Steve Coburn, co-owner of the racehorse California Chrome, apologized on Monday for his angry rant after losing the Belmont Stakes.
Coburn, a factory worker whose rags-to-riches narrative was a part of the racehorse's own compelling story, said he was "very ashamed" of his post-race rant, which was delivered on national television after California Chrome fell short of the Triple Crown (watch below).
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“I need to apologize to the world and America,” Coburn said on Good Morning America. “I wanted it so much for this horse to win the Triple Crown for the people of America and I was very emotional, very emotional.”
Coburn also apologized for saying the Belmont winner, Tonalist, took "the coward’s way out" because his owners chose not to race him in the two prior races that make up the Triple Crown -- the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.
“I need to apologize to the winners. They ran a beautiful race …I did not mean to take anything away from them," he said. "[Tonalist] won the race fair and square."
His wife, Carolyn Coburn, also spoke up, “I’m proud of you for coming up here and doing this and it was something that we needed to have done," she said to her husband. "I hope people can see him the way he is because that isn’t the way he normally is. He’s a very compassionate man.”
“It’s a learning process for us and I’m going to do better,” Coburn added. “I promise you I’ll do better.”