I could be wrong, but it seems to me the field gets smaller as the triple crown races go on. I think sometimes it's not worth the risk to owners for injury or whatever if they didn't win the earlier races or weren't doing well. There are also usually other horses that didn't race in the previous races which is kind of unfair in a way.
Last year the triple crown hopeful's owner made a huge to do over your last point. He was angry how a horse who hadn't run the other two races beat his horse, really angry.
I could be wrong, but it seems to me the field gets smaller as the triple crown races go on. I think sometimes it's not worth the risk to owners for injury or whatever if they didn't win the earlier races or weren't doing well. There are also usually other horses that didn't race in the previous races which is kind of unfair in a way.
Last year the triple crown hopeful's owner made a huge to do over your last point. He was angry how a horse who hadn't run the other two races beat his horse, really angry.
That's interesting (but would explain the smaller field).
I just watched the replay and boy did American Pharaoh dominate!
My uncle is convinced there were shady dealings going on to limit it to such a small field in the first place. I know very little; what is a normal field size for this race? Isn't it often smaller than the derby due to its length?
yes, it is. I didn't see anything abnormal about the size of the field.
Way to go Pharaoh!!!!!!!!!!!! I grew up around horses, and watched the races religiously as a kid. Like others, I was wondering if I'd ever see it in my lifetime.
I had no idea they beat the horses like that near the finish. I'd never seen a horse race before. I don't think I'm overly sensitive, but when I watched last year, I was pretty horrified.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's totally awesome and exciting to have a Triple Crown, I just can't watch it.
Totally understand that. I don't think I saw Victor Espinoza ever even lift the whip today though.
I had no idea they beat the horses like that near the finish. I'd never seen a horse race before. I don't think I'm overly sensitive, but when I watched last year, I was pretty horrified.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's totally awesome and exciting to have a Triple Crown, I just can't watch it.
Totally understand that. I don't think I saw Victor Espinoza ever even lift the whip today though.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I had no idea they beat the horses like that near the finish. I'd never seen a horse race before. I don't think I'm overly sensitive, but when I watched last year, I was pretty horrified.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's totally awesome and exciting to have a Triple Crown, I just can't watch it.
I used to love horse racing as a kid and I had to stop after watching Eight Bells break down at the finish and get put down. I'm happy there is a new Triple Crown winner (never thought it would happen again), but I can't watch.
I had no idea they beat the horses like that near the finish. I'd never seen a horse race before. I don't think I'm overly sensitive, but when I watched last year, I was pretty horrified.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's totally awesome and exciting to have a Triple Crown, I just can't watch it.
Totally understand that. I don't think I saw Victor Espinoza ever even lift the whip today though.
Ok, based on your statement, I watched. He did use the whip, but it wasn't NEARLY what I saw when I last watched. I don't even know which race I watched last year, but I straight up cried, lol.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I had no idea they beat the horses like that near the finish. I'd never seen a horse race before. I don't think I'm overly sensitive, but when I watched last year, I was pretty horrified.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's totally awesome and exciting to have a Triple Crown, I just can't watch it.
I used to love horse racing as a kid and I had to stop after watching Eight Bells break down at the finish and get put down. I'm happy there is a new Triple Crown winner (never thought it would happen again), but I can't watch.
Totally understand that. I don't think I saw Victor Espinoza ever even lift the whip today though.
Ok, based on your statement, I watched. He did use the whip, but it wasn't NEARLY what I saw when I last watched. I don't even know which race I watched last year, but I straight up cried, lol.
I must have missed it! The kid chose those two minutes to be all up in my grille so I was a bit distracted. lol
When the race is closer than what it was today, you will unfortunately see a lot more whip usage.
Little anecdote: In 1973, I worked for a man who had owned Secretariat as a foal, but sold him. Then that year, he won the Triple Crown. My boss was not pleased.
I fell in love with my exH at a horse race. He later owned a few horses but only one ever won real money, about $25k. It's an expensive sport.
Secretariat was owned and raced by his breeders. Are you thinking of another horse?
So cool to watch. My co-worker attended all three races, she is retiring this year and she did the races as a once in a lifetime adventure with her bff and their spouses. I can't wait to see her on Monday. She even had her nails painted like American Pharoah's jockey colors. Exciting time!
Little anecdote: In 1973, I worked for a man who had owned Secretariat as a foal, but sold him. Then that year, he won the Triple Crown. My boss was not pleased.
I fell in love with my exH at a horse race. He later owned a few horses but only one ever won real money, about $25k. It's an expensive sport.
Secretariat was owned and raced by his breeders. Are you thinking of another horse?
