Was It Your First Triple Crown?

[Merlinsky]

I know there are a range of ages on this board, and some of us just saw the first Triple Crown winner in our lifetimes. I just wanted to know who else experienced that and what it was like for you.

There's something surreal about having watched history as many times as we have with the archived footage of Triple Crowns past, then an addition being made right in front of our eyes. It hadn't been changed for us and we'd run through this many times, for decades at this point. It was in permanent ink almost even though you tell yourself someone can do it and you hope that they might. That was hypothetical, this is real. Your brain has to rewrite what it knows about something pretty significant. Everything felt like it was inevitable for some reason. His stride was perfect, every gallop was right, everything he was doing was the way I'd felt it would go when it finally happened. A 2yo champ just like I thought it might be. The way the race set up and how he swung into the stretch felt like it was all coming together as it was meant to do. It was pretty extraordinary for everyone, I'm sure, but it knocks you back to see it unfold in real time when you never have before.

One thought I had in the wake of the victory as Baffert went to speak to her: I'm glad Penny Chenery and John Nerud got to see another one.

[bare it all]

This was my first - only 33 here. Been following the ponies since I was just a little girl and I'm finally glad I can say I saw "it" happen.

[Thunder Gulch]

I remember Slew and Affirmed when I was a youngster. Wasn't old enough to appreciate how great they werel

[MLC]

I have been following since 1961, Carry Back's attempt, and have seen most of the attempts and all the successes on television. I live in NJ and have only myself to blame for not planning to get to Belmont this year.
But in answer to the original question, this is my 4th.

[DonGuido]

As for me it is and it is an awesome feeling. I can only imagine how Baffert and crew, Et. al are feeling and if it's really hit them yet or they think in might be a dream. My wife, the real thoroughbred aficionado remembers Secretariat but was not really into him like American Pharoah. She has been a horse racing lover since she was a child and that's some time ago.

We sat through our grand daughters graduation ceremony and I was watching the time through most of the boring yet important proceedings. When our grand daughter walked, and her last name is Worthy of course we zipped out of there, drove down the highway to the restaurant where were having the celebratory dinner and got a seat at the bar 15 minutes before the race. Of course soccer was on TV but we asked to change that quickly.

We made some real noise as he was coming down the stretch and it amped up as he crossed the wire as many sitting down behind us gathered round. As we erupted mildly at the end, not to look to childish, we proceeded to explain to all interested parties what just happened. My wife is brilliant and provided them a short education about the significance and put it all into historic perspective. I learn more about this wonderful sport every time she opens her mouth and I've known her almost 50 years.

A superb day for us on two accounts and a magnificent day for the racing world and more. I have received many emails and calls and texts, some we need to return today, from friends and family who know how much we love horse racing and that too is very special.

All I can say is . . . HOLY MACKAROLLEY!!!

[TheSpyder]

37 years ago is a long time so even for us that have seen this before, I think the level of satisfaction, excitement, and overall exhilaration is well beyond anything I can recall.

And that makes me think back to when horse racing was the national past time, when the entire nation would get behind one horse or two if it was East versus West, male vs. female.

Imagine going to work and everyone would be talking about the big race.

Well, for a brief moment we have this, this feeling of community and joining together witnessing greatness, witnessing history.

It feels good.

[DaTruth]

I was only 9 when Affirmed won it, and I remember hearing more about Cauthen than the horse.

[GenuineRisk]

I was too little to remember the 1970s trio; the first TC I was aware of of Pleasant Colony, but I wasn't following racing until 1989 when I fell for Sunday Silence. Charismatic's was the first Belmont I attended in person.

We had a pretty financially tight spring and I waffled about buying a seat ahead of time (also, I hate Ticketmaster with the heat of a thousand fiery suns), but finally pulled the trigger in April for a cheapie seat in the upper tiers. Best $60 (well, almost $80, by the time Ticketmaster was done with me) I could of spent.

[Hoblin]

The first three races I ever saw on television were Seattle Slew's Triple Crown when I was nine years old. I'm pretty sure the reason I was rooting for him had something to do with his name. It was pretty cool for me 20 years later to see his silks on display in the museum at the Kentucky Horse Park. Hopefully, yesterday's race created some new future fans of the sport.

[LARHAGE]

I was 14 when Secretariat won his but I was a huge horse racing fan already so I appreciated what I was seeing, and knew I would never again see the race he ran in the Belmont, I loved Seattle Slew and enjoyed his and Affirmed was one of my all time favorites, I saw him break his maiden and loved the horse for his kindness and intelligence , Pharoah actually reminds me of him, I've liked American Pharoah from the beginning as well, liked his sire and especially his Grandsire who I named one of my show dogs after so this was a very satisfying win. I had recorded the whole days racing and was eating a late lunch at Outback when the race was ready to go off, I was surprised to see all the TV monitors on the race and as he was pulling away in the stretch the whole place was cheering and clapping, it was awesome to see a whole restaurant stop to enjoy a special occasion and celebrate the greatness of a horse, I had tears !!

[Danzig]

No
And hope its not the last

[clambeau]

I watched Carry Back so yeah, I'm old, but THIS NEVER GETS OLD

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Danzig

No
And hope its not the last

Well, there is an established pattern of them happening in clusters...

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Well, there is an established pattern of them happening in clusters...

I wonder if there is some sort of weird Roger Bannister effect, like once it's been done, it doesn't seem nearly as hard to do it again. Not saying the horse knows it, but if the trainer and rider know it's been done recently, then it's possible that makes it a little easier to do the next time out.

To me, one of the big positives of AP's TC is that we will stop hearing that it's impossible to win the TC these days. There will be fewer calls to shorten the Belmont or increase the spacing. AP won it with such authority, he made it look easy.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

To me, one of the big positives of AP's TC is that we will stop hearing that it's impossible to win the TC these days. There will be fewer calls to shorten the Belmont or increase the spacing. AP won it with such authority, he made it look easy.

So true! Every time someone starts talking about spacing the races out, or shortening them (I'm looking at you, DWL) I want to yell at them, "But it's SUPPOSED to hard! That's what makes it so special."

I figure AP's win gives us at least a five-year grace period before it starts up again.

[_ed_]

Definitely my first.

The first Derby I can remember watching is Silver Charm's. Quite a few TC near-misses since then, and now I've finally seen it happen.

It was amazing enough to watch it on TV - one of the greatest things I can ever remember seeing in horse racing. So I can't imagine what it would be like to have been there.

[EpBurns]

I can barely remember the winners in the 70's I was a teenager, I was there for Smarty Jones attempt and I will attest to the fact that when Smarty turned for home it was the loudest of any crowd I have ever heard and mine you I played before 90,000 screaming fans in Nebraska and that didn't compare to the crowd noise that day!!! Also I have never heard a crowd go so silent as when Smarty was passed in the stretch!!! I got so involved in the battle for 3rd yesterday that It lost some luster for me but it was thrilling and by the way I got nosed out of some good money in that photo!!!

[Sightseek]

Technically no, because I was 4 months old when Affirmed won.

So thus far my life has spanned Triple Crown to Triple Crown.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Technically no, because I was 4 months old when Affirmed won.

So thus far my life has spanned Triple Crown to Triple Crown.

Ditto for me.

[Easy Goer Otis]

I was 8yo when Secretariat won, but remember the Seattle Slew and Affirmed TCs very well.

I was a huge Affirmed fan and loved the way he would dig down to get that nose on the wire. Of all the recent TC winners, he had to work the hardest to win it.

Cheers,

Otis