Thoughts on the Triple Crown

[Matchemforever]

I don't think the core problem is whether or not there could have been a TC winner this year. Or with entering fresh horses in one race of the series. Obviously, horses can and do win the Triple Crown, at least in years past.

For me, the problem is all the hoopla some engage in declaring Rachel Alexandra a super filly off one win in a cherry picked race against the boys.

As someone else said on this board, she really needs to dance every dance, at every distance, in every race with the boys before she deserves that title. People have begun declaring her the best three year old of the season and that just doesn't fly with me.

I really, really like RA. But I'm not part of the current coronation going on with some people. If they want any cred with this filly for that "crown," she needs to run in the Belmont and beyond, with the boys.

The Triple Crown is a test of class, stamina, and heart. There is another filly of years past who I think deserves the title super filly even though she did not win the Triple, but won one race and came in second in the others- Genuine Risk. We might have seen that again last year had tragedy not struck Eight Belles. (If she was capable of the Belmont distance)

I am not sure that Calvin's lack of celebrating after the Preakness was not reality seeping in. He sure loves RA but maybe he's seen a flaw he does not want to see. What I saw in the winning photos is a filly, nostrils flaring awfully wide, hanging on. She's game and gutsy and she held off the late comers, in this race. But if she runs the Belmont and the pace is not just perfect for her, they're going to go flying by in the stretch, IMHO. Never mind the track condition, they all had to run on the same track.

Others have said what I agree with- she didn't look to have another gear. She's a wonderful striding filly but if she can't get another gear out of that stride, if she can't go past what looks like coasting for her, she's going to get beat beyond a mile and a quarter.

Up to a mile and a quarter- watch out. But that just makes her the possible best at that distance, not what I would call a world class filly- for me, she'd have to show the versatility that the TC calls for. It's a shame that the Belmont is one of the few mile and a half races left. IMHO that's the test of class, getting a distance.

If she runs in the Belmont, kudos to her and her camp. If she gets up for second, she's still showing the class. But if they just cherry pick how and when she runs against the boys, that doesn't make her "better" than the boys. I guess I'm sick of the media creating a bandwagon that is as of yet, kind of empty.

As for Mine That Bird, I don't think his connections had planned on running him in the Preakness. His trainer said it wasn't his best distance. They weren't expecting the Derby win and when it happened, suddenly they were faced with the Preakness question. To their credit, they put him in the Preakness and the little horse darn near pulled it off. They stepped up to the plate. I know RA did not have a chance to run in the
Derby but she can run in the Belmont.

I'm not at all happy with what one of MTB's connections, Allen, did in regard to trying to get RA out of the Preakness. But I can't fault the whole group, the other owner or the trainer, unless I know that they agreed with what Allen did. Being cowboys, I hope they took him behind the shed and gave him at least a good talking to. I think the recent comments by the other owner, wanting a rematch with RA in the Belmont, may be his way of saying don't listen to Allen, he doesn't speak for me.

[wangkw]

Most notorious spoiler is Victory Gallop..His belmont win was the solitary G1 in 1998..The most surprised HOY, in my view, was Criminal
Type..I would think Unbridled was better qualified..and I was also wondering why counldn't we have a tie in 1989...both Sunday Silence &
Easy Goer to be made HOY...lastly..why couldn't we suspend the HOY title in 1985 instead of forcing it onto Spend A Buck thus making him
red-faced ?

[bdw0617]

calvin might not have been doing backflips on Racxhael but he seems very pumped as soon as they crossed the wire.

People say what does she have to prove? first of all, that fillies are not made of glass. and can be campagined just like a colt can.

also, no filly has ever won 2 legs of the triple crown.

[jrgators]

OK,

Let me get this correctly....All of the MTB supporters are telling me that you BELIEVED this 50-1 shot was a lock for winning TTC.

LOL

NOT True!!

I too hoped that we would have a TC winner, but I can't say Jess Jackson was a bad person becuase we won't have a TC winner.

Man this is FUNNY as HecK!

I believed the colt would run a good race back, but not a sure thing at all! Too many questions.

