Those participating in the Triple Crown need to review the rules. Sorry, but, Chrome was the better horse. He ran the longest distance and had the heart to do it.
It is easier to train for the Belmont while other thoroughbreds are paying their dues to finish in the highest honor of thoroughbred horse racing. I am not changing my mind about this.
ESPN.com news service.
June 8, 2014
...Before a crowd (click here) of tens of thousands hoping to see history, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner finished in a dead-heat for fourth with Wicked Strong. California Chrome's loss extended the longest drought without a Triple Crown champion to 36 years. Then, in an interview with Yahoo! Sports Saturday, Coburn called the horses that skipped the first two races of the Triple Crown and just raced in the Belmont Stakes "cheaters" who took the "coward's way out."
This isn't about good sportsmanship. This isn't a high school win. This is about big bucks, but, more importantly it is about the breed.
Sportsmanship is an excuse to avoid the topic. While Chrome is the most valuable thoroughbred as a three year old and needs to retire to stud, he was unable to secure his rightful title.
The other horses entering the Belmont while standing outside the Triple Crown are there to pay monies to the track and registry to participate. They have a purpose. It is about money. The bragging rights is that if the winner of the Belmont had only won the other two the Triple Crown would have been won this year. The winner of the Belmont was not the best horse on the track.
If the winner of the Belmont is not the best horse on the track and yet was able to defeat the Triple Crown Winner due to strategy, we are back to pumping lasix and pain killers into horses again. We will return to lousy breed lines that will once again destroy the breed.
The registry needs to look at what it is doing and improve the quality of the race to be sure the breed is getting stronger and not weaker.
It is easier to train for the Belmont while other thoroughbreds are paying their dues to finish in the highest honor of thoroughbred horse racing. I am not changing my mind about this.
ESPN.com news service.
June 8, 2014
...Before a crowd (click here) of tens of thousands hoping to see history, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner finished in a dead-heat for fourth with Wicked Strong. California Chrome's loss extended the longest drought without a Triple Crown champion to 36 years. Then, in an interview with Yahoo! Sports Saturday, Coburn called the horses that skipped the first two races of the Triple Crown and just raced in the Belmont Stakes "cheaters" who took the "coward's way out."
This isn't about good sportsmanship. This isn't a high school win. This is about big bucks, but, more importantly it is about the breed.
Sportsmanship is an excuse to avoid the topic. While Chrome is the most valuable thoroughbred as a three year old and needs to retire to stud, he was unable to secure his rightful title.
The other horses entering the Belmont while standing outside the Triple Crown are there to pay monies to the track and registry to participate. They have a purpose. It is about money. The bragging rights is that if the winner of the Belmont had only won the other two the Triple Crown would have been won this year. The winner of the Belmont was not the best horse on the track.
If the winner of the Belmont is not the best horse on the track and yet was able to defeat the Triple Crown Winner due to strategy, we are back to pumping lasix and pain killers into horses again. We will return to lousy breed lines that will once again destroy the breed.
The registry needs to look at what it is doing and improve the quality of the race to be sure the breed is getting stronger and not weaker.
