2015: American Pharoah becomes 12th Triple Crown winner

[Indian Charlie]

Now you've done it Danzig.

Rollo is going to revise biology and tell you what you said isn't right.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Now you've done it Danzig.

Rollo is going to revise biology and tell you what you said isn't right.

Damn, he already did it in the few seconds available to me.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Now you've done it Danzig.

Rollo is going to revise biology and tell you what you said isn't right.

Well, actually (pauses to push nerd glasses up on nose) only about 40 percent of cuckoo species worldwide are brood parasites. The rest do build their own nests.

(pause)

(push glasses back up nose)

I liked that book.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Well, actually (pauses to push nerd glasses up on nose) only about 40 percent of cuckoo species worldwide are brood parasites. The rest do build their own nests.

(pause)

(push glasses back up nose)

I liked that book.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Well, actually (pauses to push nerd glasses up on nose) only about 40 percent of cuckoo species worldwide are brood parasites. The rest do build their own nests.

(pause)

(push glasses back up nose)

I liked that book.

I preferred Sometimes a Great Notion.

[tector]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I preferred Sometimes a Great Notion.

Much better book.

[tector]

All the infighting aside, Haskin's "profiling", etc., it strikes me it is MUCH, MUCH harder to win the TC than in days past due to:

1. Changes in the breed
2. Changes in preferred training methods (largely a function of 1)
3. Changes in trainer tactics as to which races to participate in (largely a function of 2)
4. Field sizes

The Derby winner is being asked to do things that no other quality horse is ever asked to do today. Meanwhile, everybody else picks their spots and can adhere to a far more normal regimen, even though they are asked to go what is now a freakish distance in the Belmont.

Any horse that ever gets across those 3 wires first in only 5 weeks has done an unbelievably difficult thing in our present time--which, until equine-accommodating time machines are built, is the only time in which they can race. What is the most sensible bet is not something that can be determined until there is a live tote board. But I assume every racing fan is rooting for this horse.

[OldDog]

Originally Posted by tector

Any horse that ever gets across those 3 wires first in only 5 weeks has done an unbelievably difficult thing in our present time--which, until equine-accommodating time machines are built, is the only time in which they can race. What is the most sensible bet is not something that can be determined until there is a live tote board. But I assume every racing fan is rooting for this horse.

This fan certainly is.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by tector

But I assume every racing fan is rooting for this horse.

Suddenly there are requirements for what horses one must root for in order to be considered a racing fan?

I hate to tell you, but one of the very best things about this great game is that the above is the very opposite of true.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Suddenly there are requirements for what horses one must root for in order to be considered a racing fan?

I hate to tell you, but one of the very best things about this great game is that the above is the very opposite of true.

I hate to agree with you, but I do.

However, he's probably referring to the casual racing fan.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by tector

All the infighting aside, Haskin's "profiling", etc., it strikes me it is MUCH, MUCH harder to win the TC than in days past due to:

1. Changes in the breed
2. Changes in preferred training methods (largely a function of 1)
3. Changes in trainer tactics as to which races to participate in (largely a function of 2)
4. Field sizes

The Derby winner is being asked to do things that no other quality horse is ever asked to do today. Meanwhile, everybody else picks their spots and can adhere to a far more normal regimen, even though they are asked to go what is now a freakish distance in the Belmont.

Any horse that ever gets across those 3 wires first in only 5 weeks has done an unbelievably difficult thing in our present time--which, until equine-accommodating time machines are built, is the only time in which they can race. What is the most sensible bet is not something that can be determined until there is a live tote board. But I assume every racing fan is rooting for this horse.

i don't think it's changes in the breed. the best is still going to be the best. changes in training-again, across the board. tactics, see one and two.

field size, imo, is the number one reason it's gotten more difficult.
we all know that overall the number of horses faced each year by a potential tc winner is greater than what it was in days passed. there might still have been new shooters, but a four horse field would conceivably be easier to conquer than a 10-12 horse field...and don't even get me started on the 20 horse field we now see regularly in ky.
one other you didn't mention-jockey tactics. used to be jocks rode their horse-now they tend to ride the favorite and take turns going after him. they don't ride to win, but to make the other 'lose' because they don't think he deserves it i guess.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by tector

All the infighting aside, Haskin's "profiling", etc., it strikes me it is MUCH, MUCH harder to win the TC than in days past due to:

1. Changes in the breed
2. Changes in preferred training methods (largely a function of 1)
3. Changes in trainer tactics as to which races to participate in (largely a function of 2)
4. Field sizes

The Derby winner is being asked to do things that no other quality horse is ever asked to do today. Meanwhile, everybody else picks their spots and can adhere to a far more normal regimen, even though they are asked to go what is now a freakish distance in the Belmont.

Any horse that ever gets across those 3 wires first in only 5 weeks has done an unbelievably difficult thing in our present time--which, until equine-accommodating time machines are built, is the only time in which they can race. What is the most sensible bet is not something that can be determined until there is a live tote board. But I assume every racing fan is rooting for this horse.

I thought this was an interesting article regarding Baffert's training methods. Obviously it will take the right horse and a lot of luck to pull off the Triple Crown, but I think his preparation methods prepare a horse very well for the series.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...lassic-success

[RHT2004]

Bob is the best. Imagine his Belmont day if he wins the triple crown, Met Mile and Woody Stephens.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I thought this was an interesting article regarding Baffert's training methods. Obviously it will take the right horse and a lot of luck to pull off the Triple Crown, but I think his preparation methods prepare a horse very well for the series.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...lassic-success

That was a really interesting read; thank you for posting the link!

[Fulla Sheets]

Originally Posted by tector

Any horse that ever gets across those 3 wires first in only 5 weeks has done an unbelievably difficult thing in our present time

He just won 3 races in 5 weeks, counting the Ark Derby through the Preakness. He'll be going for 5 wins in 12 weeks in the Belmont.