They're already jacked with Equipose, Winstrol, and sometime Fina(well Chrome claims steroid free). The TC is for 3 year olds only. The average race horses hooves couldn't hold up to years and years of racing, nor could their heart most likely.
I see California owner's point, and it's a legitimate one, but I also know horse racing is a business and owners need to make money. How long does a horse need to be fully rested? Give them a month between if need be. Let the best horses enter each race, and then if there's a triple crown they earned it each leg of the way in different track lengths and conditions.
The Reality is, That is How the game/ Sport is Played. You Pick and choose the races
having the best racing against the Best is what we call a match race. They just don't run these Match races anymore, and they hardly did them to begin with.
Horses get hurt or even Killed ( see ruffian )
Thoroughbreds are NOT breed to race every 2-3 weeks. So you can add that to the list why they should at least change it to Every 3-4 weeks in between Triple Crown Races.
But to tell you the truth, don't think it would have helped CC yesterday.
au contraire mon fraire
He did say it before the Belmont. In fact before the Derby. how do I know. Well Ill tell ya...
I was in Louisville OAKS morning, driving to a hotel to pick up my Oaks tickets through a stub hub sale
Of course catching Louisville radio horse racing local coverage which is on non stop Derby weekend...
One of the local radio stations Had an interview with Steve (I don’t recall if it was syndicated type radio show or a local sports radio show ) and in that interview that morning they asked him about his statements about he is winning the Derby and even the Triple Crown. In that interview (radio) that day he said the exact same thing about the triple crown, the Belmont, needs to change, only horse that run in the first races should have a chance in the Belmont, new horses coming in late make this task unfair to the horses and connections attempting what the sport is seeking, and his feelings is that this needs to change.... very direct… it was strange to hear actually.... It also is not an opinion that I agree with but I heard it, adsorbed it, the two guys interviewing were a bit taken back as you normally don’t get a real interview in anything these days its just jargon and political correct, They discussed it a bit after the interview ended so it got their attention some also…Ive been thinking about it lots since that morning…
Now when I heard that great open brash interview OAKS morning I was thinking WOW this will be an interesting year for the Triple Crown, and Chrome connections with this not afraid to state his opinion wild card co owner). I figured well if Americal Sports gave Sherman a partial pass I think this guy will get through it also but I was not sure… I was already feeling like many that he was going to win the Derby, Preakness sets up great for him and then the Belmont buildup will be interesting with this as one of the backdrops......
but unlike what ANYONE has reported about Steve and his opinions he was and did say this BEFORE the Derby....and to the Press...SO I was not even the smallest amount surprised on the in your face 3 minutes after this huge emotional event that NBC sticking a mic in front of him got those direct post race comments again, which again stated the same opinion on the process I heard 5 weeks 1 day earlier. But this time included “cowards” and more heat of the long battle phrases which were unfortunate and I thought inappropriate by Steve.
While I wish he would have been rehearsed a bit more by him those are his actual thoughts.
So sorry haters, there was no Sour grapes at all... so now Ya know...
and I can also say if they had won the Crown he would have said the same thing again, if you want these spaced maybe 35 years apart stay with this format but for the improvement of the sport change some things as his opinion...
. Lots more horse racing discussion next week or so and his consistent opinion and holding to it.
you can debate the opinion but now you know the truth...
Yes agree it is a very good post. and I had no idea he bitched before.
It still doesn't help him because he knew what he was getting into ( the format of the Triple Crown )
I will again use the same example as I posted in another Thread. Kid Cruz could have raced in the Belmont Yesterday but the owners or Trainer decided to skip and run in a Stakes race for $150K, and it paid off. because he Won it.
Quit bitching. The Triple Crown is supposed to be a grueling test. The format has been the same for a zillion years. California Chrome wasn't good enough to win the Triple Crown. Period. He's a great horse amongst his three year old peers this year, but that's it. He's not a great horse when compared to the great horses in horse racing history. Why would you want a less than great horse to stand amongst the greats? Just so you can witness a Triple Crown winner? That's stupid and selfish. Be patient. You'll see one. And he will be a great horse.