[equestriandynamo]

we 'need' a Triple crowner every year. lol.
its sensational when a horse wins three of the biggest races in a row. we rooted for BB, barbaro, curlin... every single horse that looked like it had a shot since Affirmed in 78'
this has been the longest wait since Citation to ol Sec.
beating it out by 6 years now and counting. we all want the excitement of another TCW. But the challenge wasnt meant to be easy, obviously. And thats why its taking so long. If someone did win it every two years it would also be alot less grand of an accomplishment.
I was sad to see MTB lose to RA. But... thats the way the ball rolls... every single year for the 31st time.

[bdw0617]

you know what I am more anxious to see than a triple crown winner? Stud farms going to war to try to stand the triple crown winner. I think it's going to get ugly when we do get one and the numbers that end up being will be stupid crazy.

Don't let him be by AP Indy or Street Cry or someone fashionable either.

[wangkw]

[wangkw]

lol....Didn't we already have a yearly affair Horse Of The Year..3 yo king..3 yo queen..papa king..king of grass..2 yo kid...etc ?...We
were obliged even in those years when we faced some kind of a drought in quality...we also know titles are often given more
prestige than anything else in places like racing.

Triple Crown should be a supreme title standing alone & above all..on the 2nd thought..its was a very good foresight indeed
..to throw the excruciating 12f clinker into the series for good measure..giving all the half worn out horses one more stress test.
This makes sure the Nobel laurel only goes to the best..across the boundary of time and space.

I was so glad to see Funny Cide, War Emblem, Hansel, Little Current ..even Charismatic joining the hall of TC misses..and will be
very glad too should MTB make himself the next entry..ironically ..if he , as some people hope or expect, convert in Belmont Stakes.

[spinround]

SHE WASNT NOMINATED. If the horse was pointed to the TC to begin with it would be a different story.
karen

I find this a very interesting comment, as Mine That Bird wasn't really being pointed to the KD until many of the top contenders dropped out. It wasn't until his owners thought that he had enough GS earnings to make the field that they decided to go. If they seriously thought he was KD material they would've run him in a GS to boost his earnings this year (he had less than $150,000 from his 2yo career; in previous years that wouldn't have made the cut). They said before the race that when they found out he could run (make the GSE cut) they figured it was their only chance to experience the Derby. And Wooley said after the race that he would've been tickled if the horse finished in the top 10.

As for the lack of a TC vitriol - why not be angry with RA's original owners? She likely would've been the favorite in the Derby and many analysts agree that Borel's ride was a huge factor in MTB's victory. Certainly if she had been in the field she would have had an excellent chance of winning, and the jockey switch would have made things more difficult for MTB.

[wangkw]

In history of Triple Crown concept...there were 3 years this title was shut out at the outset before even the premiere leg was run :

In 1922, 1917 : Derby and Preakness were held on the same day
In 1912, 1911 : Belmont S was not run.
In 1890 : The Preakness & The Stakes were run on the same track & same day.

The term Triple Crown was coined in 1930.

Sir Barton was the very first 3 yo colt to win all 3 races (1919). In that year The Preakness was held only 4 days after the Derby.

[BenB]

I think that MTB will win the belmont, or fresh gun,s as a clooser he will find this race extremely suitable
RA will not stand a change looking the way she,s racing as a frontrunner.

[IcouldbeU]

Since RA was not nominated to the TC could someone explain to me how she could have ran in it? I know she was supplemented to the Preakness but does not the Derby work different with entrants based on Graded Earnings of those who have been nominated to the TC? So therefore she was ineligible? Or is my thinking far off?

[Vicbrenan]

It needs to be real, the horses need to race, and in the end there is either a winner or there isn't.

How can it be "real" if the connections just "cherry pick" one race out of the 3 race series?

I don't expect to ever see another TC winner in my lifetime, and this is just another reason I won't..

Owners have a right to enter whatever horses in whatever race they wish to enter in...

Just because RA entered and won the preakness should have no bearing on what happened with MTB...

MTB should have won against whoever was there, he didnt... thats his problem, but RA... Racing is part luck, part strategy and part talent... MTB was put in a shitty spot to start with... but so was RA... Rachel had to go wide, did that in the first 1/8 of the race when it was the widest detour and MTB had to make it through the pack.

MTB lost... its a shame, I agree...