Huh. I'm reading that he was born at The Meadow in VA but raced under Calbourne Farms in KY.
So I woke up and read more race info this morning. I'm still utterly thrilled. Seeing horses at that calibre is just breath taking for me. When I was younger I wanted to be a jockey. That was until I realized that I would be a monster compared to the size a jockey needs to be. One of the doctors I worked with actually saw Secretariat back in the day win a (although not at one of the Triple Crown, he saw the Canadian International) race. Watching events like this just makes me love horses all the more. I can't wait till I live in the country again to have another horse. Even though I can't race horses, I can at least still barrel race!
eta- watching horses is one of the few things that makes me feel so alive. I love everything about them.
I could be wrong, but it seems to me the field gets smaller as the triple crown races go on. I think sometimes it's not worth the risk to owners for injury or whatever if they didn't win the earlier races or weren't doing well. There are also usually other horses that didn't race in the previous races which is kind of unfair in a way.
And the Belmont is so long of a race that it isn't worth it if your horse is more of a sprinter.
I could be wrong, but it seems to me the field gets smaller as the triple crown races go on. I think sometimes it's not worth the risk to owners for injury or whatever if they didn't win the earlier races or weren't doing well. There are also usually other horses that didn't race in the previous races which is kind of unfair in a way.
Last year the triple crown hopeful's owner made a huge to do over your last point. He was angry how a horse who hadn't run the other two races beat his horse, really angry.
Which is why he is a douche. The three races are all different lengths and categories. They're not something your typical horse who is good at one or two things would be able to win all three of. In order to win all three, the horse has got to be effing great, which can really only happen if the horse is running against horses that are good at that distance. Putting a horse that is fast but really needs the extra space to finish that way in the Kentucky Derby would be a waste of money.
Little anecdote: In 1973, I worked for a man who had owned Secretariat as a foal, but sold him. Then that year, he won the Triple Crown. My boss was not pleased.
I fell in love with my exH at a horse race. He later owned a few horses but only one ever won real money, about $25k. It's an expensive sport.
Secretariat was owned and raced by his breeders. Are you thinking of another horse?
He was sold before the Triple Crown (I think to pay estate taxes on the farm but I could be wrong) for what was then a world record price to a group of breeders. Possession didn't change hands until after he was done racing. I'm sure that the upset comes from the fact that Secretariat's stud fees dwarfed the purchase price.
Last year the triple crown hopeful's owner made a huge to do over your last point. He was angry how a horse who hadn't run the other two races beat his horse, really angry.
Which is why he is a douche. The three races are all different lengths and categories. They're not something your typical horse who is good at one or two things would be able to win all three of. In order to win all three, the horse has got to be effing great, which can really only happen if the horse is running against horses that are good at that distance. Putting a horse that is fast but really needs the extra space to finish that way in the Kentucky Derby would be a waste of money.
Agreed. The horses that win the Triple Crown are well rounded. It's a pretty amazing feat when you're into racing.
He was sold before the Triple Crown (I think to pay estate taxes on the farm but I could be wrong) for what was then a world record price to a group of breeders. Possession didn't change hands until after he was done racing. I'm sure that the upset comes from the fact that Secretariat's stud fees dwarfed the purchase price.
Sorry, I was just out of college and don't remember the whole story. There was a room full of "horse" files that I worked in, so I could be mistaken. He was a breeder with lots of sales. I found this: "Canonero II Breeder: Edward B. Benjamin Owner: Edgar Caibett Pedigree: Pretendre-Dixieland II, by Nantallah Race record, earnings: 23-9-3-4, $360,980 Career: Two years before Secretariat swept the Triple Crown and starting off a decade graced by racing royalty, Canonero II was a true rags-to-riches story that almost seemed too far-fetched to be true. Nicknamed the Caracas Cannonball, Canonero II sold as a yearling for just $1,200 and started his career in Venezuela. He eventually returned to the U.S. and was relegated to the mutuel field with five other starters for the Derby. He closed from 18th place after the opening half to win going away, triggering what many still revere as the biggest upset in Derby history. Canonero II’s win two weeks later in the Preakness proved it was no fluke, but he was unable to complete the sweep when fourth in the Belmont Stakes. He stayed in the U.S. and as a 4-year-old defeated Riva Ridge in the 1972 Stymie Handicap, his only win after the Preakness."
You're definitely right. I had heard the story before from my grandpa so just looked up the details.
He was sold before the 1973 season for $6.08 Million in order to cover the estate taxes on the farm where he had been born. Despite the sale occurring in 1973, ownership did not transfer until he had retired from racing.
