Thoughts about the Triple Crown season
 

I was just looking at the NY Daily News back cover from Sunday, with Rags to Riches and "You Go, Girl!" in big letters on it (taped up in my cubicle, in the space previously occupied by the May 6th back cover saying "Perfect Sense" that I tore down in despair on May 20th) and thought about what a great set of races we had this year- the first BC Juvy winner to win the Derby, a record time-tying Preakness won by a nose, and a thrilling stretch duel culminating in a filly winning the Belmont. What a great series this year. Short of a Triple Crown, I can't imagine 2008 being any better.

I was touched to find out one of my writing partners, after listening to me jabber Friday night with a friend over the phone about the race, taped the Belmont, ran home to watch it, and cried when Rags won.

And amused when my father called me two minutes after the race ended to say, "Did you watch the Belmont?"

"Dad," I said, "where do you think I am, right now?" Ah, parents...

One of my friends at the Belmont had a rough time handicapping and groused about how he was never coming to the track again on a stakes day. After the race he said, "I said I was never coming to the track again on a stakes day and it took two minutes and 28 seconds to change my mind."

Of course, any year I actually pick the Derby winner is a good year for me! :)

I agree all 3 races had a special something about them that left you very satisfied when it was all over. :)

I had Win/Place/Show money on Hard Spun in the Derby, so when everyone let Street Sense through I was not at all satisfied.

The Triple crown was crescendo-like culminating with the Belmont, the best race I've seen in person. And with money on Rags it made cheering her on down the stretch all that much sweeter. :-)

i second that, although i would much prefer if one of my personal favorites would be a winner, even of one jewel. :D i like street sense & rags to riches enough, but my loyalties are elsewhere - teuflesberg & octave.

Agree and this summers Travers, Haskell et all should be really fun to watch and wager. Lots of good 3yo's and some great turf racers still knocking heads in the big stakes...and we still have the usual 2yo's to keep and eye on for the Hopeful and BC at Monmouth. :D

All three races had thoroughly deserving horses emerge victorious. With the exception of Street Sense, however, I just wish I could have felt the same way about the horses' connections.

All three races were awesome. In the derby the juvenile curse was broken, in the preakness the record time was run again, and the belmont will go down as one of the most memorable races of all time, right up there with Secretariat's Belmont.

Was this the last year that Smokin Joe Talmo willl not have a mount in the TC races?

I'd say no.

You saw a great race. A historic race. I think the Belmont is our best race and I am partial to Belmont Park as my favorite racetrack. I've seen three great races live, all at Belmont:
1977 - Forego ran down Honest Pleasure in the mud in the Marlboro
1978 - Seattle Slew beat Affirmed in the Marlboro (first time two TC winners met)
1999 - Victory Gallop ran down Real Quiet in the Belmont.

What a race you saw!

All 3 races were amazing, this was easily my favourite Triple Crown season since I became interested in US racing in 2000.

If 2008 is half as good I'd be happy.

My thoughts.....
 

We were blessed to see 3 great races, with amazing drama in each. It was a great Triple Crown Season, topped off by a history making race, which we all will remember for years to come. One more thing, it's also very nice not to be discussing any triple crown tragedy this season. So happy all the equine athletes, as well as the human ones came out safe and sound. :)

I absolutely agree, and this year's Triple Crown is yet another example of why you should NEVER, EVER listen to the losers who cry every April about what a terrible crop this year's is.

Remember that "Kentucky Derby is canceled" thread about how lousy the '07 crop of three-year-olds was? How's that looking right about now?

For not having Street Sense in the Belmont field, the best-possible out come came from it. Having a filly win a really close , competitive race. I just hope casual fans noticed.

The Others???
 

Have also been thinking about how great these three races turned out. Had the great fortune of attending the Derby/Oaks for the 1st time this year. Have been a regular at Travers for nearly 2 decades and with the possiblity of SS, Curlin, RTR and Hard Spun all coming, this could be an all time best.

But I was also wondering about some of the other forgottens who were highly thought leading up to the Derby:

No Biz
Great Hunter
Any Given Saturday
Chelokee
Cobolt Blue
Stevie Wonderboy (back in training, I think)

Can any of these or others step forward and really add some more spice to what should be an outstanding summer/fall racing season?

Stevie Wonderboy is four now, but I'd like to see him back on the track as well.

I've been to nine of the last ten Triple Crown races in person, and while this year's threesome was pretty special, aren't they all? It is so hard to distinguish the Curlin/Street Sense Preakness duel from the Afleet Alex 2005 Preakness, the 2004 Belmont, or the 2006 Derby. There's just something special about those three races that you just don't have with the thousands of other races - graded stakes or otherwise - that are run in the United States each year.

Oops. My bad. I guess he does not get red shirt credit for missing most of last year. ;)

I agree with you, slotdirt, that there's always something special about the TC races, but I was thinking about how all three races were so amazing this year. BC Juvy-Derby double, record-tying Preakness, filly wins the Belmont. And two of the races won by a nose. Short of a Triple Crown, I can't imagine those five weeks being any better. And honestly, I'm not even sure a Triple Crown would mean as much to me as Rags' Belmont did.

Unless I'm mistaken, JV swatted Rags only twice; once on each side. I loved watching him just shake the crop at her as they battled down the stretch.