Randy Moss says space the TC races.

[TheEdge07]

Moss on a interview Mike/Mike espn says change the spacing between the TC races and claims theres already a push for it.

[horses4courses]

Lost all respect for Randy Moss on Saturday's broadcast.

Criticizing Espinoza's ride and arguing about it with Jerry Bailey,
one of the most talented jockeys of all-time, was ridiculous.

It smacked of putting it out there just to stir things up.
Mr. Moss seems to be quite fond of the sound of his own voice.

He's not all that....... :ThmbDown:

[Tom]

OK, give them more time between races.
Secretariat would have won by 51 instead of 31.

CHAMPIONS get the job done.
Pretenders do not.

Three TC winners in the 70's.
Maybe we need to train them better today?

[DeltaLover]

In my opinion TC races should remain exactly as they are right now.

There is no reason we should push the emerging of a new TC winner, something that should not be seen as the objective but rather the way of confirming that a specific horse is clearly the best of his generation.

Instead of considering changes to the ultimate test of horse racing, trying to convert it to a more feasible target, I think that what needs to happen, is a diametrical change in the quests of the breeders, owners and trainers who should reconsider what they really want to accomplish, returning to the original focus of the game, which historically has been the constant improvement of the thoroughbred.

The industry has fallen to a vicious circle, where the involved parties (breeders, owners and trainers) are trying to dominate the two and three year old racing, with the intention of recycling their top runners to stud as soon as possible..

This tactic has gone against the quality of the TBred and a side effect of this, can be found in the fact that despite the very large number of foals every year, it has become impossible to bred a truly dominant horse in the lines of Mar o War, Secretariat, Dr Fager and Kelso (just to name a few)...

[Cholly]

It will come down to $$, so we’re unlikely to see any changes to TC dates. NYRA has the leverage here, and would have to be convinced any change will to increase their Belmont day business.

But history suggests business is better when a Triple Crown is on the line, and methinks increasing the spacing between The Derby and The Preakness makes it less likely for one horse to sweep both. Ergo, NYRA will want to keep things the way they are.

Pimlico could threaten to unilaterally change their date, but they're the weakest link in the Triple Crown, and would risk somebody else filling their spot. Unless NYRA blinks, Pimlico unlikely to make such a move.

[Lono]

Check out the English Triple Crown, no winner since Nijinsky 1970. Started in 1853 only 13 winners. 1st leg early May, 2nd leg early June, 3rd leg September, maybe they need more spacing.

[Greyfox]

I said several years ago on this forum that the Triple Crown Races should take a cue from golf Majors and space them over May, June, and July.
The main reason for that is to bring horse racing more publicity over a longer period of time.
Unfortunately, that idea might make the Triple Crown Trophy even harder to win.
Three year olds mature at different rates.
Those who are not "up to speed" in May, might be burning up tracks in July.
I can see advantages and disadvantages on both sides of the equation with respect to whether or not calendar changes should be made. Tough call.

[cj]

This isn't original from me, but I think spacing the races further apart will make it harder, not easier. The longer the campaign, the more likely something is going to go wrong. You can pretty much eliminate any Pletcher horse from ever having a chance.

[Lono]

I'm an Occam's Razor kind of guy. It ain't broke so don't fix it.

[classhandicapper]

Putting extra time between the races is what I call a Band-Aid solution. It's the kind of thing we do in politics all the time. Instead of fixing the CORE problem we find ways around it so we can continue with some other flawed policy or attitude.

Either this is just a bad run of luck or the horses aren't as tough and/or capable of getting 1 1/2 miles. If they aren't as tough and capable, then breed tougher, stronger horses, that can run further!

[Fingal]

In my opinion TC races should remain exactly as they are right now.

The Triple Crown is for the great horse.

Good is.............well good.


To use Baseball as an example, they didn't have a Triple Crown winner for 45 years. Should they have changed the standards just to have one ?

[Dark Horse]

It will come down to $$, so we’re unlikely to see any changes to TC dates.

Agree with first. Disagree with second. A TC winner two or three times in a decade would increase the sport's popularity, draw in a new crowd, so more tv coverage and more money.

We're living a whole new tv-era compared to the 1970's. Horse racing, again, is missing out spectacularly. Love the sport, but its organization is stone age.

[Greyfox]

A TC winner two or three times in a decade would increase the sport's popularity, draw in a new crowd, so more tv coverage and more money.

