Some Minor (Not Major) Changes for the American Triple Crown

While the Kentucky Derby and Preakness are scheduled two weeks apart, the Belmont Stakes will be run on June 11, a full three weeks since SHACKLEFORD beat Kentucky Derby winner ANIMAL KINGDOM in the Preakness.

This is as it should be; despite the arguments offered by many who believe in a break of three weeks, or even a month between all three Triple Crown races. Thankfully, there is no momentum building for any such change.

Frankly, changing the Triple Crown in any major way would be a major mistake that could lessen interest and cheapen the accomplishment of any future horse capable of joining the 11 horses who have managed the elusive sweep.

Simultaneously, by lessening the strict timing requirements presently in place, it would not only open the door to more potential Triple Crown winners, but also it would be a slap in the face to the 11 horses who came through the three race series with three victories at three different distances at three different tracks, in three different states all within a compressed, highly pressurized five week period.

Yes, it is true that the game has changed in many important ways. Yes, today's Thoroughbreds are more fragile; they also are raced less often with more time between starts. But, to think that a Triple Crown sweep is not really possible in the contemporary environment, is refuted ironically by the fact that no horse has completed the sweep in 33 years.

Consider these facts:

* There have been 16 horses since Affirmed's 1978 Triple Crown sweep who have managed to win two of the three races. That is an extraordinary number of near misses for a task that is supposed to be impossible under present day rules.

 * Ten of those 16 near Triple Crown winners won the Derby and Preakness and were in contention in the third and final leg, the 1-1/2 mile Belmont Stakes. That too argues against those who believe that it is not possible for a modern day Triple Crown sweep.


* Three of the ten, SILVER CHARM (1997); REAL QUIET (1998) and SMARTY JONES (2004), ran relatively strong races in the Belmont. This clearly indicated that these horses retained their top form. Moreover, all of them could have completed their sweep with better rides and/or slightly different racing tactics.

To prove that, I suggest a review of the way Silver Charm lost his Belmont when he and his jockey Gary Stevens could not see TOUCH GOLD and Chris McCarron launching their final bid on the far outside, away from their sightlines.

Similarly, VICTORY GALLOP beat Derby-Preakness winner Real Quiet to the wire by a nose in their Belmont battle when jockey Kent Desormeaux moved a bit early on Real Quiet. Desormeaux chose to push Real Quiet to a clear lead in the upper stretch, but left his mount completely empty for the final 1/16 miles.  Still, the margin at the finish line was pencil thin and required more than eight minutes for the judges to determine the outcome.

Almost the same script was followed by Sean Elliot aboard Smarty Jones, when Elliot elected to chase the front runners on the backstretch of the Belmont—at the six furlong marker---a move that left Smarty Jones vulnerable in the late going to Birdstone's sustained rally.

In each case, the horse that failed to sweep the Triple Crown did have to be a better horse, or a more rested horse. In each case, the elusive sweep could have and probably should have been completed with slightly different tactics.

If I were racing's Czar, I would however make three changes to Triple Crown racing as we know it, None would impact negatively the standing of these three races as one of the great spectacles in the world of sport. Quite the opposite, I believe.

My first change would be to completely bar race day medication, as in no Lasix, no Bute, no race-day drugs at all.

No Bute, because that drug can be used to screen away the horse's sense of pain and pain is the primary warning system that protects the racehorse from exacerbating a minor physical issue.

No Lasix, because the diuretic Furosemide not only flushes out excess fluids and may reduce the potential for bleeding in the pulmonary system during the stress of racing, but it can dehydrate the horse, as well as serve as a possible screen for more insidious, highly illegal drugs.

Frankly the loud protests that come from trainers and vets over attempts to ban these drugs, seem very hollow when we consider that every other country that presents Thoroughbred horseracing does not seem impaired in the slightest by their rules that prohibit all race day drugs.

The second change I would make is decidedly minor in scope, but could have a profound, positive impact on the way the Triple Crown races are covered for the benefit of the general public.

I suggest that all horses seeking post positions for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes should be on the grounds of the host track no later than Tuesday, a day before post positions are drawn.

Training horses in Florida who ship in for a Triple Crown race the day before the race limits public access beyond any reason.  Right now, the Derby rules already have been changed to make it mandatory for a Derby horse to be on hand on Tuesday of Derby week.

