[Beowulf9]

I agree with the owner, it’s not a fair race to race a horse who’s been in the previous Kentucky Derby and Preakness against rested horses.

[dfwgator]

Life isn’t fair....A true champion overcomes. That’s why the Triple Crown is such a rare feat. Chrome just wasn’t worthy of it in the end.

[crusty old prospector]

But how else can he win the Triple Crown unless they put more time between the races? I wonder if previous years were the same amount between.

[Yossarian]

I agree with the owner, it’s not a fair race to race a horse who’s been in the previous Kentucky Derby and Preakness against rested horses.

Isn't that what other Triple Crown winners have gone through?!?

[Dilbert San Diego]

I know nothing about racing. But how much rest does a horse need? Preakness was 3 weeks ago. Not enough time to rest up for the next race????i

[Figment]

“I agree with the owner, it’s not a fair race to race a horse who’s been in the previous Kentucky Derby and Preakness against rested horses.”

Someone mislead him to believe that everything in life is fair. He came off as a very sore loser, but a loser all the same

[dowcaet]

That’s why the Triple Crown is so hard to win. It’s the true champion horses that win all three races and not the better than average ones who win just the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Oh well, maybe next year we’ll get a Triple Crown winner.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I agree with the owner, it’s not a fair race to race a horse who’s been in the previous Kentucky Derby and Preakness against rested horses.

Is that something previous Triple Crown winners didn't have to face?

[CaptainK]

There were only 3 horses in this race that ran the Derby and the Preakness. That leaves 8 who did what Tonalist did.

Them’s the rules and they all know it going into the Belmont. If you think it's unfair, don't show up.

[discostu]

It’s perfectly fair. It’s race has their own rules for qualification and always has. If owners REALLY want to win the Crown they’ll start homing their horse they think can contend at Belmont. Most Crown winners had stabled there, ALL had previously won there. It’s the longest hardest track, the horse needs to be up for it BEFORE the Derby or they will not win the Crown. Chrome’s owner should complain about himself, he didn’t properly prep the horse.

[wideawake]

(1) Each race has its own standards. It is tougher to get into the Derby than either of the Stakes, but that is more of a counterargument to closing the field than otherwise.

(2) Since the Triple Crown existed it has been two weeks between the Preakness and the Derby and three weeks between the Preakness and the Belmont. That is sufficient time to rest between races for a healthy animal. Men, who are weaker animals than horses, win multiple grueling track events within days at the Olympics and other world class meets. Often one competitor's third event is another's first event. The "fresh competitors are cheating" argument is a pathetic argument for sore losers.

(3) The rules of Belmont were bent to allow CC's special breathe-right strip and he still lost. The horse simply was not good enough, period.

(4) If the essential elements of the race are altered - timing, distance, qualifying - then no future TC winner is comparable to the past. If they are changed to pacify a crybaby like Coburn, it would be a real shame: destroying a tradition to curry favor with a whiner.

[the OlLine Rebel]

And if that happens, we’ll end up with 3 horses at the Belmont and an easier win for the TC.

[AFreeBird]

He’s got a valid point. It’s not like Belmont doesn’t hold other races to test their metal, but the quest for the crown should only be open to those who’ve gone the distance.

JMHO

Of course given that some $9m was bet on him to win; Belmont won’t be so quick to lose such largess to a fair playing field.

The last crown winner was in 78’; Have they been gaming the system since then to keep it down? Don’t know, but money compels a lot of behavior.