Costas is a tool. Could anyone imagine Jim McKay ever pulling a stunt like that?
[QUOTE=RPM;7616486]
And I think it’s hilarious that they do those animated “races” before each race showing the viewers how they think it’s gonna go. As if any human could prophesy how baby horses are gonna run on the day! :D[/QUOTE]
I think they should do a more realistic version of that, picking random horses to bump into each other at the start, one or two horses drifting out as the spook at cameras mounted on the rail, somebody taking a flying leap over the shadow of the finish wire, that sort of thing…
[QUOTE=JGHIRETIRE;7613051]
I think it’s always been the same but seems like in the last years the spoilers are worse.
It is supposed to be a test of endurance. What does it prove when a fresh horse comes in and wins it?? Really not much.
The smirk on Rosario’s face was not really sportsmanlike either.
I can only imagine the stress that Chrome’s connections have been under the last weeks. It was a vent - a very ill-timed vent.[/QUOTE]
Absolutely agree with Mr. Coburn. Yes, it could have been said differently.
I realize that these are the rules, but, IMO a horse should HAVE to race in all three races.
Fine to drop out, or scratch.
But to run in the Derby, skip the Preakness, and run fresh in the Belmont isn’t what the “Triple Crown” is all about. Isn’t that why they call the Belmont the “The Third leg of the Triple Crown”? To test endurance of each horse on an equal playing field? Not throw in a “Ringer”?
Just off the top of my head, I think the majority of the horses only ran in two of the three races?
Glad I was around to see Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed, win the T.C., as unless something changes, or we have another super horse, such as Secretariat, don’t think we’ll see another T.C. winner for a long, long time.
[QUOTE=FAW;7613167]
So here is what I think should change in the Triple Crown. You must enter all three races. Scratch in any of the three and you are out. No resting. I agree, a fresh race at the Belmont will be a contender to the Triple Crown 99 out of 100 times. This way, its a fair fight. All tired, all never having done the mile and a half.
I do also agree, breeding has changed the sport from endurance to speed.[/QUOTE]
Agree!
Not a huge fan of Coburn.
[QUOTE=Halter Alter;7619693]
Absolutely agree with Mr. Coburn. Yes, it could have been said differently.
I realize that these are the rules, but, IMO a horse should HAVE to race in all three races.
Fine to drop out, or scratch.
But to run in the Derby, skip the Preakness, and run fresh in the Belmont isn’t what the “Triple Crown” is all about. Isn’t that why they call the Belmont the “The Third leg of the Triple Crown”? To test endurance of each horse on an equal playing field? Not throw in a “Ringer”?
Just off the top of my head, I think the majority of the horses only ran in two of the three races?
Glad I was around to see Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed, win the T.C., as unless something changes, or we have another super horse, such as Secretariat, don’t think we’ll see another T.C. winner for a long, long time.[/QUOTE]
I so agree!!!
Years ago there were sportsmen who when asked would enter a horse for the Belmont, just to fill the card, not to derail the horse going for the TC.
Now we have greedy people who AIM at the Belmont so that they can stop a TC contender.
This does not help horse racing, it doesn’t bring in more fans, it destroys the dreams of really nice horses and their connections.
I don’t blame Steve Coburn for his outburst, I blame those who seek to destroy the TC by entering those fresh horses rather than being true sportsmen!
Look at the stats, and you will see that most of those entered into the Belmont during the years prior to the 80’s were NOT horses that skipped the other two races. Any “fresh” horses, were NOT competitive on the same level.
Citation on ran against 3 or 4 other competitors in the Belmont.
Secretariat / Sham
Affirmed / Alydar
Seattle Slew probably didn’t have any horses aimed at him.
Yes, it is a cowardly thing to do to derail a Triple Crown Bid. OK, it could have been said more tactfully, but heck I agree with Coburn.
So many really nice horses have failed in the TC bid, and why? Not because they weren’t Secretariat, but because someone decided to run a fresh horse. THAT is not sportsmanlike, so don’t condemn someone who speaks the truth.
I will be glad when people who don’t know anything about racing go away until next May.
[QUOTE=sporthorsefilly;7619783]
I so agree!!!
Years ago there were sportsmen who when asked would enter a horse for the Belmont, just to fill the card, not to derail the horse going for the TC.
Now we have greedy people who AIM at the Belmont so that they can stop a TC contender.
This does not help horse racing, it doesn’t bring in more fans, it destroys the dreams of really nice horses and their connections.
I don’t blame Steve Coburn for his outburst, I blame those who seek to destroy the TC by entering those fresh horses rather than being true sportsmen!
Look at the stats, and you will see that most of those entered into the Belmont during the years prior to the 80’s were NOT horses that skipped the other two races. Any “fresh” horses, were NOT competitive on the same level.
Citation on ran against 3 or 4 other competitors in the Belmont.
Secretariat / Sham
Affirmed / Alydar
Seattle Slew probably didn’t have any horses aimed at him.
Yes, it is a cowardly thing to do to derail a Triple Crown Bid. OK, it could have been said more tactfully, but heck I agree with Coburn.
So many really nice horses have failed in the TC bid, and why? Not because they weren’t Secretariat, but because someone decided to run a fresh horse. THAT is not sportsmanlike, so don’t condemn someone who speaks the truth.[/QUOTE]
This is indicative of the cray cray posts by people who do not understand racing. Ridiculous…
Trainers and owners pick races most likely to suit their horses, NOT to try to defeat a potential TC winner. What, you want the Belmont to be a walkover? That would certainly prove who the best horse is! Not! What you fail to understand is that when the Derby selects the ONLY horse that can be the TC winner, the rest of the trainers must then do what is right for THEIR horses and owners. And that is NOT to cater to the one horse and his connections. These three races are not connected in any way, except AFTER they are won by a single horse, when they become the Triple Crown. There are many, many trainers who see their best shot, their dream, as the Belmont. Not the Derby. Not the Preakness. And that is their right, because the Belmont is, always has been, and always should be, a stand alone G1 stakes race.
Do you realize, no, cancel that, I am sure you don’t, that IF you got your wish, and entry was restricted, those races would lose their G1 rating, their status, and $$. The best horses would no longer come, and the TC would also lose its luster. See?
No one is ENTITLED to see a TC winner. It is luck to have one in a lifetime, but if not? Life goes on. The honor of winning it should NOT be dumbed down so all the non-race people can be appeased. It is supposed to take a very special horse, not one protected from competition. Eleven have managed to do it, and when the right horse is bred, trained and managed properly, it will happen again. With the rules just as they are.
Laurie isn’t that the truth. No matter how many times any of us explain how these races operate, it never sinks in. Plus they keep forgetting only one horse that wins all three, not run in all three can win the bonus that is called the triple crown no matter who runs in the other races
[QUOTE=sporthorsefilly;7619783]
THAT is not sportsmanlike, so don’t condemn someone who speaks the truth.[/QUOTE]
What’s unsportsmanlike (and frankly, immature) is the notion that other horses should duck the Belmont Stakes, which has its own long and illustrious history, so that a horse can more easily win the Triple Crown.
People who are willing to fundamentally change the way these races are run are placing THEIR desire to see a Triple Crown winner above the historic significance and importance and prestige of the achievement itself. And that’s just wrong.
[QUOTE=lauriep;7619848]
No one is ENTITLED to see a TC winner. It is luck to have one in a lifetime, but if not? Life goes on. The honor of winning it should NOT be dumbed down so all the non-race people can be appeased. It is supposed to take a very special horse, not one protected from competition. Eleven have managed to do it, and when the right horse is bred, trained and managed properly, it will happen again. With the rules just as they are.[/QUOTE]
Agree. But also glad for California Chrome to have provided the hope again. Probably not within that list. Although others, IMO, should have been - The Bid for one - so luck does have a lot to do with it. Or, yes, guess that would have been a management issue…
I think this year’s return to the possibility, and CC’s being near the front at the wire also an argument why it DOESN’T have to be changed. If it was, it wouldn’t be that special anymore.