I agree with most everybody here that CC wasn't a great horse. So what about the last 36 years, no horses good enough in that time span either? Seems highly unlikely when the longest the span between Triple Crown winners before this was 25 years. If we have another 10-20 years go by without a winner, will it still be a coincidence we haven't had a winner and nothing needs to change?
Medal Count ran in the KY Darby....Mr.Coburn....he beat you as well....still not sure of the photo either giving you a dead heat for 4th...with another KY Darby colt as well...maybe take any shred of dignity left and take a cue from your jock and trainer....2 humble people...who congratulated the connex of Tonalist....be very interested to hear what Perry Martin has to say....and if anyone else needs to chime in and give their two bits just call up Steve yourself anti or in support of him, he was nice enough to give out his # for the world...775-901-3922 on GMA yesterday....cheers
Anyone who defends CC owner must not be a real race horse fan, the guy made a complete ass out of himself. In 1982 Woody Stephens had the best 3 year old in the US, he had hoped the horse would run in the 1982 Kentucky Derby but he was kept out by a leg injury that wasn't healing to the point where his trainer was satisfied it would be completely safe. When Conquistador Cielo also missed the Preakness but when the horse was finally fit in the 1982 Belmont Stakes, Conquistador Cielo defeated the opposition, beating Kentucky Derby champion Gato Del Sol by 14 lengths.
Before the 1982 racing season was over, he was sold to a breeding syndicate for a then record price of $36.4 million. Conquistador Cielo's performances in 1982 earned him United States Champion 3 yr. old and Horse of the Year honors. Would California Chrome's
owner have said Woody Stephens took the 'Cowards way out'. Stephens waited until the leg injury healed & his horse was in tip top shape before unleashing him. Just one example about why some horses just aren't ready in early May for many reasons.
Steve Coburn and all the posters here claiming there will never be another Triple Crown winner in their lifetimes just sounds silly and dramatic. It's a drought, a 36 year droughts, thats all it is. Droughts happen in all forms of life. There was a huge gap in Triple Crown winners in baseball recently before Cabrera did it a couple years ago, It happens.
Horse Racing came incredibly close to having TWO Triple Crown winners in just the last 10 years!!
*Smarty Jones came within a length of winning it as he was caught from behind in the last furlong.. I still think he is going to win it every time I see the replay even though I know he loses in the end.
*Afleet Alex came close in the Derby when his jockey admitted he made a poor ride. Then easily won the Preakness and Belmont. So he didn't have much trouble with the grueling schedule.
There were also the other close calls mentioned in previous posts in this thread.
Horse Racing came incredibly close to having TWO Triple Crown winners in just the last 10 years!!
*Smarty Jones came within a length of winning it as he was caught from behind in the last furlong.. I still think he is going to win it every time I see the replay even though I know he loses in the end.
*Afleet Alex came close in the Derby when his jockey admitted he made a poor ride. Then easily won the Preakness and Belmont. So he didn't have much trouble with the grueling schedule.
There were also the other close calls mentioned in previous posts in this thread.
I think this 36 year period is more than just a drought. And there are some horse breeding experts out there who can back that up. Horses are becoming more and more bred for speed instead of the grueling one and a half mile distance of the Belmont. And they've pointed out time after time in the last 20 years where that last quarter mile was the difference maker. I don't ever see that part changing unless a very very special horse comes along like a Secretariat or Phar Lap that can overcome that distance combined with the many more fresh horses or lightly raced "ringers" they enter in the Belmont these days compared to the days of Secretariat. This year especially showed how difficult it is to overcome the Belmont, since this has to be one of the weakest years for 3 year olds that I've ever seen. If Chrome couldn't do it against this bunch, what chance does a future Triple Crown candidate have against what will certainly be a stronger group of horses? The modern day breeding methods more than anything is what is going to make the Triple Crown nearly impossible to achieve.
