I wouldn't want a horse capable of beating the Triple Crown winner on the outside looking in because they didn't fit into this. How could people take it seriously if they wonder about whether the best horse was in the race? You beat the horses that show up on the day. Cherry picking a smaller group is an attempt to make it easier for the horse attempting to win it. Thousands of horses are nominated for the TC and that's your pool (unless you end up with a horse like Rachel Alexandra who wouldn't have been included by her owners or whatever committee or points system would've been responsible for this 25-30 TC eligible horse group). Not everybody's ready to go at the same time. How would you decide who to include? It'd be like a version of the Derby future wager or something. The Triple Crown isn't an invitational and we don't want a 3-4 horse field in the Belmont. If we do things Coburn's way, that means no AP Indy, no Rachel Alexandra. They didn't run in the Derby, they'd be out.

Things didn't work out this year. They might in the future. Frankly I thought higher of previous TC attempters than I did Chrome and I wasn't that worked up about it this year for whatever reason. I liked him fine, thought he was gorgeous and had a story they write movies and books about so it'd be great for the sport, but it just didn't grab me at the same emotional level as in the past. Didn't have nearly the nervousness that I did about Smarty Jones, Charismatic, or Real Quiet. Coburn really left a sour taste for me. I wonder if he'll even want to apologize. I feel like he'll double down with the griping and bad sportsmanship when he has a chance to think about it and get even angrier. Someone will stick a mic in his face and we'll get plenty of soundbites and bad PR. He'd do everyone a favor if he hushed for awhile and let everyone calm down if he didn't feel like taking it back. I'm looking forward to the end of the year honors where some people will be railing about East Coast bias if Chrome doesn't win HOY or whatever. Ugh.

For what it's worth, Art Sherman's carried himself really well. Probably the benefit of decades of experience. He knew he wasn't gonna win the race at the end and handled it with grace. Disappointed but classy as far as I could see. Poor Mrs. Coburn got the icy death stare for poking her husband. The freeze frame is classic.

Triple Crown isn't a thing
 

I'm an old guy.

I've gone on my share of rants, especially when I lose a big bet. This, however was horrifying because of the high profile and the danger that this thinking poses to the game we love.

The "Triple Crown" is not a real thing. The beauty of the Triple Crown is that the races are NOT officially connected. If you've been to Churchill Downs, Pimlico, and Belmont, you see quickly that THEIR race is all that matters. Winning all three races is a true test of greatness, because you have to beat all comers, in differing conditions over a ridiculously short period of time. It's a decathlon.

Any change would cheapen things for the winner. With the status quo we always have a hope that a winner will come forward and take his (or her -heh) place alongside the greats of our game. If you restrict the field, or change the dates, you WILL NEVER have a TRUE Triple Crown winner again.

Classic !!!

Privman tweeted that Art Sherman fully expected Coburn to apologize today, but that Coburn went further into a rut today.

The highs and lows.....not everyone can handle them.

Sorry, I disagree. Leave the races alone.

The derby just found a different way to decide the 20 starters. If pimlico and Belmont get too many entrants, they have ways to decide who gets in. As for requiring a horse has to run in one to move on to the next...I find that ridiculous.

People spend far too much time worrying about producing a tc winner. It is not the sole arbiter of what makes a good horse. Its an interesting sideline to some good races.
One thing I would like to see, is a bonus format like they used to have. Nothing encourages people to start a horse more than money

Pops is digging himself deeper this morning. amazing how things can turn so fast.

An emotional rant yesterday, perhaps. Comparing Tonalist being allowed in the Belmont to him playing basketball against a kid in a wheelchair today, unacceptable.

"@horseracinghl: Steve Coburn on GMA says "I stand by what I said.""

"@horseracinghl: Coburn adds "It says Triple Crown. Those 20 horses that run in the Derby should be the ones to run for the Triple Crown.""

"@horseracinghl: Coburn comparing having to run against fresh horses to playing basketball against a child in a wheelchair."

He and Gwyneth Paltrow must have taken the same public speaking course.

Coburn is clearly a bitter, poor sport. No argument there. The dangerous part of his comments is the millions of knuckleheads who watch 1-3 horse races per year who tuned into last night's broadcast and said "gee, this guy has a really good point."

If Coburn had his way, the Belmont would routinely feature three horse fields. I guess he wanted a match race against Ride on Curlin and General A Rod for the Triple Crown?

I was hoping that, with the benefit of some time to reflect, Coburn would walk yesterday's statements back. Now, he's got to stop digging: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-not-apologize.

Guy is a drunk'in idiot! He was upset and felt that everyone jockeys/trainers/owners conspired to beat him. Happens all the time. Part of the game. For him to be so bitter and to make statements like that just shows how ignorant he is.

OK, I try to give people benefit of the doubt. He spoke yesterday during a moment of high emotion.

Now, he's doubling down? Dude, shut up already. Better to be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

Reminded me of cartman.

You knew it was coming...a feral self-absorbed heathen enjoying his temporary bully pulpit.

It's like he's new to this sport...if anything he should be prepared for that soul crushing moment.

But he's different. This win was guaranteed. The cameras were meant for thee.

And then they weren't.

Now he can go back to cali and embarrass his wife in a more familiar and comfortable environment.

Give him some credit people, he CAN count to THREE!

Luckily, Art Sherman makes up for Coburn's lack of class.

And to think he was touted as being DAP's PR department yesterday by NBC.

Oh I so called this. He's not sorry at all. I knew a guy like him just doubles down. He compared facing fresh horses to a guy like him playing basketball against a kid in a wheelchair? Uh. :zz: There were multiple reasons you could blame for the loss and the point is to show some grace and sportsmanship. Not blame others for a series you knew the rules of when you entered. He would've been happy to crow about beating the new shooters if he won. Only cared when he lost. Sucks that taking his ball and going home means no Chrome at Saratoga or Belmont this fall.

They did ask Sherman about Coburn and Chrome, and I disagreed with his comments about spacing the races but at least he was nice about it. I'd had a twinge of 'uh oh' when Sherman was asked how Chrome's doing after how so many horses start to tail off going into the Belmont. Sherman told NBC that he was doing 'better than I thought he would.' I figured it was surprise that he wasn't getting tired maybe because that plus the 'still gaining weight' comments from others seemed okay. In retrospect that was a odd way to put it. I talked myself into thinking it was just a weird way of saying he's doing well.

I will be so upset if these guys help provide impetus for changing the series. Really don't know that I'd feel like following the Triple Crown presented by Asterisk, esp. if it gives them the satisfaction and the 'we could've won if it'd been like this before.' If they get milked for PR in an effort to shift things, I'll lose respect for the people doing the shifting. Wasn't Phipps the one on NY's end?