Failed Triple Crown Attempts

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Cardus

I recall clearly a column that Andy Beyer wrote a few years ago -- I think that it was before Smarty Jones' attempt -- in which he reasoned that what separated Real Quiet and Charismatic from the others was their ability to handle turns and to blow open races on the far turn, but it was that quality that was neutralized at Belmont. (Also, it wasn't the manner in which the Belmont Stakes was won.)

There were other factors for their losing efforts for sure, but I've always wondered about the above element.

I don't recall that article, but I just felt they ran the best race of anyone in the Belmont, but running the best race is clearly not always good enough and it is one of the reasons winning the TC, or three races in a row, is very hard. Look, obviously Point Given, and even Afleet Alex, were the best of those groups, but for whatever reasons they lost one of the three. Hell, Little Current was clearly the best of his group but failed to win the Derby as well. Risen Star too. To me, he is one that really should have won the Triple Crown.

[asudevil]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I don't recall that article, but I just felt they ran the best race of anyone in the Belmont, but running the best race is clearly not always good enough and it is one of the reasons winning the TC, or three races in a row, is very hard. Look, obviously Point Given, and even Afleet Alex, were the best of those groups, but for whatever reasons they lost one of the three. Hell, Little Current was clearly the best of his group but failed to win the Derby as well. Risen Star too. To me, he is one that really should have won the Triple Crown.

I feel that Point Given was the biggest triple crown blunder of recent memory. He was a SUPER horse.