Genesis of a Triple Crown drought: Delp, Franklin, & The Bid going into '79 Belmont

[Big Sal]

A look back at the entertaining antics of Bud Delp, the crazy doings of Ron Franklin, and the greatness of Spectacular Bid, going into the 1979 Belmont Stakes. With many guest appearances by Angel Cordero.

http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2014/6/10/genesis-triple-crown-drought-spectacular-bid-1979-belmont-stakes

It's remarkable that Ron Franklin rode his final career race at just age 32. And he did it in a $3,000 claiming race at Fairmount Park, aboard an 11/1 shot.

[TheEdge07]

A look back at the entertaining antics of Bud Delp, the crazy doings of Ron Franklin, and the greatness of Spectacular Bid, going into the 1979 Belmont Stakes. With many guest appearances by Angel Cordero.

http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2014/6/10/genesis-triple-crown-drought-spectacular-bid-1979-belmont-stakes

It's remarkable that Ron Franklin rode his final career race at just age 32. And he did it in a $3,000 claiming race at Fairmount Park, aboard an 11/1 shot.


Hope in heaven i get 6/1 against Big Red,Slew,Affirmed..Imo he was better then all 3 at any distance up to 1 1/2..

From distances of 6.5 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, Spectcular Bid won all 24 of his career starts including 14 at the Grade 1 level. He competed at 15 different racetracks and he set or equaled eight different track records. The Bid also carried 130 or more pounds on five different occasions. Perhaps most impressively of all, he retired with the fastest Ragozin Sheet figures ever run. In fact, he had a few Ragozin figures at age four that were open lengths faster than the 0 Secretariat ran when he won the Belmont Stakes. - See more at: http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2014/6/10/genesis-triple-crown-drought-spectacular-bid-1979-belmont-stakes#sthash.Lysw4Rv6.dpuf

[Big Sal]

Hope in heaven i get 6/1 against Big Red,Slew,Affirmed..Imo he was better then all 3 at any distance up to 1 1/2..

As an atheist, I won't have that to look forward to.

Best case scenario: I'm food for worms. Ah, the cycle of life. You're at the top of the food chain, until you die, and become a meal for whatever it is that's underground.

Worst case scenario: I'm in a fire-pit somewhere, getting burnt to a crisp.

[TheEdge07]

As an atheist, I won't have that to look forward to.

Best case scenario: I'm food for worms. Ah, the cycle of life. You're at the top of the food chain, until you die, and become a meal for whatever it is that's underground.

Worst case scenario: I'm in a fire-pit somewhere, getting burnt to a crisp.

Where is Franklin these days?

Twain:Go to heaven for the climate..go to hell for the company.

[dilanesp]

Hope in heaven i get 6/1 against Big Red,Slew,Affirmed..Imo he was better then all 3 at any distance up to 1 1/2..

From distances of 6.5 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, Spectcular Bid won all 24 of his career starts including 14 at the Grade 1 level. He competed at 15 different racetracks and he set or equaled eight different track records. The Bid also carried 130 or more pounds on five different occasions. Perhaps most impressively of all, he retired with the fastest Ragozin Sheet figures ever run. In fact, he had a few Ragozin figures at age four that were open lengths faster than the 0 Secretariat ran when he won the Belmont Stakes. - See more at: http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2014/6/10/genesis-triple-crown-drought-spectacular-bid-1979-belmont-stakes#sthash.Lysw4Rv6.dpuf

I basically think that Spectacular Bid was the best American racehorse of all time, for similar reasons.

He's definitely he best horse I ever personally saw run.

[thespaah]

A look back at the entertaining antics of Bud Delp, the crazy doings of Ron Franklin, and the greatness of Spectacular Bid, going into the 1979 Belmont Stakes. With many guest appearances by Angel Cordero.

http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2014/6/10/genesis-triple-crown-drought-spectacular-bid-1979-belmont-stakes

It's remarkable that Ron Franklin rode his final career race at just age 32. And he did it in a $3,000 claiming race at Fairmount Park, aboard an 11/1 shot.
One hit wonder.

[RXB]

Spectacular Bid is my Twitter cover photo star and I tweeted his PP's earlier today: http://www.drf.com/sites/default/files/Spectacular%20Bid.pdf

He was a phenomenal horse and it's too bad that the ever-increasing obsession with the Triple Crown over everything else in racing entrenches him being remembered mostly for a single failure rather than a string of magnificent successes.

[nijinski]

Ronnie had a troubled life , tried for years to get his license back . I know
in 2007 and 08 he was galloping at a training center .

[PaceAdvantage]

A look back at the entertaining antics of Bud Delp, the crazy doings of Ron Franklin, and the greatness of Spectacular Bid, going into the 1979 Belmont Stakes. With many guest appearances by Angel Cordero.

http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2014/6/10/genesis-triple-crown-drought-spectacular-bid-1979-belmont-stakes

It's remarkable that Ron Franklin rode his final career race at just age 32. And he did it in a $3,000 claiming race at Fairmount Park, aboard an 11/1 shot.Nice write up DS...I enjoyed it very much...and thanks for sharing the link here...

[nijinski]

Agree , it is a great link and I remember so much of the Bid . I do remember
alot of his career and also finding Delp a bit irritating at the time lol .
I was very lucky to have seen the Bid at the Meadowlands and Hialeah.
I had no idea back then how lucky I was , didn't have the same knowledge ,
when I was young , it took many years !

I feel bad for Franklin in a way , he wasn't ready for the fame and money .

[Big Sal]

Thanks.

Here's that remarkable cut of Spectacular Bid's lifetime past performances, from distances beyond 6 furlongs to short of 12f.

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10421606_10202244519906683_5015130006470259584_n.j pg

[classhandicapper]

I was there to see the Marboro, Woodward, and his loss to Affirmed in the JCGC.

IMO, Shoe may have made a mistake in the JCGC. IMO, the inside paths were not as good as the outside paths that day (not at all uncommon at Belmont in those days). You can see in the replay that Cauthen kept Affirmed well out on the track the entire race and was more than willing to allow a strongly rallying Coastal to come up the rail. You could almost wonder if he was that far out on the track turning for home because he was hoping Shoe would come inside of him for the stretch drive.

Of course the pace and age difference were factors also, but I recall leaving the track that day upset that Shoe went inside because I was rooting for Bid and felt he didn't get a fair shake.

Lost in all this is that Coastal was pretty darn good himself. He was clearly making a a solid move when he went straight to the rail and was disadvantaged by another dead rail in one of the other year end matchups against those all time greats.

[TheEdge07]

Thanks.

Here's that remarkable cut of Spectacular Bid's lifetime past performances, from distances beyond 6 furlongs to short of 12f.

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10421606_10202244519906683_5015130006470259584_n.j pg



The Bid traveled everywhere!!

[cj's dad]

Grew up just outside of Baltimore in a blue collar, tough ass part of town

More here-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Franklin_%28jockey%29

[outofthebox]

Thanks.

Here's that remarkable cut of Spectacular Bid's lifetime past performances, from distances beyond 6 furlongs to short of 12f.

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10421606_10202244519906683_5015130006470259584_n.j pgThanks for posting this..OMG 5 stakes win in @45 days at different tracks as a 2yo...Freakish!

[dilanesp]

Thanks for posting this..OMG 5 stakes win in @45 days at different tracks as a 2yo...Freakish!

Yep, and the Laurel Futurity was a track record-- in a 1 1/16 mile race as a 2 year old! Who does that?

[ILovetheInner]

I have fond memories of Delp. It would have all been repugnant were he not right, but I think he knew what he had from the start and was going to live every second of it in that knowledge. It had been quite an era of some great horses with proper connections who said proper things. Bud Delp added color, and given that Bid proved over and over again that a massive trouble line wasn't going to change a result, Bud Delp's ways kept it interesting. Bid was an immense talent and loved the game...skipped over the track like nothing I've seen. Delp's loyalty to Franklin and the Belmont Stakes really were the only detraction. Great conditioning job as well for a spectacular campaign.

[classhandicapper]

Thanks for posting this..OMG 5 stakes win in @45 days at different tracks as a 2yo...Freakish!

Not sure we'll see another like him (at least me at 55).