California Chrome's Owner Has Problems With The History Of The Triple Crown

According to one of California Chrome's owners, Steve Coburn, you are a coward if you only entered your horse in the Belmont Stakes without having previously run in both the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby.  That argument falls flat when you look at the history of the "Stakes."

Horse racing is a business.  Horses are entered into high stakes races to win a lot of money.    The Belmont stakes attracts horses because the purse is so big.  Tonalist -- this year's winner -- galloped his way to a cool $800,000.  Even coming in last nets you $30,000 for your effort. Not all horses enter the Belmont because the race is so long.  That's what makes it the final litmus test for winning the Triple Crown.

In the last 95 years, the Triple Crown, has only seen 11 winners.  More than twice that number, 24, have, like California Chrome, won the Derby and the Preakness, only to come up short in the Belmont.  In each case the Crown winner, has always had to face fresh entries that passed on the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness; or, both.  For example, when Seattle Slew won in 1977, only three horses in the eight horse field had ran in the first two races and when Secretariat won in 1973, only two horses had joined him in all three races.

The winners of the Triple Crown possess stamina, speed, extraordinary talent, and not a small amount of good luck. They must be victorious in 3 major races of varying lengths in just five weeks.  And, that is against all comers; including those who are fresh and well-rested and who did not participate in the previous two jewels in the crown.  Overcoming all those difficult variables are what makes winning the Triple crown so extraordinary.  Horses lose races for many reasons; sloppy tracks, injuries, a bump, a trip, jockey error. The list is endless   That's why betting on a horse is called gambling. That's what makes any race a true horse race!

Steve Coburn needs to grow up and understand this.  He's acting like someone who thinks he was owed the win and was cheated out of it. History shows that many presumed winners of the Triple Chrome, failed when it came to winning the "Stakes."  That's the history of the Belmont and the Triple Crown and something that Coburn seems not to understand.

References:

2014 Belmont Stakes: Video Replay, Purse Earnings, California Chrome Placement: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2089730-2014-belmont-stakes-video-replay-purse-earnings-california-chrome-placement

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Triple_Crown_of_Thoroughbred_Racing