Being a true sportsman is not entering the Belmont with a new shooter? What, so we can have a powderpuff Triple Crown winner? People entering their horses are not trying to derail a TC. That’s absurd. They are trying to win a prestigious $1.5 million dollar G1. A race that was first run in 1867, which is about 60 years before the TC was even a “thing”.
Do people realize that, in 1981, the owner of Tonalist, Robert Evans, was in the exact same position as Coburn? Evans’ father missed winning the TC with Pleasant Colony (who, ironically, is Tonalist’s broodmare sire) when he ended up running 3rd in the Belmont behind Summing, a…BUM, BUM, BUM…new shooter.
A restricted Belmont is a race that loses its prestige. Yay, our newest TC won the Belmont Stakes ® in a walkover. Excitement freaking plus.
Jesus christ, where do these people come from?
[QUOTE=sporthorsefilly;7619783]
Look at the stats, and you will see that most of those entered into the Belmont during the years prior to the 80’s were NOT horses that skipped the other two races.[/QUOTE]
Wrong. See post #204.
For the slow learners.
Tonalist was targeted at the Belmont because it is a Grade 1 race, with a purse of $1.5m. The Belmont Stakes is a destination race in it’s own right. Just as the Preakness is. He prepped in the traditional Belmont prep, the Peter Pan Stakes G2, on May 10th. Plenty of horses before him have done that.
He would likely have run in the Kentucky Derby had he not been compromised early in the year with an illness. But that is neither here nor there. Once he got back into training his trainer (the class act that is Christophe Clement) looked at the stakes schedule and decided that the Belmont Stakes was a worthy target for a horse of his stature and pointed him there. Whether there was a Triple Crown on the line and he was going to be “upsetting apple carts” is totally immaterial. That was California Chrome’s problem do deal with. Sec, Slew and Affirmed all dealt with the same issue. They were good enough to overcome it, Chrome wasn’t. That’s racing. Deal with it.
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;7620237]
Whether there was a Triple Crown on the line and he was going to be “upsetting apple carts” is totally immaterial.[/QUOTE]
No it’s not! Clement entered Tonalist because he is a bad sport. And a BIG MEANIE. Behind closed doors he’s been slowly rubbing his hands together and laughing maniacally (mwahahahahaha) to himself for weeks thinking of all the dreams Tonalist’s win would destroy.
He celebrated by taking candy from babies.
Yes, highly likely that such conditions would cause the race to lose it’s Graded status. Can’t think of any G1 race in the world that is restricted to horses that have run in certain prior races. The only restrictions allowed are age and sex.
Races that have geographic restrictions (like the Canadian TC races) are not considered true G1 internationally. State bred races are not eligible for graded status.
[QUOTE=Windsor1;7620245]
No it’s not! Clement entered Tonalist because he is a bad sport. And a BIG MEANIE. Behind closed doors he’s been slowly rubbing his hands together and laughing maniacally (mwahahahahaha) to himself for weeks thinking of all the dreams Tonalist’s win would destroy.
He celebrated by taking candy from babies.[/QUOTE]
Saw a picture on Facebook of him kicking puppies in the test barn.
Plus he’s French.
Thanks, Obama.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;7619812]
I will be glad when people who don’t know anything about racing go away until next May.[/QUOTE]
Well, they will be back at Breeders Cup time unless CC skips the rest of the year or retires. Either way they will be back at HOTY announcement time.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;7619812]
I will be glad when people who don’t know anything about racing go away until next May.[/QUOTE]
I choose to find them amusing 
.
