Triple Crown Needs More Communication

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Ann in Lexington — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:45:22 GMT

First of all, the spacing of the 'Triple Crown races' (which didn't become a real series until the 1930s at the earliest) is already generous; the Preakness was often run a week before or after the Derby, with the Belmont 4 weeks later, with a stop in the Withers, Jersey Derby or Met Mile between being the usual option.

It's not the breeding of the horses that has changed so much as the treatment of the horses from birth. Yearlings are too valuable as investment prospects to let them run and play and build up bone and muscle naturally. They have to be bulked up unnaturally to make them look like 3yos at the sales. Then it takes so much time to get that weight off of them, they can't race until late in their 2yo year. And don't talk to me about 2yo sales! The ones that don't break down soon after their 10 sec 1f breeze have to be retrained NOT to blast everything at once, more time wasted.

Then there are the current generation of trainers, who didn't come up under Jones or Burch or Whittingham or van Berg or Miller or Jerkens, but under converted QH trainers, who depended on a horse's innate stamina, which was commonplace in top bloodlines in the 1980s and is still in some parts of breed, to get them home. Only now, 6f specialists can win a bunch of G1s (gag!!!) and become sought after sires (and not just for QH mares), so our current miler-bred classic candidates have to be actually conditioned for 10f or 12f and too many trainers don't know how to do it.

Investment breeding has been responsible for so many ills of the sport - overpriced stallions, ridiculous yearling prices, huge books that squeeze good-but-not-fashionable stallions out of the market, timid campaigning of top runners (so as not to ruin their stud value by losing too often), the demand for a quick return,... It just breaks my heart when I look back to what the sport was and what it is now.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

KJ — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:28:40 GMT

I'd love to see smaller Derby fields. I've felt for some years that the luckiest horse often wins the Derby while the "best horse" wins the Preakness and the best distance horse wins the Belmont. Even the odds often back that up as the Derby winner isn't automatically guaranteed to be the favorite in either of the following two, while the ones considered "the best" generally ARE favored in the last two regardless of their Derby finish.

But then again, I saw Secretariat, so the 32 years doesn't bother me. I can still remember sitting on the floor absolutely sobbing as he ran his unbelievable Belmont - I can watch it today and still cry. I will always feel blessed to have been alive and old enough (17) to have witnessed that horse and that event.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Mike985 — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:54:00 GMT

TerriV, I agree with your brief but strong point about the problems involved in changing the TC. What would happen if a noticable change did take place, and we had TC winners in 3 of the next 5 years? People would be up in arms, questioning the new rules instead of celebrating the new TC champions. I say leave it alone. The TC races have all been around for over 100 years giving them a long and colorful tradition that is worth preserving. One day a horse will come along and win it.

We need to be patient. That's what you love about the sport.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

paul o — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:09:52 GMT

I would be satisfied with putting Tom Durkin out to pasture. The missed stretch calls are bad enough, but he doesn't give any insight into the running of the race. Trevor Denmen(not sure of the spelling), is by far the best caller in the business right now.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Stephanie Lambert — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:19:14 GMT

Each year as they come out of the gate for the KD I hold my breath, it is not a race anymore, it is a Stampede, as we saw this year with Looking At Lucky. I cannot believe that they have not limited the field in this race simply for safety reasons alone, it DUMBFOUNDS me that for a buck or two they go on with this. Then as if for no reason what-so-ever they make a change in the Draw this year and take away ESPN's broadcast of it, there goes revenue down the drain in an industry that is struggling already... I am so dissapointed with the KD, I hope things get changed, for the Horses Welfare - because it is just an accident waiting to happen out there in the Stampede known as The Kentucky Derby

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

StarsEnd — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 04:53:53 GMT

I've been saying for years we need to reduce the size of the KD field. Why?

