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American Pharoah seeking Triple Crown

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by SnarkShark, May 16, 2015.

  1. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Assuming NBC is correct in saying Pharoah's time is the second-fastest Belmont ever (and on a pretty mushy track), you'd have to say it's pretty damn impressive.
     
    Hokie_pokie and franticscribe like this.
  2. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    31 lengths. Stamped in memory.
     
  3. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Did not listen to the postrace, so that is pretty impressive. I just found it anti-climactic, since the field was so small and AP is such a strong horse. Was still waiting for the late fade but was not surprised when it never came. This was the first time in many years I fully expected a Triple Crown.
     
  4. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Twice A Prince, who finished second to Secretariat, finished in just about 2:29. I don't have the charts in front of me, but I believe the average Belmont winner over the history of the race has run about 2:28 (which would be 24 lengths back).

    So go look at that picture again.
     
  5. Chef2

    Chef2 Well-Known Member

    Pharholy Shit.
     
  6. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Well, that's what you get with live mikes on the track seconds after the race.
     
    donjulio15 likes this.
  7. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    I was surprised to see that this is only the 12th Triple Crown winner ever. Figured there had been at least 20, especially in the early days when there were some four- and five-horse fields at some of these races. There were a few Belmonts in the early 20th century that were two-horse races.
     
  8. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Second fastest for a TC winner, Secretariat has the top time.

    Does anyone cash their American Pharoah win ticket?
     
  9. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    I left him out of my exacta, hoping to beat the favorite. Most enjoyable loss I've ever had on the ponies.
     
  10. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    The eight-horse field matched the largest that any triple crown winner has had to face in the Belmont Stakes. Citation (1948) and Seattle Slew (1977) also beat seven other horses. Seven of the 12 triple crown winners -- including Secretariat -- faced four or fewer challengers in the Belmont. Man O' War, while not a triple crown winner (his owner didn't run him in the Derby) but still recognized as one of the best ever, won a match race in the 1920 Belmont Stakes.
    So, if American Pharoah's win wasn't impressive just because of the size of the field, then no other triple crown clinchers should be either.

    Field sizes for other triple crown clinchers: Triple Crown 2012: Field Size in the Belmont Stakes - Horse Racing Nation
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2015
  11. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Was not aware of that. Like I said, I think it was just not as exciting as I expected, because I was pretty sure he would pull it off. And the fact I watched it in the office ...
     
  12. UPChip

    UPChip Well-Known Member

    And the funny thing is I really hadn't heard the whole "superhorse" thing thrown around with American Pharoah like, say, Big Brown or War Emblem or FuPeg or maybe California Chrome. Just seemed like he was a very good horse who was consistently better than his opposition.

    That said, I know precious little about the ponies - they make me sneeze uncontrollably.
     
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