Quest for the Triple Crown

#1
TXA&M07

TXA&M07

Roll the dice....
Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
28,752
Likes
287
#1
So we've seen the Derby and now the Preakness. Belmont is all that's left.

Looked at the odds prior to the post time this weekend and there was no way to cash in on California Chrome for the win.

Really had faith in the Baffert horse but I misjudged that completely. Ride On Curlin looked tough till the end but didn't have anything left.

So now we're looking at the first since 78 and I think it may happen depending on how he's taking on the trip. The Belmont is historically a "jockey's race".

Anyone else remotely excited about the possibility of finally getting another member of the triple crown frat?

This reminds me of Real Quiet back in the late 90's personally.
 
#3
#3
nasal strip was approved apparently. Really doubt they would have scratched him if they didn't allow it. The card looks like this as of today:

Horse/owner/trainer

CALIFORNIA CHROME

Steven Coburn & Perry Martin
Art Sherman


COMMANDING CURVE

West Point Thoroughbreds
Dallas Stewart


COMMISSIONER

WinStar Farm
Todd Pletcher


DANZA

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
Todd Pletcher


INTENSE HOLIDAY

Starlight Racing
Todd Pletcher


KID CRUZ

Vina Del Mar Tb's & Black Swan Stb.
Linda Rice


RIDE ON CURLIN

Daniel J. Dougherty
William Gowan


SAMRAAT

My Meadowview Farm
Richard Violette, Jr.


SOCIAL INCLUSION

Rontos Racing Stable
Manuel Azpurua


TONALIST

Robert S. Evans
Christophe Clement


WICKED STRONG

Centennial Farm
James Jerkens
 
#5
#5
I really want it to happen, but I'm afraid it will be more of what we've seen in the last 2 decades. You've got a lot of the Derby horses, who sat out The Preakness for rest, back in the field for Belmont. Plus, Chrome is an early speed horse, and having to run 1-1/2 mile does not favor his running style. He would have to get out to a huge lead because he's going to fade towards the end. I just don't think he'll have enough in the tank to do that, especially with the majority of the horses being on fresher legs.
 
#6
#6
Caught some analyst commentary this a.m. and its all swirling around "when" they turn Chrome loose. Too early and he'll fizzle, too late and he'll be playing catch up which is not the type of race he excels at. I follow the ponies a bit but I'm no pro handicapper. I'd suggest taking him to at least show. I like Danza, and I like Ride on Curlin a lot. Samraat would be a dark horse for me.

My Super HI5 would include all of those listed above with Boston Strong coming in 5th. Still unsure how that top 4 would be placed in my ticket though.
 
#8
#8
I'm excited about watching it...hopefully he is in it til the end and not out of it right at the get go...plus, Dang Todd Pletcher is busy...
 
#14
#14
bamacheats said:
He's an outcast in the sport for sure. I get his point, but he knew it going in. Sour grapes.
Click to expand...

It's dumb of him to be whining. His horse wasn't up to going the mile and a half. He'd have an argument if he'd run second to a horse that sat out the other two, but he finished 4th and got beat or tied multiple horses that had run at least one of the other legs.

There's a reason it's been 35 years since any horse has won the Triple Crown, it's because it requires being the fastest in three different lengths of races. These owners have untold thousands of dollars invested in these horses, and if they think you can get a big payday and start recouping some of that cash by hanging out on the sidelines till their horse's best distance comes up, then more power to them.
 
#15
#15
There's a reason its been 36 years since the last TC winner.CC is a good horse but what people need to realize is that Affirmed,Secretariat and other TC winners had to run against horses with fresh legs. That the thing that makes them special. His horse had an incredible run,and I think he would've won but I think his jockey didn't run a very good race and hat hurt him
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#17
#17
mr.checkerboards said:
There's a reason its been 36 years since the last TC winner.CC is a good horse but what people need to realize is that Affirmed,Secretariat and other TC winners had to run against horses with fresh legs. That the thing that makes them special. His horse had an incredible run,and I think he would've won but I think his jockey didn't run a very good race and hat hurt him
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Isn't there also a lot more horses competing now? I thought I read the field for the races back for the last TC winner was much smaller than they are now.

