solid. Coming back in two weeks gives her an absolute edge. I know it’s really going to help her.”

General a Rod is the only other Derby horse to try the Preakness. He was 11th at Churchill Downs.

There is a trio of 20-1 shots in the field. One of them, Kid Cruz, is trained by Linda Rice, giving the Preakness a female trainer, jockey and filly in the same race for the first time.

The other 20-1 shots are Pablo Del Monte, who drew the No. 9 post, and Ring Weekend, who will break from the No. 4 spot.

Illinois Derby winner Dynamic Impact drew the No. 1 post, putting the colt along the rail, a spot not favored by most trainers who fear getting trapped inside.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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