Silver Charm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > >Are folks really going to argue that the
> horses using the multiple week spacing >ambush
> technique in the Belmont during the last 7 years
> are really being >managed better than those
> that run in all three triple crown events and are
> >sounder with more bottom to go on with their
> careers?
>
> Yes because of these winners.
>
> Jazil
> Afleet Alex
> Birdstone
> Empire Maker
> Sarava
> Commendable
>
> The Belmont was the biggest victory on their
> resumes up to that particular point in time. The
> only exception being perhaps Birdstone who did
> later win the Travers.
>

Silver, your namesake is steaming mad over this.

He was one of the legitimate ones. A great horse that fate and a wide out of his vision closing adversary deprived him of the Triple Crown. He went on to win a bunch of big ones as a handicap star. He was too legit to quit. He was a much better horse than Touch Gold and was narrowly deprived of immortality. So he is steaming over your disregard for his substance, even if he is steaming in Japan.

Smarty Jones was essentially a Triple Crown horse too. Real Quiet was three inches in front a jump from the wire and three inches in front a jump past the wire.

If we tamper with the conditions to win the Triple Crown we change entirely what it is about. Its about a horse bred well enough to accomplish one of the greatest feats in sports. The pursuit of that Holy Grail will encourage owners to demand well bred horses. Horses bred to be sound and run often. If you change the conditions so any old Empire Maker or Barbaro can spot up those races before going bad in the Travers all you accomplish is a disservice to the breed.

People think I'm cold because I don't gush sympathy over a fallen prospect. But folks like me that demand more of the industry are the games future. To allow otherwise will only result in weakly bred horses, running short distances on drugs and with race spacing so that five weeks separates the major events.

That format will undo whats left of the breed quicker than any other harm you can propose.

I'm waiting for the next Silver Charm and maybe this time, he'll win it all.






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/2006 09:11PM by Chuckles_the_Clown2.