But for this year's Preakness, Animal Kingdom shipped in to Pimlico on the morning of the race, which greatly limited public access to the most important horse in the word at that moment until the race itself. This did not help Pimlico, NBC TV, Daily Racing Form, or any media outlet looking to provide readers and viewers with good info on the Kentucky Derby winner who was the only horse on the planet who possibly could complete a Triple Crown sweep. There is no earthly reason to allow this practice to continue at any Triple Crown track.

The third change I would make has to do just with the Kentucky Derby.

As I have stated in other forums, I believe 20 horses on a one mile track is at least three or four horses too many. It is, in my judgment, an accident waiting to happen.

In the interest of safety and fair play for all horses in the Derby, I strongly urge Churchill Downs to build a special 16 stall starting gate for permanent use exclusively for its 1-1/4 mile races – i.e. the Kentucky Derby and 1-1/4 mile Breeders' Cup Classic.

With these three suggested changes in place, I believe we would have a stronger, fairer Triple Crown race series. Likewise, I cannot see any reason for tampering with the spacing of the three races, or any other major change that would threaten the legitimacy of all the history attached to a great three race series that has stood the test of time.

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Top Jockey/Horse Combos for the Preakness Stakes

The short 1 3/16 mile distance of the Preakness Stakes - taking place this year on Saturday, May 21 - means that the winning trip must be flawless - and the trophy often goes to the pairing with the best chemistry.

Here's a look at the top jockey/horse combinations for the 2011 Preakness Stakes:

Paired up only days before the Kentucky Derby, Animal Kingdom and John Velazquez combined to win the biggest race of their careers so far.

Velazquez gained the mount after Animal Kingdom's connections decided that Robby Albarado, injured in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby, did not represent their best chance to win. And Velazquez was available to ride only because his mount, Uncle Mo, had been scratched.

A series of unforeseen circumstances combined to produce the 2011 Kentucky Derby champion – will it happen again on Saturday? Trained by Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom will go into the Preakness Stakes with a career record of 5-3-2-0 and earnings of $1,738,700 – while Velazquez will go into the race looking to add the middle jewel of the Triple Crown series to his lengthy list of accomplishments, which already includes the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes (won in 2007).

Looking to bounce back with a big performance after being excluded from the Kentucky Derby, Robby Albarado has picked up the mount on King Congie for the Preakness Stakes. Albarado will be one of three jockeys in the field who has won the Preakness Stakes before – he did so in 2007 aboard Curlin.

And King Congie will need every bit of Albarado's experience; though he started his career on dirt with two races in 2010, he has raced exclusively on turf/synthetics in 2011.

Trained by Thomas Albertrani – who already has a Preakness Stakes win under his belt – King Congie has earned $174,290 from six starts and has a record of 2-0-2.

Julien Leparoux has been aboard for each of Dialed In's five career starts, from his maiden-breaking victory at the end of 2010 to his best finish so far, a win in the Florida Derby (G1) in April. The 2009 Eclipse Award-winning jockey was also aboard Dialed In for his eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, a performance that was hindered by the relatively slow pace.
With the Preakness Stakes setting up to be a speedy affair, the Nick Zito trainee should have all the pace he needs to return to the winner's circle with Leparoux this Saturday. Dialed In has five career starts and is 3-1-0; he has earned $879,206.

Which jockey/horse combination do you think will win the 2011 Preakness Stakes? Bet on Triple Crown horse racing at the Bodog Racebook!

2011 Preakness Stakes Post Positions: 14 Things You Need to Know

The weather may be dicey right up to post time for the 136th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on Saturday, but after post positions were drawn on Wednesday this is what people close to the horses involved say they know…

#1 ASTROLOGY - Trainer Steve Asmussen did not want to comment on his post draw for this race, but he may have been under the assumption that this inside post is as bad at Pimlico as it is at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby. (It is not, however.) At Pimlico, the rail is a great place to be. Whether that helps Astrology, remains to be see; when last looked he was second to weaker horses in the Jerome mile and the Sunland Derby.

#2 NORMAN ASBJORNSON - Trainer Chris Grove said he was hoping for "a little further outside,"but I could not tell you why or if it really has any chance to make a difference. When last looked he was a distant 6th in the Wood Memorial and a well beaten fourth in the Gotham.

