The Elusive Triple Crown

[dean smith]

Originally Posted by RollerDoc

Let's face it, the chances for a Triple Crown in the modern era of horse racing is evolving into a bigger long shot than the Mine That Bird's D'atara's, and Giacomo's of their sport.

Even if Super Saver would have won today, do you really think he would have had a realistic chance against a well rested Ice Box among others in the Belmont? While I didn't bet Lookin AT Lucky, on paper he was the talent of the Preakness and that talent prevailed.

I know some of the older folks on here think that any comparisons of the past few years' horses don't stack up to Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed. I have tons of respect for those three and all the others that achieved the Triple Crown.

It's been 32 years since we have had a Triple Crown Winner. There is no reason to think another one will happen in the next 32 years. Maybe Smarty Jones and Big Brown really were the Superhorses of this changing era.

Respectfully, don't you think this kind of thinking might just be a knee-jerk reaction to the disappointment of another Triple Crown try-less Belmont? I mean, in the less than ten years that I've been following the sport, there have been, what, four TC chances? Three of them were competitive in the third leg (Smarty Jones was a real close call), and the fourth (Big Brown) was a mortal lock in the eyes of many people with recognized opinions. Maybe I'm too green to know any better, but I don't see how it's not going to happen eventually -- and probably sooner rather than later.