12/21/24
June 07, 2015
A bit of history: The first Horse racing Triple crown in 37 years. Despite less than astounding times, American Pharoah joined a club of now 12 horse to win the Triple Crown yesterday. There will be some debate whether he belongs in the Pantheon of the best ever, but he did successfully face the challenge he faced. With the changes in the breeding of Thoroughbreds over the last 20 years or so, ( inbreeding, speed being valued over stamina, Lasix types of diuretics,) it may well be another 37 years before we see this accomplishment repeated. I felt a pleasure watching him break away down the stretch while so many have faded over the years. This bay colt is one fabulous athlete.
I tried to not care about the race as the hype was being built, simply because I'd been burned so much before by horses that seemed "destined" to win (last year's California Chrome being the most recent).
Before the race, I did my usual thing of watching this video about Secretariat at Belmont, just to remind me that there still hasn't been another horse like him since.
Then, as the race started, I fell back into the same pattern. I got drawn into the hope, and I waited for the crash. When AP rounded that final turn, I found myself yelling at the TV.
(My 2-year-old daughter was sitting beside me and was confused.)
When he won the race, I clapped.
(As did my daughter...)
I'm glad I watched it, and I'm glad it's finally over. I just wish his name had spelled correctly...
I actually wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happened as it did ~40 years ago, where we end up with a rash of Triple Crown winners (2 in 3 years, maybe).
posted by grum@work at 09:39 PM on June 07, 2015
Before the race, I did my usual thing of watching this video about Secretariat at Belmont, just to remind me that there still hasn't been another horse like him since.
Jeremy was right: greatest athlete of the 20th Century.
posted by Etrigan at 07:41 AM on June 08, 2015
iunderstoodthatreference.gif
even though I've grown to loathe everything about Sorkin's TV writing
posted by hincandenza at 04:56 PM on June 08, 2015
His performance in The Belmont was outstanding. His start was not too good, but Espinoza took him to the lead easily. While he was in the lead he appeared to be "saving" himself, yet he was not giving up any ground. It was only as he turned into the stretch that he appeared to begin working hard, and even then it looked like he had something left to stave off a late challenge, should one have arisen. The plan is to continue racing him, at least for this year, with a major stakes race in August a possibility. Should all go well, look for him to attempt the "grand slam" in the Breeders Cup in October. He would be the first horse to accomplish this, and perhaps it would place him in the ranks of the greatest of all time.