I think we have a better chance of seeing an undefeated NFL team and a Grand Slam in golf than seeing another TC winner.
 
#18
#18
Coburn is an outsider in this sport. His comments immediately following the race were ill advised and should not have been made. In the heat of defeat, he should have kept his thoughts to himself. What was worse was backing them up again the day after, once he had time to cool off. Its sad that it painted a darker cloud over the entire ordeal honestly.

If he would have placed some blame on the trip the jockey gave his horse, I'd been ok with it. Moving him to the outside after turn 3 took him out of the $ and Ray Charles coulda seen that.

Now you've got a scorned owner who wants the rules to change because his pony got out ran.

The sport of Kings, and one sore chump.
 
#19
#19
mr.checkerboards said:
There's a reason its been 36 years since the last TC winner.CC is a good horse but what people need to realize is that Affirmed,Secretariat and other TC winners had to run against horses with fresh legs. That the thing that makes them special. His horse had an incredible run,and I think he would've won but I think his jockey didn't run a very good race and hat hurt him
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

I disagree about the jockey having a bad race. He knew he was running against fresher horses, and he was trying to save CC as long as he could. The way the race unfolded was the best possible scenario for CC, he just didn't have enough juice to finish the job.
 
#20
#20
He put him on the outside after he enjoyed a clean trip for the majority of the race. The jockey messed that up, and then he got walked down by the pack. Plain and simple.

You're in the 2 slot. You have exactly what you need from the start. No race debris in his face, no threat of getting bullied to the outside, and you let that horse get walked down because you chose to take him off the rail. It was a dumb move.
 
#21
#21
TXA&M07 said:
He put him on the outside after he enjoyed a clean trip for the majority of the race. The jockey messed that up, and then he got walked down by the pack. Plain and simple.

You're in the 2 slot. You have exactly what you need from the start. No race debris in his face, no threat of getting bullied to the outside, and you let that horse get walked down because you chose to take him off the rail. It was a dumb move.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Knowing other horses were fresher, he was going to have to spend too much keeping him out in front. He wasn't going to win in either scenario, though.
 
#23
#23
I just watched the replay again and tried to break down each segment. Here is what I see:

Gates open and he's off the rail by one horse width.

The pack establishes itself and 2 horses to his immediate right are right there with him.

By the second turn General A-Rod, Commissioner, and Tonalist move in front of him from the right side. He's directly behind one of them on the rail still with more turns coming.

Between 1:19 - 1:23 Commissioner runs directly in front of him guarding the rail while leading.

At 1:24, Victor moves him off the rail 3 widths. (Here I'm thinking this is ok, he'll split the two in front of him and bully his way back to the inside when he gets his first few strides in front of Commissioner.)

At 3/4 of a mile through, 1:42 on the clock, he has moved him 5 widths off the rail, and to the outside of all the leaders. (Why? Commissioner was getting pressure from his right and trying to push the pack that direction, thus leaving the rail open now.)

By the last turn Chrome was in 5th, off the rail by a huge distance, and sucking dirt from the eventual winner who was now moving to his left.

The last stretch was nothing but spurs, whips, and hope.
 
#24
#24
TXA&M07 said:
He was ridden to 4th. We're just going to disagree my friend.
Click to expand...

Commissioner was just ridden to game Chrome whichever way he went IMO. Had he pushed to the lead early, Commissioner was going to ride right with him to make exert as much energy as possible.

As far as taking him off the rail, I don't remember him having that much room to the inside, but maybe he did. At that point, he wasn't going to win whether he took him inside or outside.

Bottom line, no matter what the jockey did, Chrome wasn't going to win that race IMO.
 
Last edited:
#25
#25
I don't know how widely it has been published, but California Chrome sustained an injury coming out of the starting gate. It may have been minor but the horse to his right stepped on Chrome's right front foot as they left the starting line. California Chrome "was to be flown back to California with his injured hoof bandaged and cushioned."
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top