OT - Congrats California Chrome!

[Panama]

I know very little about horse racing or the Triple Crown, but I suspect Mister Hoarse would have a good shot at winning the Tipple Crown.






True story: When I was a teen dating my first girlfriend in La Mesa, I was at their home playing Trivial Pursuit. Her dad asked me to name which races make up the Triple Crown. I answered, "The Kentucky Derby, um... Belmont Stakes... um... um... Preakness... um......." And I writhed in agonized contortions, putting on quite the show for a full five minutes before blurting out, "I give up! I can't remember the fourth one!" They had managed to keep straight faces through all this but finally had a good laugh at my expense.

[Panamamike]

There are some good arguements to make changes is all I'm saying. It sounds like panamamike knows the sport pretty good, and he's solidly against any change. But, to play devils advocate, I agree with the writer in that to bring more attention to the sport (pull it in from the fringes) a Triple Crown that is realistically possible should be on the table. Right now, I don't think it is. For all the reasons stated in the article, the Triple Crown is out of reach and I don't think we will see another winner...ever. Horse owners are in it for themselves and would rather win 1 big race to establish a 'Champion' bloodline for the sole purpose of breeding.

With time, all sports change. They grow, they evolve, they morph into something different than they were when they began. Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in history, but because of a lack of a central governing body and the 'every man for himself' mentality the sport lingers in obscurity until a horse like California Chrome comes along and makes things interesting. Would the NFL be as popular if we went back to the days of no playoffs and just played a championship game? Would the baseball Triple Crown be deminished if a DH won it? Horse racings Triple Crown is what brings the sport to the for-front. It is obsolete in the current format. Spacing out the races (and we're not even talking about adding that much time between races) would really help the sport and wouldn't tarnish the prestige of the Triple Crown in the slightest. I really like the idea of the Belmont being run on the 4th of July. Independance Day, the threat of a Triple Crown Champion in the air, what an event that would make! What could be any more American than that?

I respectfully and completely disagree. The triple crown is set up to be extremely difficult. The recovery period is short and the demands are great. It separates good horses from great horses. The reason the Belmont was soooo highly watched was because the triple crown is so hard to accomplish and it has been a long time since Affirmed. I have watched every triple crown race since Seattle Slew. moving the dates to make it easier is BS IMO. Ratings will drop when thE TC becomes common place. the race track owners a have always been out for #1.....including a time not so long ago that a competing race offered a huge purse to entice horses NOT to go for the triple crown.

IMO Chrome's jockey ran a poor race and he could have won this race. Even with fresh blood it was a very average race time on a fast track. Sorry, but the excuses and cries for change to make it easier are bullshit. The TC will be achieved again, but by a very special horse....not a merely good horse; as it should be.

[Panamamike]

In addition the whole breeding and training argument is bullshit as well. the horses are 3 year olds....they always have a limited and similar race schedule. You pick your prep races and train around them. The prep races are the same as they have always been. Bloodlines can be chosen between speed, endurance and durability, and that has never changed. Other than the 3year old season, no horses are run as frequently as the TC. Again this is the ultimate test.....to win 3 huge stakes races in 5 weeks. At no other time would a trainer consider that type of schedule. This is nothing new. The complaining that it is too hard and will never be done again is the exact same thing that was said between Citation and Secretariat.

[Mister Hoarse]

I know very little about horse racing or the Triple Crown, but I suspect Mister Hoarse would have a good shot at winning the Tipple Crown.

Uneasy lies the head that wears the Tipple Crown.

[thelightningwill]

Uneasy lies the head that wears the Tipple Crown.

My kingdom. My triple Crown Royale for a hoarse!

[thelightningwill]

They said the same crap before Secretariat as well. Then had 3 TC winners in short order.

I missed that part of the movie.

[Panama]

Uneasy lies the head that wears the Tipple Crown.

My kingdom. My triple Crown Royale for a hoarse!

And Yuba says there's no room for Shakespeare on a football board...

WillieShakes logo:

[thelightningwill]

There are some good arguements to make changes is all I'm saying. It sounds like panamamike knows the sport pretty good, and he's solidly against any change. But, to play devils advocate, I agree with the writer in that to bring more attention to the sport (pull it in from the fringes) a Triple Crown that is realistically possible should be on the table. Right now, I don't think it is. For all the reasons stated in the article, the Triple Crown is out of reach and I don't think we will see another winner...ever. Horse owners are in it for themselves and would rather win 1 big race to establish a 'Champion' bloodline for the sole purpose of breeding.

With time, all sports change. They grow, they evolve, they morph into something different than they were when they began. Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in history, but because of a lack of a central governing body and the 'every man for himself' mentality the sport lingers in obscurity until a horse like California Chrome comes along and makes things interesting. Would the NFL be as popular if we went back to the days of no playoffs and just played a championship game? Would the baseball Triple Crown be deminished if a DH won it? Horse racings Triple Crown is what brings the sport to the for-front. It is obsolete in the current format. Spacing out the races (and we're not even talking about adding that much time between races) would really help the sport and wouldn't tarnish the prestige of the Triple Crown in the slightest. I really like the idea of the Belmont being run on the 4th of July. Independance Day, the threat of a Triple Crown Champion in the air, what an event that would make! What could be any more American than that?

All sports change. For me, not often for the better.

Allowing black people to play baseball was a needed change. Football helmets are good. And the forward pass is good.

Trying to think of other good changes. Drawing a blank.

I'd like to see football go back to small rosters where players have to play 60 minutes. When players called their own plays. When the NFL and AFL didn't play each other 'til the Super Bowl. When pass interference was legal. When only winners got to make the post season, not really good 2nd and 3rd-place teams. When announcers didn't feel the need to explain the game from a player's perspective. I'm seriously not interested in how to play in the NFL; I will never play in the NFL. Just tell me the yard line and the score from time to time, and maybe explain how the fuck the referee just called a bullshit holding on Clary. Man, fuck that bullshit.

Oh, I almost forgot the worst change. NFL games are too expensive.

[SDFan]

this thread seems strange- congratulating an animal that can't even read? How would it know?

[thelightningwill]

And Yuba says there's no room for Shakespeare on a football board...

WillieShakes logo:

Yubaking! Football is Shakespeare. Shakespeare already wrote all the drama of sport there will ever be. Please tell me you've been misquoted.

[thelightningwill]

this thread seems strange- congratulating an animal that can't even read? How would it know?

Similar to congratulating an Oklahoma State football player.

[Guest]

Similar to congratulating an Oklahoma State football player.

Why are you dissing Jamal Williams, Leslie O'Neal, Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas?