Senior Triple Crown

[RacingFan1992]

Okay this idea popped into my head one a few days ago when I thought "Why don't they have the equivalent of the Triple Crown for older horses?" I know they have the Handicap Triple in New York (Well kinda). Why not have three races that are the exact same conditions for four year olds and up. The races would be on the same day as the 3 year old races and would be open to all ages.

Kentucky Maturity-1 1/4

Preakness Maturity-1 3/16

Belmont Maturity-1 1/2

Males-126 lb, Females-121.

Just an idea.

[SG4]

Between the Pimlico Special & the Brooklyn they're pretty much already 2/3rds of the way there, don't think there would be much interest getting the older horses to compete in 3 races in 5 weeks (especially at those distances) when there are bigger fish to fry in the upcoming months. It always seems like a good idea to get something more organized for older horses but that would require some more cooperation among competing tracks, so good luck with that. I believe they tried something like this nationwide about 20 years ago, but more spread out & not just a triple crown-like series, but a months long competition.

[RacingFan1992]

The Pimlico Special and the Brooklyn Handicap sound like a good combo.

[letswastemoney]

It's difficult to force a Triple Crown series. If there was one for older horses, most connections probably wouldn't care that much and go about their normal schedule.

For the 3 year olds, there is so much history and prestige behind the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. It just naturally turned into a series that makes legends.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by SG4

Between the Pimlico Special & the Brooklyn they're pretty much already 2/3rds of the way there, don't think there would be much interest getting the older horses to compete in 3 races in 5 weeks (especially at those distances) when there are bigger fish to fry in the upcoming months. It always seems like a good idea to get something more organized for older horses but that would require some more cooperation among competing tracks, so good luck with that. I believe they tried something like this nationwide about 20 years ago, but more spread out & not just a triple crown-like series, but a months long competition.

Who says it has to be done in 5 weeks. How about 9?...One race every three weeks

[RacingFan1992]

Originally Posted by thespaah

Who says it has to be done in 5 weeks. How about 9?...One race every three weeks

I mean we always brag about how good a horse can be if they can win all three as a three year old in a five week period. Why not as older horses?

[Frost king]

They tried this already in 1991, The American Racing Championship Series. It was a 10 race series for older horses. It brought attention, to the sport, but it seemed that every race had 8 new horses running. No continuity, from race to race. So you couldn't follow a horse from race to race. It was canned after the 1992 season ended.

[RacingFan1992]

Originally Posted by Frost king

They tried this already in 1991, The American Racing Championship Series. It was a 10 race series for older horses. It brought attention, to the sport, but it seemed that every race had 8 new horses running. No continuity, from race to race. So you couldn't follow a horse from race to race. It was canned after the 1992 season ended.

American Championship Racing Series:
Santa Anita Handicap
Pimlico Special
Oaklawn Park Handicap
Nassau County Handicap
Donn Handicap
Jockey Club Gold Cup
Pacific Classic
Philip H. Iselin Handicap
Woodward Handicap

[HuggingTheRail]

With the brilliant minds running horse racing these days, they'd probably run all 3 races on the same day - with the same post time

[RacingFan1992]

Originally Posted by HuggingTheRail

With the brilliant minds running horse racing these days, they'd probably run all 3 races on the same day - with the same post time

I'm surprised they haven't done that with the Triple Crown.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by HuggingTheRail

With the brilliant minds running horse racing these days, they'd probably run all 3 races on the same day - with the same post time

Todd Shrupp: " If you want watch The Brooklyn Handicap, switch over to our sister station now."

[Gallorette]

There used to be the Handicap Triple Crown, that Tom Fool won, and Kelso I think..but then I think they used to be spread out. Now the Met and the Brooklyn are on the same day.

[Fingal]

Santa Anita used to have something like that with the Strub Series for 4 year olds, it was designed to bring back the Triple Crown horses from the prior year.

You had the Malibu at 7f, San Fernando at 1 1/8 & Strub at 1 1/4, eventually the San Fernando & Strub were shortened until dropped off the stake schedule entirely. They just couldn't get the entries like in the older days & then few would race in all 3 so the draw wasn't there any more.

Last horse that even swept the series was Precisionist in 1985.

[foregoforever]

On a similar note, Colonial Downs tried to start a Triple Crown of sorts for turf 3yos some years ago, with the new Colonial Turf Cup and Virginia Derby at Colonial and the Secretariat at Arlington. I thought this was a great idea, but then they screwed it up the next year by making it a Grand Slam by adding the Hirsch at Belmont. The Hirsch is for 3yos and up, of course, and very rarely won by a 3yo, so it wrecked the series. And then Colonial imploded.