#3 KING CONGIE - Trainer Tom Albertrani said: "He's fit and ready and we're positive about his chances. Can he handle dirt? Well, that's what we're gonna find out on Saturday.”

#4 FLASHPOINT - Trainer Wesley Ward, who took over for Rick Dutrow three weeks ago, said simply: "We drew a good post."And he's right. Flashpoint projects to be the serious front running speed in this Preakness. At the very least he ensures a much quicker pace than the 1:13.40 snail's-like pace we saw in the Kentucky Derby.

#5 SHACKLEFORD - Trainer Dale Romans let Michael Lauffer the owner do the talking: "It's fine; we've been on the outside two of the last three races, so it will be nice to be near the inside. We've got speed, so we should be able to save a little ground into the first turn, which is what we want to do. He should be in the top three or four horses going into the first turn." True enough, but this time he will have at least two other fast horses pressing or pushing him.

#6 SWAY AWAY - Trainer Jeff Bonde let the horse's racing manager Mersad Metanovic, speak to the post: "Excellent,"he said. "We don't want No.1 and we don't want No. 14. We expect him to be reserved off the pace to make one run. Garrett Gomez is a nice, patient rider and he's got all the credentials. Nobody has to tell him how to do it.”

#7 MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE - Trainer Bob Baffert said, "Things are looking up. No. 7 is a good post. You don't want to be in the 1, 2 or 14, but everything else is fine. I think we should have been closer up in the Derby, and I think we'll be there here."

#8 DANCE CITY - Trainer Todd Pletcher said: "I think it's good. Most of the speed is inside of us. Being right in the middle is a good spot. I'm pretty happy sitting there."

#9 MUCHO MACHO MAN - Trainer Kathy Ritvo, said: "The post is great. Any place out there would have been perfect for me. I'm going to let my jockey (Rajiv Maragh) ride his own race."Mucho Macho Man tends to find a way to make his presence felt. Mucho Macho Man has in fact been the most reliable performer of any of the Triple Crown horses to date, with in the money finishes in several Graded stakes dating back to last fall, including a win in the 2011 Risen Star in New Orleans and a third in the Kentucky Derby.

#10 DIALED IN - Trainer Nick Zito said: "I think it's fine. Everything looks good. It's not going to bother him at all. I think if you get over, you know you're in good shape. Normally, a closer, you like to be inside because you're already there, but you can get bottled up or whatever. Julien Leparoux should have a good shot to make his big run at it."

#11 ANIMAL KINGDOM - Trainer Graham Motion, whose horse was 21-1 in the Kentucky Derby and came out of that 2-3/4 length victory as the 2-1 morning line favorite in this race, said: "It's great. I couldn't be happier, really. I just would rather be on the outside than stuck down on the inside. I was a little worried when 1 and 14 were left. I've started from 14 before and you're almost on the outside rail. That's a tough spot."Motion also said that "my horse is doing well," and "there is going to be some speed in there this time and that shouldn't hurt us."

#12 ISN'T HE PERFECT - Guyana born trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal was not too happy: "I don't like the 12 post, but what can you do?  We will try our best. We've got the speed to come out of there, but I would have preferred to have 5 or 6."Frankly, like a few others in this field, I doubt this horse could finish in the money if he had a 50 yard head start.

#13 CONCEALED IDENTITY - Trainer Dean Gaudet knows to whom he should let handle the speaking part of this assignment -- his wife Linda Gaudet, co-owner of the horse. Mrs. Gaudet certainly expressed more confidence in this longshot than most of the betting favorites: "No. 13 is not a bad post,"she said. "My horse is dead fit and ready to run. His last race he drew off and galloped out well. It's a long run to the first turn and we'll make sure he's a little closer to the front."
 
#14 MR. COMMONS - Trainer John Shirreffs was not a happy camper, but true to his nature he cracked a funny line after drawing the extreme outside post. Shirreffs said simply: "It's better than the 20."

So with all of that my friends, I am sure you found enough info to bolster your confidence for the horse you liked and/or have found plenty of cause to throw a few bums out. Trust me, I am doing the same. Happy Preakness!

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