Thoughts about the Triple Crown season

[slotdirt]

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.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

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.

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.