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California Chrome goes for the Triple Crown

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by trifectarich, Jun 7, 2014.

  1. Hokie_pokie

    Hokie_pokie Well-Known Member

    Here's something you seemingly can't bear to acknowledge in your "critique" of Coburn's post-race interview: He was at least partially correct.

    There are owners out there who are too chicken-shit to put their horses in the first two races and potentially jeopardize their strategic advantage for the Belmont. These chicken-shits frequently use specious "injuries" or "illnesses" as pretense for pulling their horses out of either the Derby or Preakness.

    Obviously, there are no rules against being chicken-shit. If they want their horses to lay out until Belmont, they're certainly free to do that.

    But while his timing and delivery left something to be desired -- and his anaolgy to the kid in a wheelchair was offensive as hell -- a lot of people are pissed at Coburn for telling the truth instead of sucking it up and being "classy."

    Guess he's just not as finely schooled as Pletcher and those other phony-ass MFers.
     
  2. Hokie_pokie

    Hokie_pokie Well-Known Member

    Secretariat was the greatest racehorse of all time, but he only had to beat a handful of horses at Belmont. Ditto for many of the other Triple Crown winners.

    Now that the money for winning even one of the crown jewels has gotten so ridiculous, there's an obvious motivation for owners to hold out their horses and save their legs.

    The only horses that beat Chrome had skipped either the Derby or Preakness. That is telling. I thought the horse ran valiantly to place T-4.
     
  3. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Some in the horsey set say Citation is the greatest ever.
     
  4. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Maybe even Kelso.
     
  5. Paynendearse

    Paynendearse Member

    Maybe this was the booth's fault not allowing Costas more time, but this French owner's time in the sun consisted of being questioned about being called a coward AND feeling guilty about disappointing most of the horse racing nation by winning. A true NBC moment of douchebaggery.

    Second, I think we should follow the example of the horses and their thoughts on the matter.
     
  6. Paynendearse

    Paynendearse Member

    Secretariat mauled the field. Best horse ever, easy.
     
  7. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Some owners can tell the difference between a speed horse and an endurance horse. The Preakness is a sprint and the Belmont is an endurance race. It would be like having Usain Bolt run the 1,500 meters. He could probably do it; he might not win.
     
  8. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    You're right, he did.

    That said, I've been working on a story for 6 months. Actually took the last few months off to forget about all of the information. Just now coming back to it. I talked to many many many people whose lives revolve around horse racing. The names. Those who lived it and experienced it and are in the Hall of Fame for it.

    One famous trainer said this about Secretariat and the Belmont thrashing vis-a-vis in relation to his greatness:


    “Secretariat.” With a caveat. “Kelso was as good of a horse, but if Secretariat’s Belmont wasn’t as impressive as it was … he was so overwhelming that he’ll be remembered a little more than he was.” He cited a college professor who explained Secretariat's greatness in relation to Native Americans and the way they determined the strength of their victories. If you beat someone who walked with a cane, it’s not so great. But if you brought forth victory against a very major enemy that had prepared for battle, it was a huge thing. Same with prizefighters such as Ali and Frazier: it was who you fought, who you beat that determined true greatness. And so “Secretariat didn’t do that” necessarily. “Only one race perpetuated his legendary status.” Some of the races Secretariat lost, he said, happened because “he was ill-prepared. His owners had this illusion that even at 70 percent, Secretariat was better than every horse he raced against.”
     
  9. armageddon

    armageddon Active Member

    And here is something you appear incapable of grasping.

    There is no rule that commands anyone to enter a horse in all three races. I won't go back past 1973 but for 41 years the rules have been the same. Every owner has known this for years.

    You piss and moan about it after getting embarrassed on national TV and you're nothing but a whiner. You have 24 hours to contemplate and realize you embarrassed yourself (and your wife) on national TV and you double-down you look just plain stupid.

    The owner(s) of a particular horse should do what is best for that horse and his/her partners. Said owners have no responsibility to do what is best for the competition.

    I hadn't even followed the Derby and Preakness because I was swamped with work but after yesterday I'm glad California Chrome ran so valiantly to finish fourth and we were treated to the asshattery of the owner.
     
  10. armageddon

    armageddon Active Member

    Everyone remembers the '73 Belmont. But Secretariat's move early in the Preakness, to go from last to first as he was going through the first turn, illustrated his greatness.

    Just find the video and watch that move. Friggin' amazing.
     
  11. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    I don't disagree. Half the people I talked to said Secretariat. Citation and Kelso were mentioned quite a bit too.

    Just using the trainer's quote to illustrate that perhaps the '73 Belmont field wasn't so strong. But that doesn't mean Secretariat isn't the greatest Triple Crown horse ever.
     
  12. Hokie_pokie

    Hokie_pokie Well-Known Member

    Clearly, reading comprehension isn't your strong suit, champ.

    I acknowledged in one of my previous posts that there's no rule preventing owners from holding their horses out.

    I also acknowledged that the timing of his comments was less than optimal.

    But if you don't think that Coburn was partially correct -- that some owners opt not to run all 3 TC races because they're cowards -- then I don't know what to tell you.

    For some reason, you are clearly bothered by someone not only speaking his mind, but telling the unvarnished truth while doing so.

    Are you a journalist? I sure hope not.
     
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