.

The Triple Crown was won 3 times in the 1970's.
It was losing it's shine and we started taking it for granted.
That frequency did not increase fan interest.
Looking back, what the hell did we know about the drought that was coming.

[Stillriledup]

I think spacing the races is good for the horses, it will give very good horses more rest, etc.

As far as making the Triple Crown 'easier" i think that's something that we shouldn't be worrying about. We should make sure that an owner who wants to run in a grade 1 race on May 3rd can also choose to run in another grade 1 race on June 3rd and then one on July 3rd (for example)

The 3 races in 5 weeks stuff isnt going to cut it, trainers are going to have to pick and choose....if you space them better, you will have more horses and more fresh horses...and as bettors, that's what we want.

[Dark Horse]

The Triple Crown was won 3 times in the 1970's.
It was losing it's shine and we started taking it for granted.
That frequency did not increase fan interest.
Looking back, what the hell did we know about the drought that was coming.

But compare tv coverage of sports to today's 24/7. Once horse racing has its foot in the door of this century, it's a whole new game.

[Irish Boy]

I suspect that no one winning the triple crown is a blessing in disguise for horse racing.

[thespaah]

OK, give them more time between races.
Secretariat would have won by 51 instead of 31.

CHAMPIONS get the job done.
Pretenders do not.

Three TC winners in the 70's.
Maybe we need to train them better today?
Last Friday, Marc Belling who is a talk show host on a station in Milwaukee was sitting in for Rush Limbaugh. He spent the final 8 min segment of the show handicapping and commenting on the Belmont
Anyway, he offered commentary as to why there has not been a TC winner in 36 years. he mentioned the grueling schedule and the distance of the races. He then focused on the distance aspect. He said that Thoroughbreds were no longer being bred for distance, but for speed...
He also commented on the fact that the winner of the Derby And Preakness often faced horses that had not raced in one or both events and that they were fit and well rested.
Interesting stuff coming from a guy who is a talk show host.
In any event, he's pretty much spot on regarding both points.
ON Saturday morning I was listening to "Down the Stretch with Dave Johnson" He had Bob Baffert as a guest. The subject of extending the time to complete the TC came up. Baffert said he would not object to a change but then also commented about the tradition of the TC and how he believed the schedule should stay as it is.

[Tom]

Start a new TC for today's horses.

6.0 Furlongs
5.5 Furlongs
7.0 Furlongs

Watch the trainers whine about that grueling 7 panels.

[Broad Brush]

I suspect that no one winning the triple crown is a blessing in disguise for horse racing.

I agree with this. People want to see something that is very rare and unique.
With all of the things broken in racing today, why "fix" the only thing that
draws attention to the game??

Can't everybody just accept the main reason we have not had a TC winner
for 36 years: one too many horses born.

Easy Goer or Sunday Silence
Touch Gold
Victory Gallop or Real Quiet
Birdstone
Alysheba (Bet Twice would have won it)

Besides, it seems tougher to hold form for several months than 5 weeks.

[Stillriledup]

I suspect that no one winning the triple crown is a blessing in disguise for horse racing.

I agree IB.

The longer they go without a winner, the more special the winner would be. And, lets please instruct the racing gods to get someone in there of high moral character, those racing gods haven't done much of a job in recent times.

[levinmpa]

If Real Quiet hangs on instead of losing by an inch, or Smarty Jones gets a better ride and airs by 5, we never need to have these conversations.

D. Wayne Lucas once proposed running the Preakness Memorial Day weekend and the Belmont on July 4. I originally thought changing the spacing might be a good idea. Why do we need to somehow create a cheapened triple crown winner. Let the horse earn it, and he'll be a legend.

[jasperson]

Putting extra time between the races is what I call a Band-Aid solution. It's the kind of thing we do in politics all the time. Instead of fixing the CORE problem we find ways around it so we can continue with some other flawed policy or attitude.

Either this is just a bad run of luck or the horses aren't as tough and/or capable of getting 1 1/2 miles. If they aren't as tough and capable, then breed tougher, stronger horses, that can run further!
I agree. Here is how Assault won the TC.
4th in derby trial 4/30 in the mud.
5/4 won the Kentucky derby.
5/11 won the Preakness.
6/1 won the Belmont.
Talk about close spacing 5 tough races in a month. What kind of tbs are we breeding now?