Who Saw The Belmont?

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Well, the Jockey club really limits how thoroughbreds are bred - so I don't anything changing in the near future.

Back in college in animal breeding class the professor told us that racing speed hasn't budged an inch in over a century. They've maxed out on speed. It isn't even about speed and they don't sprint a mile and a half race. It's about control, and stamina, being in the right place at the right time, and mind games with the horses.

:| There will NEVER be another Secretariat...I've lost all hope. I've been into racing since I was literally a baby, my first magazine subscription wasn't Young Miss like everyone else - it was TURF. My dad gave me a framed copy of the Time Magazine cover when Secretariat won - I was 4 years old. My dad's friend raced horses at Hialeah and I walked into a stall with a veterinarian tending a foot, squatted down, and asked what the problem was. I was 3.

I never miss the Derby, and I almost always watch the Preakenss but I gave up watching the Belmont over 10 years ago - nothing but disappointment.
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Secretariats heart was literally much bigger than the average race horses. Bigger engine, more "horsepower" for sure. If you haven't watched the Belmont film of Secretariats win it's something to see. Keystonepaul.
 
I was lucky enough to see all 3 races of Secretariat on tv, and I've saved the front page of The Daily News of his finish in the Belmont. He was a great horse.

I watched Big Brown, and he was on the rail, then the jockey wanted to move away from the rail, and Brown over reacted, and was like so erratic after that, and flinging himself and his head. I am wondering if his problem was in his teeth, or if he got his tongue over the bit, because he just seemed to have an exagerated response to the jockey's directives, and didn't push to win.
Just a thought. Like others here, I don't believe it was the hoof.
 
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Oh yes I know - he was fabulous. There is just no comparison.

In college again - I was an equine major- we did a group presentation on the genetics of "performance" and I mentioned Sec's heart. Now - was that a defect that helped him - or is it possible to breed for a bigger heart.

As you can imagine no one had the answer.
 
BB got upset with Kent when he went to pull him off the rail. The horse wanted to go through the other horses and stay on the rail. Which, although a shorter trip around, also has deeper dirt. He didnt want Kent in his mouth. There was nothing wrong with his teeth. He didnt bleed(the have since scoped him and he was/is clean)
Hoof may have been a issue. More than likely though it was a combination. Not having his usual doping, the hoof, the heat and his post position.

Kent did right by BB by pulling him up when he realized that the horse had nothing left to give, instead of possibly pushing the horse and riding him with his stick to get him up front.

I was never impressed by BB or his connections. The horse had only 5 starts against equally as mediocre horses. Kinda like the "lesser of two evils" come most voting years. He just happened to be the best of the mediocre out of this years horses. Will there be another TC winner? Maybe some day. All it is now is a matter of time and luck.
 
I have been a horse racing fan forever and have watched the triple crown for 40 years! Big Brown lost because he couldn't cope with the mile and a half. Geez Da 'Tara won leading wire to wire and he had past winnings of only $64,000.00. But Da 'Tara had the distance breeding. They call the Belmont the great equalizer. The triple crown was not meant to be easy. We had 3 winners in the 70s and there was 4 winnners in the 40s. You may never see a another triple crown winner untill the thoroughred industry quits breeding for quick money. Just like the American German Shepherds they were bred wrong, the American breeders had to look for imports to booster the stock. This is what the American racing people have to do is look to start over with fresh stock from Europe. Big Brown raced the Belmont on lasix. Nothing was wrong with him, he was rank and he just couldn't do the distance. He looked perfectly fine after the race. He should stick to the classic distance and sprints. It was only a matter of time before he would meet his match. Sulffock downs was even coughing up a 5 million race if B.B. and Curlin remain undefeated in2008. I am surprised he isn't retired but I heard the owner is gearing up for the Travers in August. The racing industry needs a hero bad to survive. Lets face it if the breeders don't change there will be no one around to watch their high priced colts and fillies to race. Race tracks around the country are closing up. Money is made in the breeding shed not racing. The game now is to get to the track at 2 race lightly and win a few big races and retire to stud at 3! I myself would not breed my mare to Big Brown even if he won the triple crown! It has been said by the greatest trainers that the value of a great horse is in who he beats. This sat Curlin goes for breaking Cigar's all time earnings in the Stephen Foster handicap.
 
In the past 11 years, the Red Wings have won the Stanley Cup four times (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008). Each time the Wings have played for and won the Cup, a horse has won the first two races of the triple crown and lost the third.
Bizarre, huh?
 
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I could not agree with you more. I LOVE racing - BUT they need to do a SERIOUS PR campaign, hold trianers and owners accountable, and get a good horse while they are at it.

After the Derby I was on a local talk radio show as an equine expert to counter PETA's "Recommendations" for the racing industry - and I tell you what (And this is scary) I agreed with that PETA guy more often than not.

Racing people better take notice because the general public will decide their outcome if they are not careful.
 
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When they were showing the horses being geared up, BB didn't look comfortable with his bit...
When he was running, he kept tossing his head and I KNEW something was wrong.
When they were all bunched up, they said the Da'Tara might've kicked him..I haven't heard anything else...

The best thing about this is that noone went down...

But I too was disappointed, I saw the last two Triple Crown winners race.
 

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