What's the largest problem racing faces in the US today? Image! Imagine, on the first Saturday in May, with millions of people watching live and on TV nationally, a crowded field of 20 vying for position on the club house turn. One horse near the front clips heels and, domino effect, several more go down beyond it. Several are injured and must be euthanized on the track. Jockeys are injured and rushed off to hospitals with critical injuries.

This scenario is very, very possible! Becasue of it I cringed every 1st Sat in May when that starting gate opens. Can you imagine the backlash against racing if the public were to experience that in living color?

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

DrMax944 — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 10:44:51 GMT

We are 10 years into the 21st Century. Other sports have made numerous changes in their playoffs to increase the number of fans. It is past the time for the horse racing industry to make DRASTIC changes to its premier races - Triple Crown, Breeders Cup, etc. The industry is slowing dying due to many causes. It is at-risk for entering a comatose state from which it will never recover. Urgent actions are needed to revive wide appeal and greater involvement. Let Marketing Experts and revered horsemen - Lukas, Baffert, Pletcher, Mott, Shireff and many others - form a committee to brainstorm new ways to re-package the Triple Crown and other major racing series. If the status quo continues, we will not be having this discussion 10-20 years from now.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Robin from Maryland — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 02:29:45 GMT

Ok, reduce the KD field to 14. But leave everything else alone!!! The TC isn't meant to be won every year. It's difficult and it's supposed to be. Go back to the basics - Breed the Best to the Best and hope for the Best. Don't breed for glamour.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

tracy — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:54:14 GMT

l hate betting the Derby. With many races you can make an educated bet. But with 20 horses running it is a ridiculous roll of the dice. Increase the entry fee and let the top 14 horses go for it.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Robin of Michigan — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:01:24 GMT

I am very upset that I keep hearing things about the Triple Crown, how people say that the Triple Crown needs a lot of changes, in order for a horse to win it. I have been hearing that a lot of people think that the Triple Crown should be raced farther apart from each other, instead of being 5 weeks apart. For all the racing fans out there, just remember when Sir Barton won the first Triple Crown, back in 1919. He only won the Triple Crown in a two week time span. Also remember with Sir Barton, not only did he win the Triple Crown in a two week time span, he also won the Whitney Handicap along with the Triple Crown in that two week time span. With that, I believe that if we leave the Triple Crown alone, we will, eventually one day, find our Triple Crown winner. And remember also, that it took 25 years, between Citation and Secretariat for a horse to win the Triple Crown. And I know that we are well past that 25 years, we are now in our 32 year without a Triple Crown, but one day in the near future, we will find our one horse that could win the Triple Crown. So, in my opinion, leave the Triple Crown alone. It needs no changes. It just needs that special kind of horse to win it. Who knows, our one special horse could come next year, or the year after, or the year after that. We just have to wait and see what comes in the future.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

jayjay — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 02:00:26 GMT

I agree with most, it's not the races, it's the horses. We no longer have stamina in these horses. I think the change needs to happen to the prep races, they need to get the prep races to be longer, enough to get stamina on these horses needed for their TC races.

This tests will give us legitimate distance horses that will be fit and able to compete in all 3 races. The ones that can't handle the distances will be exposed well before the TC races.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

GISELLE — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:32:35 GMT

I agree with Jodie who says NBC coverage sucks.I have watched the DERBY since early childhood and ABC brought so much more excitement,I remember the calls were better too.When I look back and try to figure out what or who made me a lifelong racing fan at 7yrs of age it was ABC and Jim Mccay

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

SMTDL — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:44:39 GMT

Return to a bonus system that rewards winning the TC or best performance by a horse that runs in all 3 races if no TC winner.

Reduce the field to 14-16 in the Derby or have Post positions selected by trainers/owners in order of graded earnings rather than a draw.If this had been done this year,Looking at Lucky probably would have won Derby and Preakness!!

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

M J Pearce — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:11:29 GMT

My God, Capps, are you still alive and still interested in all this racing nonsense ??!!

