OT: triple crown

[eddief]

I know just about 0 about horse racing. Found it interesting what the owner of California Chrome was saying after that bad boy lost today. That is that his horse ran in all 3 races and was challenged today and lost today to horses that only ran in the Belmont. Makes me wonder if Chrome would have won today if he raced only against horses that had run in the other 2 races.

[rab]

Interesting, I know about the same amount about horse racing but caught Coburn's diatribe at the end. He definitely seemed pissed, but while I feel for his stance, I can also see the point in running your horse and giving it the best chance to win. Since there isn't a requirement that they run all three of the Triple Crown events, then why run a shorter course when they are better suited for the longer distance like the Belmont. Rest/train them for their best shot and take it.

He makes a good point that there may not be another triple crown winner if horses can sit out races/focus on one event, but I guess if the rules allow it then so it goes?
Reminds me of the criticism some pro road racers have taken for only concentrating on the grand tours and not classics in some ways.

[firerescuefin]

There's a reason it's been 35 + years since it (the triple crown) has been won.

[pbarry]

...Reminds me of the criticism some pro road racers have taken for only concentrating on the grand tours and not classics in some ways.

Concentrating on the whole season, not just Le Tour was my first thought after the horse race.

[flydhest]

we would be pressed if someone could win the Giro, te Tour, and the Vuelta in the same year. if contestants had to race all three, it would be impressive, but less so. The fact that people try to win just one is part of what makes it a feat.

[Elefantino]

Sore loser.

It's always been that way. Always will be. Take your millions from stud fees and shut the hell up.

It's not supposed to be easy, or fair.

Big baby.

[wc1934]

Sore loser.

It's always been that way. Always will be. Take your millions from stud fees and shut the hell up.

It's not supposed to be easy, or fair.

Big baby.

PLUS 1. (Previous triple crown winners won under these same rules).
His wife tried to tell him that he was acting like a sore looser and crybaby (or something to that effect) and he turned an snapped at her.
After that outbust I am glad his horse did not win.

[Louis]

So the last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed, in 1978, thirty six years ago. If we go say, another 14 years without a winner to make it a round 50 years, compared to the previous gap of 25 years between 1948 and 1973, I'd say something has fundamentally changed in horse racing. Maybe more parity, maybe different strategies on the part of the challengers, who knows. I'm no expert.

[wc1934]

So the last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed, in 1978, thirty six years ago. If we go say, another 14 years without a winner to make it a round 50 years, compared to the previous gap of 25 years between 1948 and 1973, I'd say something has fundamentally changed in horse racing. Maybe more parity, maybe different strategies on the part of the challengers, who knows. I'm no expert.

I read an article that suggested that todays horses are more pampered and not accustomed to the grind and workload necessary to win the triple.
Article compared them to baseball pitchers of today, who have a pitch count (usually don't go over 100), rarely pitch complete games and pitch every 5th day.

[Cat3roadracer]

That horse was tired. Didn't have a chance on short rest.

[rounder]

I agree. He was a sore loser. I thought it was really hard to win the triple crown, but he had already won the first two races.

The horses are considered less durable today, and many of the trainers chose to not ride in the Preakness...what's wrong with that.

California Chrome raced a good race, but lost.

The owner griped that only anyone (horse) running in the derby, should be able to race in the Preakness and Belmont. His horse lost to a better/well rested horse. If his horse had won, he may have been worth $100 mill. His horse lost but will still be worth $umpty.ump mill.

His gripe was that there will never be another triple crown winner because future horses will decide to sit out of the Preakness if they do not win the Derby.

Who cares. If the horse is not great enough to win all three races regardless, winning the triple crown should not matter much.

No offense to the horses...they knocked themselves out.

[Louis]

I know horses, especially thoroughbreds, like to run around a bit, but are they at all competitive? Are they competing against each other, or do they just do what the jockey urges them to do because that's what they've been trained to do? Do they care if they come in first or last, or are we just imputing human characteristics onto critters that don't give a d@mn about stuff that may or may not be important to humans?

[Uncle Jam's Army]

I know horses quite a bit. Used to muck stables when I was a little kid wanting to be a jockey (hah, fat chance of that ever happening as it turned out). I saw Affirmed win the Triple Crown and saw him race eight times in California. And yes, horses are highly competitive animals. Just go see weanlings run around trying to be the leader. They'll keep running even when injured.

Though I cheered on California Chrome throughout this whole Triple Crown, I knew it was a longshot that he would get a mile and a half today. Horses today simply aren't bred for it and particularly not California Chrome (out of a Not for Love mare).

It's too bad that Coburn decided to act like a little baby because nobody ever used his excuse before. Spectacular Bid (a truly great horse) lost his Triple Crown bid a year after Affirmed won when Coastal beat him in the Belmont after not having raced in any of the other Triple Crown races (coincidentally, Coastal won the Peter Pan prior to the Belmont, just like Tonalist). The Bid's connections didn't begrudge Coastal his due, though they did use the "our horse stepped on a pin this morning" excuse. Funny Cide's connections didn't use Coburn's excuse, either, when Empire Maker skipped the Preakness and beat Funny Cide (another horse not bred to get a mile and a half) in the Belmont to thwart another Triple Crown attempt.

California Chrome outran his pedigree and made for a great story, particularly for Cal-breds. The owner's little boy tantrum detracts from the great story.

[verticaldoug]

[QUOTE=Uncle Jam's Army;1562275
California Chrome outran his pedigree and made for a great story, particularly for Cal-breds. The owner's little boy tantrum detracts from the great story.[/QUOTE]

http://www.pedigreequery.com/california+chrome

If you go back in Chrome's pedigree, he has some pretty decent lines on the both stud/mare side. You have bold reuler- seattle slew - A.P Indiy line. Some secretariat, some Northern Dancer, Native Dancer. The horse is not the mutt people make it out to be . .

The Triple Crown is great for popular imagination, but I prefer the breeder's cup for racing. The horses are more mature and not the babies like we have here.

[rnhood]

When the race management at Belmont was deciding whether to allow an exception to Cal Chrome on the breathing strip/apparatus issue, the owner threatened to not run Belmont if he couldn't use the strip.

If the owner doesn't like the standard race protocol that's been in effect for decades, then he should not run his horse.

Bitter loser.

[oldpotatoe]

I know just about 0 about horse racing. Found it interesting what the owner of California Chrome was saying after that bad boy lost today. That is that his horse ran in all 3 races and was challenged today and lost today to horses that only ran in the Belmont. Makes me wonder if Chrome would have won today if he raced only against horses that had run in the other 2 races.

Horse needs a better doctor....

All the guys racing the TdF have to have the same number of racing days before the start.

[Uncle Jam's Army]

http://www.pedigreequery.com/california+chrome

If you go back in Chrome's pedigree, he has some pretty decent lines on the both stud/mare side. You have bold reuler- seattle slew - A.P Indiy line. Some secretariat, some Northern Dancer, Native Dancer. The horse is not the mutt people make it out to be . .

The Triple Crown is great for popular imagination, but I prefer the breeder's cup for racing. The horses are more mature and not the babies like we have here.

I read all about California Chrome's pedigree earlier this year as he was going through the California prep races. I also saw California Chrome's sire (Lucky Pulpit) and his broodmare sire (Not for Love) race and nothing in either of their race performances indicated an ability to get a mile and an eighth, much less a mile and a quarter. Sure there is A.P. Indy and Mr. Prospector in there, but I certainly wouldn't have chosen a Not For Love mare if I was thinking classic distances in breeding.

If you compare California Chrome's pedigree to that of the Belmont winner Tonalist (by Tapit out of a Pleasant Colony mare), you'd take Tonalist every time if we're just talking pedigree to get a mile and a half. Again, I love California Chrome's story and will continue to root for him. But I had my doubts about his ability to get a mile and a half.

More importantly, his owner made an ass out of himself calling the horses and their owners that beat him "goddamn cheaters." Just wish he would have shown some more class in defeat.

[ptourkin]

Horse needs a better doctor....

All the guys racing the TdF have to have the same number of racing days before the start.

Talk about a dirty "sport" - there are over 26 substances that can legally be injected in these unwilling athletes. A measurable percentage of them will die or have a premature end to their careers due to injuries and overuse inflicted on them. "Pampered" indeed. Ban the whole thing.

[eddief]

which unwilling athletes?

Talk about a dirty "sport" - there are over 26 substances that can legally be injected in these unwilling athletes. A measurable percentage of them will die or have a premature end to their careers due to injuries and overuse inflicted on them. "Pampered" indeed. Ban the whole thing.

[ptourkin]

It should have been in quotes - the horses. The jockeys dope willingly.

[93legendti]

Did he cramp up?:D

[eddief]

All they do is sit there and the horse does all the work. No? Although, I guess being completely numb when you crash could be a good thing.

It should have been in quotes - the horses. The jockeys dope willingly.

[ptourkin]

http://horseracingwrongs.com/2014/06/08/california-chrome-mercilessly-whipped-while-injured/

[Louis]

Ban the whole thing.

+1

One a lighter note: can you imagine a horse's response after he's been caught doping - "Must have been the tainted cyclist they slipped into my feed."