[TheVillageChicken]

It would be a feel good shot in the arm for lots of Americans if the little fellow can do it. In thoroughbred circles, he is already the equivalent of a cur dog winning the Westminster Dog Show and was born in California to a filly deemed nervous and a stallion dismissed as washed up. We will see what the extra length does to him. Whatever happens, he has been good for the broadcasters (NBC) as the audience size is set to break records.

[LittleLatinaWife]

I am sure he is over bet. So for sure he is not a value to bet. WICKED STRONG will win Imo.

[TheVillageChicken]

He didn't win but the interview with the flamboyant owner revealed him to be a whiney assed sore loser.

[CFrance]

Well, don't take it out on the horse! Most animals are better behaved than their owners. I know mine are.

[shcisamax]

I agree the owner was a whiney sore loser. Very poor equestrian form.

[BarryRX]

Originally Posted by TheVillageChicken

He didn't win but the interview with the flamboyant owner revealed him to be a whiney assed sore loser.

I agree. The epitome of poor sportsmanship. There's something else I don't understand. I don't watch horse racing except for special races like this one, so I really don't know anything about the sport. Here's my question. Why would a horse that ran for 2 minutes 3 weeks ago be any more "tired" than a horse that didn't run in the Preakness. Have these horses been so specialized by breeding that they are really that frail?

[ilovetv]

While Chrome's owner lashed out like a sore loser, the point was that the Triple Crown indicates by the word "triple" that it is a series of three races. Sitting out and resting the horse during the first 2 races doesn't seem like a series completion.

The Belmont Stakes is an American grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) horse race, open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies carry 121 pounds (55 kg). The race, nicknamed The Test of the Champion, is the third and final leg of the U.S. Triple Crown. It follows five weeks after the Kentucky Derby, and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes, on a Saturday between June 5 and June 11. The 1973 Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown winner Secretariat holds the mile and a half stakes record (which is also a track and world record on dirt) of 2:24.

Belmont Stakes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

While Chrome's owner lashed out like a sore loser, the point was that the Triple Crown indicates by the word "triple" that it is a series of three races. Sitting out and resting the horse during the first 2 races doesn't seem like a series completion.

The Belmont Stakes is an American grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) horse race, open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies carry 121 pounds (55 kg). The race, nicknamed The Test of the Champion, is the third and final leg of the U.S. Triple Crown. It follows five weeks after the Kentucky Derby, and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes, on a Saturday between June 5 and June 11. The 1973 Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown winner Secretariat holds the mile and a half stakes record (which is also a track and world record on dirt) of 2:24.

Belmont Stakes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

How many horses that competed in the Belmont this year also ran in the other legs of the Triple Crown? I would also like to know the history of other winners if they ran all three of the races?

[redwitch]

California Chrome's owner had some very valid points. This is not a new complaint -- it is just the first time it has been said so vocally and so stridently.

It is hard on a horse to train for three races that close together. These are not short jaunts for a race horse. Imagine a distance runner training for the Olympics and the World to be run within a month of each other. The chances of winning the World would be slim -- the body hasn't fully recovered from the first race. Same thing with a Triple Crown horse. Please note that none of the horses that participated in the Preakness placed in Belmont. A fresh horse has a much better chance of winning and usually does.

I'm sorry Chrome didn't win but really didn't think it had a chance. Heck, I was surprised he won the Preakness. Chrome is a small horse. Secretariat was a big boy -- more stamina, more strength but I think Chrome showed a lot for heart.

The biggest problem if Coburn's wishes were followed would be that the Belmont would be a one-horse race. Why would owners put their horses through the strain and risk of injury when only one horse would be a contender for the Triple Crown? As it was, I think only three horses participated in all three races (Chrome, General A Rod, Ride on Curlin).

Even so, I think the bigger error was on the jockey -- Chrome is a front runner and loves the inside. Espinosa needed to either keep Chrome on the rail or start moving him earlier. His excuse that Chrome didn't feel right from the beginning doesn't seem true to me -- Chrome ran great when he was told to run.

[kathy and al]

Restricting the Preakness and Belmont Stakes to only the original 20 entries in the Kentucky Derby ( which is the suggestion by the owner of Calif. Chrome) is totally wrong. The chance of that happening in the future is zero.
He was obviously a sore loser and obviously caught up in the moment.
What has so dramatically changed in the horse racing industry that we have gone 36 years without a triple crown winner yet in the 70's we had 3 triple crown winners in 6 years?? Tough question.

[BarryRX]

I just think that the toughest trophy to win in sports should only go to a super horse. For me, the beauty of the Triple Crown is that it requires both speed and endurance. Nowadays horses are mainly bred for speed alone, which makes sense because most races are shorter than The Belmont. The winning times for the 1.5 mile Belmont Stakes have been getting slower and slower. Who knows if any horse will ever break Secreteriats record of 2:24, but shouldn't a triple crown winner be able to finish within 15 lenghts (about 3 seconds) of that time? Tonalist would have been about 20 lenghts back of Big Red.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by BarryRX

I just think that the toughest trophy to win in sports should only go to a super horse. For me, the beauty of the Triple Crown is that it requires both speed and endurance. Nowadays horses are mainly bred for speed alone, which makes sense because most races are shorter than The Belmont. The winning times for the 1.5 mile Belmont Stakes have been getting slower and slower. Who knows if any horse will ever break Secreteriat's record of 2:24, but shouldn't a triple crown winner be able to finish within 15 lengths (about 3 seconds) of that time? Tonalist would have been about 20 lengths back of Big Red.

https://espn.go.com/sportscentury/fe.../00016464.html

Interesting statistic. 2:24. Great movie, too.

[2BNTV]

Short answer is no.

There is something special in sports, when wanting to see something happen, that only happens, every 20, 30, 40 or years years or so.

Secretariat was a great horse that won the Belmont by 26 lenghts. We won't never see that kind of performance again!!!!

CA Chrome fell short of the mark. I'm not a horserace expert, but my impression is that CA Chrome needed to get out in front on the rail, where he felt more comfortable. I think he expended a lot of energy trying to get to the outside. If he could have stayed on the rail, maybe he would have had the energy to win.

Just sayin........

[shcisamax]

Originally Posted by redwitch

It is hard on a horse to train for three races that close together. These are not short jaunts for a race horse. Imagine a distance runner training for the Olympics and the World to be run within a month of each other. The chances of winning the World would be slim -- the body hasn't fully recovered from the first race. Same thing with a Triple Crown horse. Please note that none of the horses that participated in the Preakness placed in Belmont. A fresh horse has a much better chance of winning and usually does.

So true. And that is what makes a triple crown so spectacular.

[Biker Dog]

I also believe the horses should have to have raced in the first 2 races to be eligible to race in the Belmont. That would make it a fair and true TRIPLE CROWN race.

My thoughts only.