team. They are big but not very athletic inside. If they

You could hear it throughout the stands Saturday at Del Mar. Gasps of Oh! as California Chrome took command of the Pacific Classic right from the start and dared anyone to run with him. Gee as he bounded along, oblivious to those in pursuit. Wow when he burst clear once and for all at the head of the stretch.Oh-gee-wow moments in horse racing are few and far between. They require a race of importance, preferably of some length, with a best-case scenario for unforgettable drama. When it happens, the grandchildren will be told the tale.Still, oh-gee-wow means very little without context, which is why those closest to California Chrome should be taken at their word for the joyous excess of their post-game comments.Art Sherman said Chrome should be heading straight to the Hall of Fame, and Sherman sat on Swaps, which is all the historical context anyone ever needs when it comes to judging horseflesh.Victor Espinoza, who rode War Emblem and a young version of Tiznow, already knew what a good one could do. When badgered by the press to choose between Chrome and American Pharoah, his winner of the Triple Crown, Espinoza relented and went for the horse he has ridden to more than $13 million in earnings, and counting.Context is a harsh mistress.As California Chrome churned past the finish post last Saturday, with Espinoza geared down and Beholder resigned to her admirable second ahead of Dortmund, certain memories began fighting their way through the cobwebs, of great horses challenged by great mares of the era.Here is Dr. Fager, 130 pounds up and his tail on fire, leaving good horses like Rising Market and Kissin George in the dust in the 1968 Californian at Hollywood Park, with only the stubborn mare Gamely in serious pursuit.Here is Spectacular Bid, making one, two, three moves, as usual, in the 1980 Amory L. Haskell Handicap at Monmouth, breaking all hearts except the one belonging to Glorious Song, less than two lengths back at the end.Here is John Henry, already a legend, icing the 1984 Arlington Million like he owned the place, but not before dealing with the filly Royal Heroine, who crushed the rest of the field.Having just witnessed Songbird climb another rung up historys ladder in the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga, TV analyst and former rider Richard Migliore thought he was through being inspired for one Saturday. Then, as the 9 oclock hour arrived in New York, the California Chrome show filled the screen.That was an incredible performance, Migliore said. He stayed in the bridle much farther than most horses Ive ever seen.For those of us who do not speak fluent jockey, Migliore was describing the way California Chrome was attacking the race, teeth clenched and taking Espinoza for a ride. Ideally, a horse will come off the bit early in a race to conserve strength for the final run to the wire. To Migliores eye -- and Espinoza agreed -- California Chrome was ripping through a series of 12-second furlongs without dissipating energy or resolve.Gary Stevens can tell us what it looked like from aboard Beholder, who followed Chrome all the way around.Going into the far turn, Victor moved way outside trying to get me to go inside of him, Stevens said. I wouldnt do it, so he dropped back to about the 3 path, and Beholder swapped to her left lead. I thought, Ah, there we go. Just like last year.Last year, for those who need a refresher, Beholder made a move at that point that blew the Classic wide open, as she went on to win by 8-1/4 lengths.Then, all of a sudden, he opened up three lengths on me, said Stevens, who added an Oh of his own with another word attached.Victor took a peek under his arm, and it was almost like Usain Bolt with that Canadian guy in the qualifying the other night, Stevens said. Really, youre going to test me, and thats all youve got? Thats what Victor had. And believe me, he won with something in the tank.The thought is kind of scary -- that California Chrome can be trained to such a pitch that he would make a great mare like Beholder settle for second-best.The only other time I had that feeling of helplessness when I thought I was going to win was riding Rock Hard Ten in the Preakness, Stevens said. I was loaded at the quarter pole. I thought I had Smarty Jones any time I wanted. My colt dropped and went to running, and Smarty Jones just opened up on me. You feel like a little kid who thinks hes fast, and some guy comes galloping by. You never want to feel that again.Whats next? Whats left for California Chrome to accomplish? Art Sherman will let us know when to gear up for another day like Saturday. His immediate reaction to the race was, Wow. He said more, but you get the idea.In the meantime, the trainer was taking time out this week to have routine cataract surgery -- first one eye, then eventually the other -- so let the wisecracks begin.I do my best work in the dark, Sherman said with a laugh. Imagine how good Chrome would be if I could actually see him train.Oh. Gee. Wow. Cheap Shoes Outlet Stores . