"American Pharoah" has won the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore. The final race of the Triple Crown series, The Belmont Stakes in New York City, will be held June 6.
The last horse to win the Triple Crown was "Affirmed" in 1978. Since then 13 horses have won the first two races of the three race series. What has made the Triple Crown so elusive in racing history ? True, the Belmont race is the longest in the series at a mile and a half. This series of races is limited to three year olds and some of the horses have not specifically trained for the longer race. The Kentucky Derby is a mile and a quarter - and the difference is significant for the contesting horses.
But the more signifcant challenge is the overall fatigue in the series of races that extends approximately 5 weeks. Of the 12 contending horses in the Belmont field - only one, "American Pharoah" ran at Churchill Downs and Pimlico. No other horse in the Belmont field has been tested in both of the previous races in the Triple Crown series.
There have been 11 Triple Crown winners in history - four in my lifetime - Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978).
"American Pharoah" has shown great heart in winning the first two races. He had a slow start at Churchill Downs and a wet track at Pimlico (more demanding under "mudder" conditions). In both races he ran with the pack in the early going and finished strong with lots of stamina to run away from the pack in the close.
Can he show enough stamina to win the third Jewel in the Crown ?
Film at 11.
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