2015: American Pharoah becomes 12th Triple Crown winner

[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.