Triple Crown for Older Horses

[Pedigree Ann]

THe handicap Triple Crown was around for a long time and was comprised of three old and time-honored races in New York - the Met Mile (originally at the more centrally located Morris Park), the Brooklyn (originally run in Brooklyn, at the Gravesend track - Aqueduct's summer show-piece until the mid-1970s, run at distances from 9f to 10f) and the Suburban H (originally at at Sheepshead Bay, run at distances from 9.5f to 12f). When all three races came to be run at one track (Belmont) the stuffing went out of the series.

For modern races, the Met Mile, Suburban, and JC Gold Cup might be acceptable, except they are all again at Belmont. But I would not include any 9f races - the Met is there for the milers, thank you - and I would rather see "Triple Crown" races at real classic distances.

The West Coast already has its own handicap triple and Lava Man won it this year - the Santa Anita H, the Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic.