2014 Triple Crown

[Bob Green]

Who am I rooting for in the Preakness? Any horse other than California Chrome! Signed, Affirmed fan!!!

[Reilly]

Who am I rooting for in the Preakness? ...

Can't go wrong rooting for this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kegasus

[77devil]

Speaking of the Triple Crown, Hunter Thompson was inducted into the KY Journalism HOF last week in conjunction with the Derby. His 1970 seminal piece "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved" is considered the beginning of his gonzo style.

Hunter made an appearance on the Page Auditorium stage in 1974, but failed to finish the event when he was escorted off while berating the audience and being largely incomprehensible. Real or part of the act? It was both.

http://blogs.library.duke.edu/rubens...ge-auditorium/

[Duvall]

Well, here we go. On to the Belmont.

[Bob Green]

Ugh, California Chrome takes the second leg to stay in contention for the Triple Crown. Will the longer distance at the Belmont Stakes make a difference? Some folks do not realize The Preakness is the shortest of the three races.

[duketaylor]

The length of The Belmont is always a factor as none of the horses, 3 year-olds, (generally) have ever run that long a race. Add to that, this will be a third race in 6 weeks, which most younger horses haven't done, either. That being said, he's an awesome horse. He has an excellent chance to win, if healthy.

[Olympic Fan]

Ugh, California Chrome takes the second leg to stay in contention for the Triple Crown. Will the longer distance at the Belmont Stakes make a difference? Some folks do not realize The Preakness is the shortest of the three races.

Bob, You might be in luck. It's possible that California Chrome may not run in the Belmont ... or he might have to run without his nasal strip:

http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/trip...iple-crown-bid

[Blue in the Face]

Chrome's going to run - they've approved the nasal strips.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/18/us/cal...-nasal-strips/

[Bob Green]

Bob, You might be in luck. It's possible that California Chrome may not run in the Belmont ... or he might have to run without his nasal strip:

http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/trip...iple-crown-bid

I'm glad California Chrome is going to run as I do not want to be a winner by default. My desire is for CC to run but not win.

[Newton_14]

I'm glad California Chrome is going to run as I do not want to be a winner by default. My desire is for CC to run but not win.

I'm going the other way Bob. I am pulling for history to be made. Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Foolish Pleasure, are my all time favorites, but we are long overdue for another Triple Crown winner. I don't really remember any horses over the last 30 years or so (which is sad I know) but I attribute that to none having won the Triple Crown.

So let Double C do his thing and bring us some overdue history. The kids of this era deserve to have their own "Affirmed" to remember one day.

[snowdenscold]

[Edit, nevermind. Missed an important play-on-words earlier in thread]

[CameronBornAndBred]

I'm glad California Chrome is going to run as I do not want to be a winner by default. My desire is for CC to run but not win.

You mean you are glad California Chrome™ is going to run.

http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/trip...ark-horse-name

[Bob Green]

The kids of this era deserve to have their own "Affirmed" to remember one day.

You are magnanimous while I am being petty just because I attended the Kentucky Derby in 1978 and watched Affirmed win the first leg of his Triple Crown.

However, the horse to remember is Secretariat!

[rasputin]

You are magnanimous while I am being petty just because I attended the Kentucky Derby in 1978 and watched Affirmed win the first leg of his Triple Crown.

However, the horse to remember is Secretariat!

Do you have a Citation for that?

[AncientPsychicT]

The kids of this era deserve to have their own "Affirmed" to remember one day.

How would it make you feel if I said that I, a current rising college junior, was born 15.5 years after Affirmed won the Triple Crown?

[devildeac]

Do you have a Citation for that?

Neigh.

[Newton_14]

How would it make you feel if I said that I, a current rising college junior, was born 15.5 years after Affirmed won the Triple Crown?

Old

So get off my lawn...

[throatybeard]

My favorite horse ever was Swale. He had beautiful black fur (is that what they call it, fur?) The year I was seven, he completed the rather odd non-triple crown double of winning the Derby and the Belmont, but not the Preakness. He died like a week later, I think from a heart ailment. Offspring of Seattle Slew.

I'm rooting for California Chrome, but that Preakness win looked like textbook "lead the Belmont with three furlongs to go and finish sixth" to me.

[throatybeard]

Holy cow, y'all. I hadn't seen Swale since his death. (My parents didn't have a VCR till 1987). So I haven't seen this in three decades. Watch Swale go nuts at the end of the 1984 Kentucky Derby.

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/history/year/1984

[77devil]

My favorite horse ever was Swale. He had beautiful black fur (is that what they call it, fur?) The year I was seven, he completed the rather odd non-triple crown double of winning the Derby and the Belmont, but not the Preakness. He died like a week later, I think from a heart ailment. Offspring of Seattle Slew.

I'm rooting for California Chrome, but that Preakness win looked like textbook "lead the Belmont with three furlongs to go and finish sixth" to me.

It's called a coat. I agree with your Preakness observation. I too am skeptical CC has the endurance to win the Belmont.

There is a Real Sports segment this month on the dark side of the horse racing business. I recommend it.