I just watched an ESPN special on the Triple Crown. The highlight of the show was of course the Triple Crown run by Secretariat. I have seen these three races many times before but I still get a chill when Secretariat inhales the field on the Preakness backside and when he wins the Belmont by a country mile.

But what really struck me this time was how really good and really unlucky Sham was. He ran an incredible Derby clearing the rest of the field by many lengths but had no chance of holding off the big red machine in the fastest final quarter in Derby history. (Note that Sham's Derby time was the second fastest in history). Sham also ran a great race in the Preakness running his eyeballs out under a whipping and slashing Pincay as he chased Secretariat home through the stretch and once again finished far in front of the rest of the field. He did finally crack in the Belmont but how was Pincay to know that his plan to try and get the jump on Secretariat and wire the Belmont field would be foiled by Secretariat who would be uncharacteristically at his throat latch from the start pressing him into ridiculous fractions of 1:09 and change for a 1, 1/2 mile race. Only one horse could possibly have withstood those fractions so it is not a surprise that Sham eventually wilted under the pressure.

To put it another way, Sham probably would have won the Triple Crown if he had come along in any other year. Some may say Alydar was unlucky not to win a Triple Crown race but I think Sham may have been the unluckiest TC competitor of all time.

I am definitely looking forward to this year's Belmont. I just wish we did not have to wait another week.

Cheers.

Chris