ETA: FWIW this type of sale isn't exactly unheard of among people who have a very well pedigreed and promising young horse but also cash flow problems. You get to race the horse and keep either a portion or all of its winnings and in return you lose all future breeding rights to the horse. The grandpa who told me about Secretariat was part of a conglomerate that did it.
I had no idea they beat the horses like that near the finish. I'd never seen a horse race before. I don't think I'm overly sensitive, but when I watched last year, I was pretty horrified.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's totally awesome and exciting to have a Triple Crown, I just can't watch it.
It looks brutal if you are not familiar with it but as a general rule they are really not hitting them hard. If they were hitting them as hard as it looks to someone unfamiliar they would have marks all over them, and a racehorse never does.
It's more to let the horses know how much faster they need to be going--a horse can't see behind them so won't see a competitor coming up until they are next to them and if they are loafing, it's too late. It's the same reason why in some jumping shows you will see the riders tap the horse with the crop right before a big jump, horses have very little depth perception so it helps them to know how big they need to jump. It also helps to steer them and keep them going straight. there are going to be some new rules implemented soon in CA, and I think it's a good idea, but overall if used correctly the "stick" should not be abusive..
Sadly yes some of the horses get hurt and have to be put down and it's horrifically sad when that happens. However--horses as a rule are fragile animals and can get hurt playing in the pasture, standing in a trailer, or doing all sorts of "normal" horsey things.
I do wish that they would push back the age/training schedule for them and give them more time to mature. You don't see many older horses racing anymore because owners don't want to lose out on breeding fees--due either to injury or poor late racing.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
Ok? I was just trying to explain it a little better. A jockey's legs are not sitting the same way around a horse like in normal riding position so they need some sort of extra cue to help guide.
I have ridden for a long time and if you know how to use a crop and are using it correctly it is not an abusive tool. that was simply my point. Not every jockey uses it the same way and some have come under fire for it(victor did in the Derby).
That's great, except after not even going very far down the horse racing rabbit hole I found a lot more concerning things aside from, but including, the whip.
This isn't the place to get into how inhumane this sport can be, so I'm not going to do that, but I'm also not interested in having someone fart rainbows all over me about it.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I had no idea they beat the horses like that near the finish. I'd never seen a horse race before. I don't think I'm overly sensitive, but when I watched last year, I was pretty horrified.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's totally awesome and exciting to have a Triple Crown, I just can't watch it.
It looks brutal if you are not familiar with it but as a general rule they are really not hitting them hard. If they were hitting them as hard as it looks to someone unfamiliar they would have marks all over them, and a racehorse never does.
It's more to let the horses know how much faster they need to be going--a horse can't see behind them so won't see a competitor coming up until they are next to them and if they are loafing, it's too late. It's the same reason why in some jumping shows you will see the riders tap the horse with the crop right before a big jump, horses have very little depth perception so it helps them to know how big they need to jump. It also helps to steer them and keep them going straight. there are going to be some new rules implemented soon in CA, and I think it's a good idea, but overall if used correctly the "stick" should not be abusive..
Sadly yes some of the horses get hurt and have to be put down and it's horrifically sad when that happens. However--horses as a rule are fragile animals and can get hurt playing in the pasture, standing in a trailer, or doing all sorts of "normal" horsey things.
I do wish that they would push back the age/training schedule for them and give them more time to mature. You don't see many older horses racing anymore because owners don't want to lose out on breeding fees--due either to injury or poor late racing.
Not going to get into it, but this is the shittiest argument, and is used re: greyhound racing all the time (which almost everyone agrees is disgusting and cruel). Over 80% of fractures are right hock (because of the sharp turn on the track) and over 30% of reported track injuries are fractures. I have known hundreds of greyhounds in my years as an adoption group board member, and I have never known a single one to have suffered any sort of fracture after retirement. NOT ONE. Meanwhile, they are being euthanized at the track and sent to veterinary ERs by the hundreds every year for hock fractures sustained during their racing careers. 114 from two tracks in New Hampshire in one year.
I'm not a horse expert, but don't give me this shit that horses are just fragile and this type of injury could happen at any time. As for Eight Belles, "She ran with the heart of a locomotive, on champagne-glass ankles." How is that not the definition of cruelty?
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
So.... My husband and I were at an event where we couldn't watch. Usually we like to have a drink and with the races either at home or a bar, but oh well. I told him, "Whatever, it's not like it will actually happen," and then put it out of my kind until a guy at the event, who was obviously following it on his phone said, "we have a triple crown winner!"