Steve Coburn's comments after losing the Belmont

[ake987]

[QUOTE=RainyDayRide;7613052]
A lot of the questions before the race focused on negatives. The reporter who spoke to Espinoza as he was leaving the jockeys’ room was all “have the past six weeks revived your career?” and “your record at Belmont isn’t very good… does that matter?”[/QUOTE]

I thought Espinoza responded very professionally to antagonizing questions in the locker room. I would be upset if someone said those things to me, as I would assuredly be actively working on keeping those facts far from my mind!

I don’t necessarily disagree with the sentiment that it’s not a “fair” race, as in, not all the horses in the race are coming in with equal wear from the same campaign. That said, not much in life is fair, and while understandably upset, he reacted poorly. Calling the horses and teams that beat CC cowards was very spiteful and unprofessional. Be grateful your horse and jockey, and rest of the field, came home safe, and save your ranting for a setting where it won’t make you look like a poor sportsman and a foolish man.

ETA: What comment of Costas is being referred to? I must have missed it.

[JGHIRETIRE]

True.

[QUOTE=IronwoodFarm;7613071]
The Triple Crown wouldn’t be worth much as an accomplishment under Mr. Coburn’s scenario. I agree that the vent was badly timed but you can’t really complain about the rules after the fact.[/QUOTE]

[briddygirl]

Steve Coburn’s comments…

I totally agree with him…how is someone going to race against and win triple crown if other horses have the option of sitting it out…I see his frustration and I know it all comes down to $$$$ which is the bull crap I refuse to fall into in this sport…my husband’s family owned racehorses, had their own track, etc., but that was waaaay before it was considered the sport of the rich…why can’t a regular guy like this guy be a part of this sport and spew the frustration (although he should have waited a day or two) that he and others who know how “rigged” this sport can get…I’m sick of everyone who thinks they know everything about raising a racehorse, breeding,training, etc. — you don’t know the 1/2 of it! So instead of ridiculing him as a poor sport, give him the decency of actually trying to do something out of the box!

[Hunter_s_Rest]

It’s just 3 races randomly linked together. Not a ‘tournament’ per se Briddy. Look up the TC history - it wasn’t created as a ‘series’, only made thus when someone noticed how cool it was when Sir Barton won them consecutively.
I give the owner a bye b/c of the heat of the moment too.
I bet some heavies lean on him tonight and he comes out with a tearful apology later.
By the way – Tonalist has tons of Virginia links!!! There was an echo of lustful throaty cheering in my 'hood just now!!!

[monstrpony]

Yes, but what would motivate the owners of the other horses to stay in the campaign when they have no chance of winning? Once they don’t win the Derby, why continue with a somewhat strenuous “campaign”? Of course there are going to be fresh horses in the other TC races, they’re significant races in their own right.

[tootles]

Secretariat went against four horses in the belmont. Sham ran all races, twice a prince only the derby. The other two were new.

[JGHIRETIRE]

Only 4 horses total - that was a huge difference than what happens these days.

[QUOTE=tootles;7613102]
Secretariat went against four horses in the belmont. Sham ran all races, twice a prince only the derby. The other two were new.[/QUOTE]

[Drvmb1ggl3]

[QUOTE=tootles;7613102]
Secretariat went against four horses in the belmont. Sham ran all races, twice a prince only the derby. The other two were new.[/QUOTE]

Yes, and both Affirmed and Slew faced fresh horses and/or horses that horses that skipped either the Derby or the Preakness.

Coburn needs to STFU.

[Keribeau]

Surely he can be excused as his horse had just lost the biggest prize in TB racing. I am sure all concerned had been on a roller coaster ride the past five weeks. CC is still a lovely horse and achieved great victories. We are all disappointed that the Cinderella story did not have the happy ending we hoped. But all the horses made it through safely, and that is what is important.

[rcloisonne]

Shows HIS lack of “breeding”.