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. Authentic Shoes Wholesale . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. http://www.cheapshoes.us.org/ . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. Best Cheap Fake Shoes .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Cheap Shoes Online Free Delivery . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizonas towering European tandem had a big night Tuesday.Wildcats 7-footers Dusan Ristic and Lauri Markkanen scored 18 points apiece, and No. 20 Arizona bounced back from its loss to Gonzaga with a 79-57 victory over UC Irvine.Ristic, a Serbian who was two points shy of his career high, scored 14 in the first half and finished with 10 rebounds. Markkanen, the standout Finnish freshman, had 13 points in the second.They are very different players with some shared traits, coach Sean Miller said.They are incredible kids, Miller said. I mean, in the classroom, off the court, in practice, as teammates, love the game, two of our hardest workers. ... Theyre from the other side of the world. Theyre not going home for Christmas and yet theyre really, really great kids.The Wildcats (7-2) pulled away in the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half and never were threatened again.Jaron Martin scored 12 points and Max Hazzard had 10 for the Anteaters (4-5).Rawle Alkins added 14 points and Kadeem Allen 12 for the Wildcats, who shot 54 percent from the field to UC Irvines 38 percent.After a sluggish start, Arizona ended the first half on a 15-3 run to lead 39-23.The Wildcats jumped out to leads of 14-5 and 16-7, but Martins second 3-pointer cut Arizonas advantage to 24-20 with 6:40 left in the half. Ristic scored four of the next six points and Arizona was finally rolling.Allen scored seven and Ristic six in the run.Arizona led by as many as 30 points. UC Irvines only lead was 1-0.Markkanen was coming off the worst shooting game of his young career, when he went 4 for 14 -- 0 for 3 on 3s -- in Saturdays loss to Gonzaga. He was 7 of 10 against the Anteaters, including 4 of 6 on 3s.I didnt think about the last game, Markkanen said. My game is to let the game come to me, not force it. ... Im not worried about my shooting. My self-confidence is still up. Nothing changes.Ristics game is close to the basket, and he shot 8 of 11 from the field.All the outside guys did a great job of getting the ball to me, he said. And they (UC Irvine) played zone pprobably 80 percent of the game.dddddddddddd A lot of times the low post was open and that is how I score the majority of my points.Down to seven scholarship players, Arizona switched from its traditional man-to-man to a 2/3 zone for a time in the second half. Miller said he did it to give his team some rest. He might do it again, but not often, he said.The more zone we play, the worse well be in man-to-man, he said.Anteaters coach Russell Turner thought perhaps the Wildcats player shortage would work to his teams advantage.I thought if we played our style of basketball, he said, played good defense and rebounded well, that we would have had a chance to keep this game close given their roster situation. But we werent really able to maintain our focus on doing the things we said.BIG PICTUREUC Irvine: The Anteaters lost four starters from last seasons team. They are big but not very athletic inside. If they expect to be competitive in the Big West, the Anteaters need to shoot better from long range. They went 4 of 20 on 3s against Arizona.Arizona: The Wildcats needed a win, regardless of the opponent, after dropping two of their last three -- to Butler and Gonzaga on neutral courts -- with a tough game coming up at Missouri.STILL SHORT-HANDEDWith starting point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright sidelined by an ankle injury and the status of Allonzo Trier still unclear, the Wildcats go with just two scholarship players on the bench.Jackson-Cartwright, whose right ankle remains in a boot, might not be back until sometime in January. Trier could finally have his situation resolved soon, but thats been said before. The school has not officially given a reason for his absence but its apparently an eligibility issue.UP NEXTUC Irvine: The Anteaters face Pomona-Pitzer on Friday in their second home game of the season.Arizona: The Wildcats play on an opponents home court for the first time this season at Missouri on Saturday. ' ' '