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Giddyup — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:55:13 GMT

The Triple Crown generates great excitement in the spring but to keep that momentum going there needs to be a summer series prior to the fall Breeders Cup championships. The racing industry should focus on that instead of changing the Kentucky Derby.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

al bundy — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:05:17 GMT

the change needed most is to pull crown from abc,nbc,espn and give it to hrtv or tvg.horse racing people not soap opera people or juvenile world series from cuba delaying races people.

make the derby caller have a clear american voice.or go with no caller.who cares if you can't understand what he is saying might as well just mute it.

if they breed a better horse over seas then maybe some one can give a list of europeans that have won the greatest race.

when they do come over for other races you look at their past running lines and see 2 07 for 1 1/4.

in the old days trainers ran horses every week or every other week.this is called being paid to train.now they still work every week but trainer is only one getting paid.these high price horses are too pampered.look at your local tracks cheap horses with 60,70,80, starts.

what the triple crown really needs is gelding winner.

that is the only way a crown winner will ever put on a saddle after the belmont.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Lee — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:00:19 GMT

Limit the Derby to 14 and don't change anything else.

Allowing more than 14 is a recent change so it won't ruin a thing to stop allowing the extra 6 in.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

sibemom — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:51:03 GMT

First--no changes to the races or dates. Man has hurt the thoroughbred--too many first time buyers CAN'T wait until the horse has matured. They want their horse to win immediately. Todays horses have been "hot-housed" too much. Look at how many times horses ( in the 50's -60's) ran as two year olds/ careers. And carried weight too. Can't see Rachel carrying 129 lbs. and she is an awesome filly.

But hot housed all the same.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

TerriV — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:41:31 GMT

Don't change it - if you change it then it won't be the Triple Crown. It will mean nothing when a horse does win it.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Leave My Derby Alone — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:06:02 GMT

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no to limiting the field for the Derby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You'll reduce the wagering by 30% or more doing that and the purse too. Bottom line is Horse Racing is a Business, take away revenue and it fails. Tracks are struggling all over the country enough without gutting more of their revenue.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Azri — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:03:06 GMT

Spacing out the time for the races would be an awful idea. Ruins the challenge of what the Triple Crown is. A true champion wins the Triple Crown.

We need to breed a stronger horse. Breed more stamina and soundness back into our horses. Stop inbreeding so much. Linebreeding is still inbreeding. You get the best of the gene and the worst.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

street sense — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:55:40 GMT

track condition played a part in the last two derby winners as well as calvin bo=rail. so size off the field would not make a difference the best horse on that day will emerge the winner.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Vickie — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:16:36 GMT

Yes, years ago owners did ship from the west coast to the east--by rail. Even going down into Mexico. Back in the day, the "Sport of Kings" was dominiated by BIG monied families, names like Belmont, Riddle, Whitney,Phipps, Ross, Belair Stud, Calumet Farm, Hertz. There were no lack of funds for shipping a horse to different tracks. It took longer because horses were shipped by rail car. And I don't mean the average stock rail car.

Perhaps part of the problem is breeding, maybe too much for speed and forgetting strength and stamina--geeze, Secretariat had enough hind quaters for two horses! And people said Bold Ruler colts couldn't run. Shot that one down.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Mel — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:08:29 GMT

The Derby should be limited to 1 full starting gate. You will always have horses entered that should be in there. There are too many graded 2 Y.O. races that qualify a horse based on graded earnings that dont belong going the distances of the TC. It is owners who just want the prestige of running in the Derby that cost a legitimate horse a real chance because of the traffic. I also think the TC races should be spaced 4 weeks apart. If they could get another sponsor to put up a bonus for horses that run in all three race with a point system (like they used to have when Visa sponsored) would also help.

re: Triple Crown Needs More Communication

Arem — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:05:33 GMT

To change the Triple Crown would be an insult to the previous winners.

If it were made easier to win, how could we place future winners in the same class as the past winners? It would be a disgrace.

Wait for the great horse. It will be worth it.