But of course 1/16 mile shorter than the 1-1/4 mile KD. And 5/16ths shorter than the grueling 1-1/2 mile Belmont Stakes. Really takes a super horse to win all three, particularly without much time to rest and recover between them, and also with trainers now keeping contenders fresh on the sidelines focusing on just one of the 3 legs.
it was 50 years between “super horse” Man o War and Secretariat, who were both big chestnut colts...and now its 50 years between Secretariat and Justify, another big chestnut colt...is Justify a “super horse”?...i say yes. We shall see...
There's a race still run opening day at Churchill Downs that was called the Derby Trial (at one mile, it's the Pat Day Mile now). It was called the Derby Trial because they expected that trainers would use the race as a prep for the Derby seven days later. Triple Crown winner Citation raced in, and won, the Derby Trial.
The idea that horses need a month or more between starts is relatively recent. It might have something to do with the fact that most horses run on the drug Lasix these days. In Australia where Lasix is prohibited, the best horses sometimes run twice in the same week.
ML/NJ