[Beaver_Breeze]

[QUOTE=IronwoodFarm;7613071]
The Triple Crown wouldn’t be worth much as an accomplishment under Mr. Coburn’s scenario. I agree that the vent was badly timed but you can’t really complain about the rules after the fact.[/QUOTE]

Oh, he complained about them before the fact, too. A preemptive strike, if you will. Still inappropriate. Either you’re good enough or you’re not. And never disrespect the one who beats you.

[SquishTheBunny]

I can 100% understand his upset, and it was most definitely emotional for him. However, saying that, his comments were rude and uncalled for.

The TC has never been just for the horses who ran in the derby and Preakness. If that was the case, there would be very few entries in the Belmont. Thus, it would lead to the TC being a common “win” and not an extraordinary feat.

I should hope he will comment in the future, and congratulate the winner. “Totilas” (I heard that too lol), is a nice horse, regardless of lack of previous performances.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

[QUOTE=SquishTheBunny;7613125]
I can 100% understand his upset, and it was most definitely emotional for him. However, saying that, his comments were rude and uncalled for.

The TC has never been just for the horses who ran in the derby and Preakness. If that was the case, there would be very few entries in the Belmont. Thus, it would lead to the TC being a common “win” and not an extraordinary feat.

I should hope he will comment in the future, and congratulate the winner. “Totilas” (I heard that too lol), is a nice horse, regardless of lack of previous performances.[/QUOTE]

Tonalist, and he was a very impressive winner of the Peter Pan Stakes 4 weeks ago.

[jenm]

[QUOTE=ake987;7613075]

ETA: What comment of Costas is being referred to? I must have missed it.[/QUOTE]

Costas asked Tonalist’s owner what he thought about Coburn’s remark about how entering horses in only the Belmont is cowardly. The owner handled it quite well by saying he didn’t care to comment.

Coburn should have taken a deep breath and said he would be available for questions later after he digests his disappointment. He didn’t have to give the interview.

But we can all sure as heck bet he wouldn’t have made remarks about the TC being “unfair” if California Chrome had won!

[equescool]

The trainer was a class act, clapping for the winner. The jockey said horse had no go juice when asked.

I believe that all the previous triple crown winners have raced under these same rules. Nice horse with no gas to finish. Too bad, but simply a fact.

I read somewhere that Coburn has been married five times.

[JanM]

Poor sportsmanship by Coburn, and Costas.

The Totilas remark reminds me of that Scandinavian TV commercial, that showed some men who bought the most expensive horse in the world as a racer. When the horse comes out of the starting gate he’s doing dressage.

[OneGrayPony]

Coburn is exactly what he is. It didnot surprise me.

It will take an amazing animal to win. I hope to see one (I was 2 when Affirmed did). It isn’t fair, and it isn’t supposed to be. The races still bring me to tears.

Someday.

[Beaver_Breeze]

[QUOTE=jenm;7613136]

But we can all sure as heck bet he wouldn’t have made remarks about the TC being “unfair” if California Chrome had won![/QUOTE]

He was complaining about it before the Belmont. Had he won, I’m sure he’d have been crowing about how they “tried to derail him, but failed.”

[vineyridge]

I wonder if the decline of winter racing in Florida has anything to do with the lack of a Triple Crown winner?

[DownYonder]

[QUOTE=RhythmNCruise;7613074]
The horse, the trainer, and the jockey are class acts. Coburn? Not so much. He lived up to the image on those silks today.

(Did any dressage peeps keep hearing “Totilas” instead of “Tonalist”?? Hee hee)[/QUOTE]

Yep, and yep. The whole CC story was kind of interesting, and it would have been fun if they had won the whole shebang. But they didn’t. A class act would have just shrugged and said “that’s horse racing”. But a class act Coburn isn’t - as he proved today. I lost all respect for him after his bitter diatrabe, where he pronounced the connections of the winning horse as “cowards”, and I really detest the guy now for snapping at his wife when she tried to calm him down. I will have to go back and watch the video replay, but I think he told her in effect to “shut up.” What an a****** - maybe the Kentucky folks had him pegged right all along.