Can American Pharoah win the Triple Crown?

[ggclfan]

I would like to think so, but I am not hopeful. The rested horses are just tough to beat. 3 races in 5 weeks is too demanding.

I am a total novice when it comes to horse racing...just a very casual fan...so I may come off as ignorant when I say this but I will anyway. Is it really that taxing for a thoroughbred to run a sprint for 2 minutes and then have to come back to do it 2 or 3 weeks later? I mean, c'mon, its not running a marathon, it is running hard for TWO MINUTES.

 

I always thought the reasons it is so hard to win a TC are (1) the varying distances of the races and (2) some horses are bred as specialists to run a shorter race (Preakness) or longer one (Belmont). I just have a hard time buying the horse is too tired after running a two minute race to be able to do it again as well two or three weeks later. Again, maybe it is as I am NOT a horse racing expert at all.

[75center]

J

Is this the worst group of horses in the Triple Crown ever? American Pharoah has run two of the slowest winning times ever in the history of the Derby and Preakness. You have to give him a little bit of a pass with the track conditions at the Preakness but his times stink. If he wins the Triple Crown, will he be the worst Triple Crown winner of all time? Personally, I hope he doesn't win. I would like to see a better horse be the one that breaks the Triple Crown drought.

 

We seem to hear this same thing most years when we have a potential TC. It's probably because we really don't know much about these horses until they've raced more.

[Voice of Reason]

J

 

We seem to hear this same thing most years when we have a potential TC. It's probably because we really don't know much about these horses until they've raced more.

 

I am not a horse racing expert but Pharoah's times are sssslllloooowwww. That is where I am coming from.

[75center]

I am not a horse racing expert but Pharoah's times are sssslllloooowwww. That is where I am coming from.

 

Understandable but don't get too caught up in times as so much is involved in producing them. I don't think anyone believes Monarchos is the second best derby winner of all time despite his being one of two winners to run it under two minutes. It really takes looking at the body of work which of course isn't yet complete.

[The Professor]

I am not a horse racing expert but Pharoah's times are sssslllloooowwww. That is where I am coming from.

Maybe he's got more in the tank but is using just enough speed to win the races. We'll see in the Belmont, a longer race.

[mcpapa]

Is being the worst TC winner ever really such a bad thing?? Especially when there have only been 11 ever, only 3 in the last almost 60 years, and none in the last 37. There is a whole generation that hasn't see a TC winner and another that was likely too young to remember when it last happened. So while AP's times aren't great and even if he is the worst, being the worst of a group of only 12 horses over the course of around 150 years, is still pretty special.

 

You know what they call the guy that graduates last in his medical school class.

 

Doctor.

[The Professor]

You know what they call the guy that graduates last in his medical school class.

 

Doctor.

 

Lol.

Good analogy.

[Voice of Reason]

Maybe he's got more in the tank but is using just enough speed to win the races. We'll see in the Belmont, a longer race.

 

Which goes to my other question in post 12 ... is this the worst group of horses in the Triple Crown races ever?

[Voice of Reason]

Understandable but don't get too caught up in times as so much is involved in producing them. I don't think anyone believes Monarchos is the second best derby winner of all time despite his being one of two winners to run it under two minutes. It really takes looking at the body of work which of course isn't yet complete.

 

I hear you, but the Preakness time is the slowest in the past 65 years. I know the track was sloppy but I have to believe there have been quite a few other times in the past 65 years that the Preakness was run on a sloppy track. That bad time plus a slow Derby time is what caused me to start this discussion. When you have two bad times back to back it makes me wonder.

[75center]

Again, don't put too much into raw times as so much goes into them. He may be the worst TC winner if he wins or he may end up considered to be a darn nice TC winner. He beat what was considered to be a nice group of horses in the derby while leaving enough to come back strong two weeks later. Sure the time was slow but so was the pace and the last thing jockeys and trainers worry about is the final raw time. His speed figure was decent.

I'm not convinced he will win the Belmont but I sure will be rooting to see it.

[frankdracman23]

Which goes to my other question in post 12 ... is this the worst group of horses in the Triple Crown races ever?

 

Not the worst group. Do not get too hung up on the times. Think like the 1500 meters in the Olympics. You are just trying to win the Gold Medal......not break the World record. What this TC has lacked is any true speed horses who set up the fast times by going out quickly and fading. AP has pretty much dictated the pace in both races. Note how he went on cruise control down the backside and just when you thought he could be caught......he just kicked in another gear.

[Wireman]

Everyone realizes that they were running the Preakness in a mud pit, right?

[frankdracman23]

I am a total novice when it comes to horse racing...just a very casual fan...so I may come off as ignorant when I say this but I will anyway. Is it really that taxing for a thoroughbred to run a sprint for 2 minutes and then have to come back to do it 2 or 3 weeks later? I mean, c'mon, its not running a marathon, it is running hard for TWO MINUTES. QUOTE

 

 

It is hard to win the TC because premium horses are not raced with such little time between races. Add in 3 different tracks. Add in some horses skip one or more of the races. Add in large fields in the KY Derby. Add in so much buzz before the Belmont upsetting the horses routine.

 

As for how hard is it to run every two weeks.......the effort can take quite a bit out of the horse. They may lose weight in the week after a big race because they do not eat and drink as well after a hard race. They may be sore for awhile. They may not travel well.

[Getslow]

You know what they call the guy that graduates last in his medical school class.

 

Doctor.

 

Revision once told to me by an internal ist friend:

 

"You know what they call the guy who finishes last in his medical school class?

 

Podiatrist."

[OlDog75]

Thanks for the video replay, brings back great memories.

I think Secretariat still has the track record for the Belmont. Are you comparing AP to him?

 

This race looked like the A. Derby, all over again.Back to the thread topic,yes he could win, will he, we shall see.

 

No, not comparing horses at all. Just remembering how exciting it was to watch these four legged athletes back then. Folks don't seem too "into it" any more like we were then.