Tom Chuckas on Preakness/TC Spacing

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Danzig

no.

was it the current spacing that cost everyone for 25 years between cy and secretariat?

was it spacing that cost real quiet, smarty, spectacular bid, sunday silence for starters?

you could put them three months apart, doesn't mean more horses would win it.
chuckas needs to focus on his tracks product, instead of an 'easy' fix for what ails him.
he doesn't want a tc winner, he wants more receipts this weekend.

You are being a little harsh on Tommy boy. From HIS vantage point, yeah the 2 week turn around hurts HIS product, especially the undercard races. However the rest of us are looking at the timing from a different vantage point and our jobs arent being impacted

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

You are being a little harsh on Tommy boy. From HIS vantage point, yeah the 2 week turn around hurts HIS product, especially the undercard races. However the rest of us are looking at the timing from a different vantage point and our jobs arent being impacted

I don't think I am being harsh. If you want business you offer a good product. And if it weren't for the tc tradition he wouldn't draw anyone.

[Dunbar]

Does anyone know when the last change was made in either the spacing or the length of the races? I tried to track it down, but for once Google failed me.

Good thread, btw. I particularly liked Indian Charlie's rundown of the Belmont 'fails'. And I totally agree with Cannon's "As a matter of fact a TC winner wont have any lasting impact on racing anyway."

My own opinion on whether the spacing should be changed is obvious from my avatar.

--Dunbar

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Here is the last bit that I have: in 1957, the Belmont was 28 days after the Preakness (which was two weeks after the Derby, which didn't stop Bold Ruler from running in a Pimlico allowance race five days before the Preakness), so maybe 1958 was the first year of the current spacing.

Without looking back at the winners before Whirlaway, I'd say that Secretariat was the first Triple Crown winner to run on the current schedule.

With all of this historical reporting, I am starting to feel like DrugS.

Enjoy the Preakness.

(DRF's "Champions" is a great instant tool for a question like Dunbar's.)

Thanks for doing the research! I would have guessed that the current spacing was in place for Citation and Whirlaway. Did either of them have a race in between the Preakness and the Belmont?

--Dunbar

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Thanks for doing the research! I would have guessed that the current spacing was in place for Citation and Whirlaway. Did either of them have a race in between the Preakness and the Belmont?

--Dunbar

citation ran between preakness/belmont. not sure of whirlaway.

[Aly-Sheba]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

You are being a little harsh on Tommy boy. From HIS vantage point, yeah the 2 week turn around hurts HIS product, especially the undercard races. However the rest of us are looking at the timing from a different vantage point and our jobs arent being impacted

Anyone working for Stronrach is always looking over their shoulder. :-)