The Triple Crowning Achievement

[ruaff]

And Antley (God rest his soul) was a saint? Far from it.

[newyorkmary]

Majxmom - well said, I am with you.

I also want to note how enjoyable it was to read this thread where people strongly disagree but no one has been anything but respectful of the other side's opinion.

[Coaltown]

Spex you left out the allowance race that he won at Gulfstream prior to the FL Derby. I am biased becasue I am a BB fan but why do so many have to bring up Secretariat when comparing this horse. Just because some think he is great people shouldn't automatically assume that they are placing him in the same league with Big Red. Many think Count Fleet was a GREAT horse. He won Triple Crown by winning the Belmont by 25 lengths and never raced again. So by some people's logic he can not be considered great because he never faced older horses. Also, I don't understand why everyone thinks Sham is so great he ran a great second in the fastest Derby but if you look at his resume you will see he only won two stakes races in his career and none of them after the Derby. Which also means he never beat older horses you can not truly judge a crop until they have several seasons to run. JMO

[larrygene]

Very good points, coaltown!!!

[spex4me]

Alright you guys I am going to have to put a disclaimer in my siggy. "All information in these statistics may not be complete and or accurate".

I just used Secretariat because over and over I hear Big Brown is just like Big Red (not saying here but all over the place). ummmmm me thinks there is a wee bit of a racing record to contend differently.
Like I said if he turns in a cooker of a time then I will hand out Kudo's as deserved.

and who do you speak of COUNT who?? lol

[Dave C]

You make my point Coaltown: Secretariat was not great because of who he beat in the TC, it's how he ran against older horses in the summer that marks him as great. If he had run up the track against older horses, people would talk about his lack of class (setting track records against little boys but wilting when he had to look the men in the eyes). It is replicating the performance against the best horses that validates the TC performances as legitimate. Same can be said with Seattle Slew, maybe the TC fields were weak, but he validated 'his' performance against older horses. Win or lose the Belmont, I'll consider BB a 'great' horse if he wins the BC Classic. I don't believe in using the title 'great' lightly. (They promised us Smarty Jones would run after the Belmont, so I'll believe BB will run after the Belmont when I see him run.)

[Mali]

I think, like most who hope BB doesn't win, it has less to do with the horse and more to do with his connections.

They embody everything I dislike about the sport and the direction in which the sport is headed. By winning the TC, it would validate the immoral and short-sighted decisions that is driving the sport and the breed to be a shadow of what it once was to many.

Again, no one wishes ill-will to the horse, but remaining a dual Classic winner or holding the TC title will not effect the horse's every day life or contentment, but it can have very real negative effects on how the sport is handled financially and personally, and by whom.

Larry, you talk about waiting 30 years to see a TC winner. Think of the sport in 30 years if connections like BB's are the ones holding the most prizes and clout at the end of the day. It wont be the sport we all know and love and there probably wont be room for most of us in it.

[Still Dreaming]

I think, like most who hope BB doesn't win, it has less to do with the horse and more to do with his connections.

They embody everything I dislike about the sport and the direction in which the sport is headed. By winning the TC, it would validate the immoral and short-sighted decisions that is driving the sport and the breed to be a shadow of what it once was to many.

Again, no one wishes ill-will to the horse, but remaining a dual Classic winner or holding the TC title will not effect the horse's every day life or contentment, but it can have very real negative effects on how the sport is handled financially and personally, and by whom.

Larry, you talk about waiting 30 years to see a TC winner. Think of the sport in 30 years if connections like BB's are the ones holding the most prizes and clout at the end of the day. It wont be the sport we all know and love and there probably wont be room for most of us in it.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Barbaro06]

My co-workers asked me about the last winner of the Triple Crown. I gladly recounted all the races Affirmed and Alydar went hoof to hoof in. When I mentioned the 1978 Belmont, I got a shiver. That race, 30 years later, still gives me goosebumps....good goosebumps...and reminds me of how my love of the sport began...

I don't think I will watch the race tomorrow. I may occupy my day helping out at the barn.

[majxmom]

Barbaro, who are you kidding? You're going to be sitting in your TV room, feeling despondent about the state of racing, when a big brown blur will open up 20 lengths on the field. People will be going crazy in the stands. Tom Durkin will yell something that brings tears to your eyes. And you will say, "Thank God I didn't miss this." C'mon!!

[Nancy T]

I don't get it, this horse has destroyed the competition in two classic races and still you want him to get beat? not good enough to be a TC winner? what about Sir Barton, known Hop Horse from all historical accounts and I am certain I read years ago that Secretariats fertility was in question at first due to steroids he was given. I hope that he beats the field by 20 lengths! I am really looking forward to the race.

[larrygene]

Mali, you have brought up some good points. Everyone has focused on BB connections instead of the horse. I can't figure out if they dislike the owners and trainer because of their background ,or, how they acquired BB or both!! And what has their business model have to do with liking them and their horse. Partnerships are being put together as we write. They are calling it a hedge fund, wall streets name for a high risk partnership!!! You either win big or lose big!!! That's the way it's been in the racing game forever!!!

You know, no one has brought up anything about Shiek Maktum going and buying up the best horses all over the world. I believe there is an article in the BH about him or his brothers buying up horses in South America. Not one peep from anyone about them buying Fasig-Tipton. The ones here that think people are getting away with murder should stop ranting over BB and look at who will be owning the sales, farms, tracks and the best sires in the world. They have all the money and at $140/barrel for oil have the ability to control the racing world. If there is someone to be cautious of it could be the Arabs. They are trying to buy the Derby and the TC by buying up every good young horse today. Wake up folks!!!!!

[majxmom]

BB is a nice, beautiful horse, but has an absolutely horrible egotistical jockey. JMO.

There's a good article about Desormeaux in Saturday's form. He talks about some of his biggest mistakes. He sounded pretty humble. I know he was brash and really off-putting when he was young, but I think he's matured and that often happens when you have a handicapped child. Give him a second look. I think he's put that all behind him.

[majxmom]

I fervently hope Casino Drive wins. It would be just the most amazing hat trick for Better Than Honour. THAT would make history.

I know you'll see it, madelyn, but also a very good article in saturday's form about Better Than Honour.

[Tucumcari]

Majxmom - well said, I am with you.

I also want to note how enjoyable it was to read this thread where people strongly disagree but no one has been anything but respectful of the other side's opinion.

Can I say how nice it is to see some new and fresh faces!