how do you believe the triple crown is...
 

perceived this year vs last? by the racing industry and fans

last year.with chrome the feeling was more or less .."god I hope not"..YOKEL connections and a horse bred from crumbs..or this year well healed and regally bred and trained by a master?

my opinion is that this year the breeding industry and the powers that be have a suitable figure to get behind. no dig on sherman hes a wonderful person from what ive seen.I could root for him but the hayseed no class owners of chrome made me wish he would not be the one to break the tc curse..

any comments..

I was really hoping for it last year.. I loved Chrome.

This year, total opposite.. Can't stand the connections and hope the horse loses. I would rather wait for "the next one" or none, than to see them win it and be apart of history forever.

I am hoping the racing Gods agree with me of course :)

For attracting the interest of the general public, the yokel with the cheap horse is a better story.

For me, I once had stronger opinions about whether a horse deserved it. I didn't like Big Brown's connections, so I wasn't upset when he lost. I hated the idea of a name like I'll Have Another up with eloquent names of winners past, so I wasn't upset when he scratched, blah blah blah. Now, I just want to see a TC happen so much that I don't really care about either. Satan could run a horse named Snot House and I'd be hoping he could pull off the hat trick.

Okay, okay, the misspelling of "pharaoh" does bother me a bit. But I still want AP to win.

I'm working in a different environment than last year. Now at the Dallas Zoo I was expecting more anti horse racing fans but I have heard nothing but interest and calm excitement. But as I kind of expected zoo keepers, curators and managers here love all animals and I've found quite a few horse lovers to boot. Many comments on DFW TV spots and our local Dallas all news radio station has Belmont spots feature American Pharoah on often.

I didn't hear that last year and didn't feel as much all around as I do this year . . . and I was also into Chrome. I don't run in big circles so I can only speak for my small network and can say that when I talk to them about AP with my most humble enthusiasm I can see their face(s) light up and these last couple of days I've had many Triple Crown conversations in offices and down the halls and questions for me that I can't give a definitive answer to.

Personally, I like everything about this horse. My wife the real horse expert in the family likes him a lot too and is cautiously optimistic. She knows thoroughbreds. Not much more I can say except I truly hope he ends the draught, truly!!! I'm really liking the fact that he spends more time in the air than most horses . . . strange?! Not really.

The Triple Crown gods have a way of getting involved in the outcome. Surely they knew California Chrome was going to lose 4 out of his next 5 starts. So they gave Espinosa a brain fart leaving the gate and Matterhorn the ability to take a chunk out of Chromes foot. I don't know what they have planned this year.

Funny, GR!

Personally, I'm holding out hope for a gelding to root for. A horse that'll keep racing, if healthy.

well so far i would say it's all positive. even mom is talking about it and she is 86.

California Chrome seemed to attract the same kind of crazy that Zenyatta did. American Pharoah gets support and high regard from professionals.

I don't think anyone thought yokel last year til after the Belmont. Most people like to root for the underdog....and this is the only major sport anymore that can have average joes as owners.
As for the breeding industry.... I doubt they care about who wins or loses, they just care about their bottom lines..which IMO is the biggest reason why the breed is where it is today. Breeders care about their horses, not anyone else's.
Big brown is the only one with a shot that I'm hoped wouldn't do it.
Other than that......well, I think we all just want to see history. But, after smarty....I will never expect it again. If it happens fine, if not, thats life. If he wins it, years from now no one will pay attention to the owner or trainer, so its not worth worrying about I guess

I'm hoping it happens. I don't care about the horses breeding, trainer, owner, etc. One thing for sure, there will be a lot of people with their eyes on Horse Racing on Saturday.

What is so bad about Zayat? That he has worked his a$$ off, achieved the American Dream through that work and ingenuity and poured a ton of money into the game to be one of many that keeps the sport going that we all love?

I would love to see this horse win the Triple Crown, however, having seen how difficult an accomplishment it is and the weight that has been put on this horse on this board alone, I doubt highly it will happen.

Not to mention his enthusiasm and openness. It's a tough line to walk when you want to cater to fans and run a business. I think they do well and anyone would stumble at times.

I have no truck with Ahmed Zayat, but he's not some arrived on the shores with empty pockets but big dreams immigrant; he was born into a very well-off family in Egypt. He's always had money.

i want to see it happen too. would love to see him pull off a Point Given performance. just cruise around there for a mile and then just stride away from 'em.

Like I've been saying 12 lengths.

Gotta think the weather will help him

That he has always had money makes him a bad guy?

I was spoiled by watching Secretariat, I still remember the joy seeing him all alone roaring down the Belmont stretch, Seattle Slew and Affirmed were exciting and I wrongfully assumed that I would see a few others conquer the Crown....its been far too long and I'm getting old.... I hope this is the year to relive the joy.

The casual race fans I know were more into the triple crown last year. The few that I know who follow horse racing are more into this years crop. One general feeling I get is the resignation that if it doesn't happen this year, changes will be proposed in the spacing of the 3 races. I wonder if the races were 4 weeks apart, would that have changed the result for any of the 12 since 1978 who were going for the triple crown?

why do I feel the exact same way?:zz: