Preakness moving date?

[VeryOldMan]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

agree, and as we have seen the past week with college sports, horrible decisions are beholden to what tv execs want.

Seriously.

At this point the Triple Crown exists in an odd bubble - these 3 year olds will NEVER have to race 1 1/4, 1 3/16 and 1 1/2 miles over a span of 5 weeks ever again in their life.

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by VeryOldMan

Seriously.

At this point the Triple Crown exists in an odd bubble - these 3 year olds will NEVER have to race 1 1/4, 1 3/16 and 1 1/2 miles over a span of 5 weeks ever again in their life.

certainly true. I think every sport faces the changing dynamics of the time versus the history that built the sport.

I don't think its a good thing that has evolved and we should be running more of these classic distance races but now that we do it might be time to shorten them to keep them more relevant to what is run week in an week out, and I suppose that goes to spacing as well.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by the little guy

Does anyone actually believe this conversation would even be taking place if NBC still had the broadcast rights to the Belmont?

*if NYRA didn’t sell the broadcast rights to fox?

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

certainly true. I think every sport faces the changing dynamics of the time versus the history that built the sport.

I don't think its a good thing that has evolved and we should be running more of these classic distance races but now that we do it might be time to shorten them to keep them more relevant to what is run week in an week out, and I suppose that goes to spacing as well.

I think it's the timing more than the distance. There are still major races where horses have to go 1 1/8 or 1 1/4, but for many reasons it's rare to see anyone try it off 2 weeks' rest. If one entity controlled all the races and could make them 3 or 4 weeks apart, at this point that would make sense.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by The_Turf_Monster

*if NYRA didn’t sell the broadcast rights to fox?

ICWYDT

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by cj

In Triple Crown standings, the races rank something like this...

Derby
,,,
,,,
,,,
Belmont
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
Preakness.


There is no way the Preakness is going to dictate terms to the other two.

I think it is closer to:

Derby
,,,
,,,
,,,
Belmont when the TC is on the line
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
Preakness
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
Belmont when no TC is on the line.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by The_Turf_Monster

What past records? The triple crown has historically moved around with 4 winners of it not running at the current schedule

I'm talking about the gap between races. Horses of that caliber these days do not run 3 major races within a 5 week span outside of the Triple Crown. If you move the dates where they go a month between races then you cannot compare the records.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

I think it is closer to:

Derby
,,,
,,,
,,,
Belmont when the TC is on the line
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
Preakness
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
,,,
Belmont when no TC is on the line.

The Preakness is not significantly more popular than a non-TC Belmont and the card itself is nowhere near as popular. The handle bears that out.

Consider for a second what the company that owns Pimlico is doing right now and you really think it’s intelligent to cater to their whims? To break up the one thing that works in the game? Mind boggling so many people have that reaction.

If every pre-Derby race was downgraded, as was the PA Derby, then horsemen might be more stimulated to get a GI opportunity in the Preakness. That’d be a far better solution to then first before moving the race.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The Preakness is not significantly more popular than a non-TC Belmont and the card itself is nowhere near as popular. The handle bears that out.

Consider for a second what the company that owns Pimlico is doing right now and you really think it’s intelligent to cater to their whims? To break up the one thing that works in the game? Mind boggling so many people have that reaction.

If every pre-Derby race was downgraded, as was the PA Derby, then horsemen might be more stimulated to get a GI opportunity in the Preakness. That’d be a far better solution to then first before moving the race.

Check the television ratings if you want to know about the Preakness' popularity vs. a non-TC Belmont. Also, some non-TC Belmonts aren't even popular with horsemen- they sometimes draw Grade II or Grade III fields.

[Tom]

Moving the Preakness to 4 weeks after the Derby is a no-brainer, should get more Derby horses to eun back. Reality is 2 weeks in this day and age is not how horses race.
Moving the Belmont out for another 4-5 week gap malres sense to me.

Then theu could move the Met nack to feature race status on Memorial Day, where it belongs!

[Al Gobbi]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The Preakness is not significantly more popular than a non-TC Belmont and the card itself is nowhere near as popular. The handle bears that out.

Consider for a second what the company that owns Pimlico is doing right now and you really think it’s intelligent to cater to their whims? To break up the one thing that works in the game? Mind boggling so many people have that reaction.

If every pre-Derby race was downgraded, as was the PA Derby, then horsemen might be more stimulated to get a GI opportunity in the Preakness. That’d be a far better solution to then first before moving the race.

and there is no guarantee moving the Preakness four weeks after the Derby is going to attract a better field than it currently does

[Sheffwed]

Ky Derby - first Saturday in May
Belmont - last Saturday in May (saturday of Memorial Day Weekend)
Preakness - mid June, three weeks after Belmont

if they want to move it back, maybe they should just switch

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by Tom

Moving the Preakness to 4 weeks after the Derby is a no-brainer, should get more Derby horses to run back. Reality is 2 weeks in this day and age is not how horses race.
Moving the Belmont out for another 4-5 week gap makes sense to me.

Then they could move the Met back to feature race status on Memorial Day, where it belongs!

I'm in favor of anything that moves the Met back to Memorial Day.

I will go to the track and bet the same amount of money on that Belmont card regardless of whether it has the Met or a some listed stake race at a mile. I always went to see the Met on Memorial Day. It's my favorite race along with the Test. I haven't been to a Memorial Day card since the Met moved and typically find something besides gambling to do instead. The Met would change that in a flash.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I'm in favor of anything that moves the Met back to Memorial Day.

I'm going to the track and betting the same amount of money on that Belmont card whether it has the Met or a some listed stake race at a mile. I haven't been to a Memorial Day card since the Met moved and typically find something besides gambling to do instead. The Met would change that in a flash.

Increasing length of spacing of Triple Crown Series races will most likely be extended. Restoring the Met Mile to Memorial Day should be a NO brainer for the folks with the NYRA. Ending spring Belmont meeting with Belmont Stakes card and heading to Toga could work well after Belmont Park renovation is complete.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by Al Gobbi

and there is no guarantee moving the Preakness four weeks after the Derby is going to attract a better field than it currently does

You are probably right. If you look at how top trainers spot horses these days, quite a few probably won't think anything of waiting 8 weeks for the Belmont instead coming back in 4.

Personally, I'd WAY prefer to run in the Preakness unless I had a horse I thought was a real 12F horse. More horses are going to like the 1 3/16ths than the 12F. Personally, I think a lot of the 3rd tier horses should probably skip the Derby in favor of the Preakness where they'd have a shot at Grade 1 status against a weaker field at a shorter distance, but the fantasies of winning the Derby are apparently a stronger pull than chances of winning.