It’s amazing how much interest there is in California Chrome and the “false” controversy put forth by Coburn.  Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise ,  an opportunity to appreciate how great Secretariat, Citation, Seattle Slew and Affirmed (Alydar)were in fact.  I took a few minutes to go practice a little golf, hitting some practice puts.  One of my golf friends wanted to talk some horses, I was a little surprised he even knew anything about horses, but he was surprisingly knowledgeable.   HE had all these stats on Secretariat and knew all about Sham – and their battle in 1973.  Mind you, my friend is deep into golf — just the same way I am into handicapping!  Next thing you know, other people on the putting green are coming over to ask more questions and “wonder out loud”!

I explainded, that the Triple Crown is NOT MEANT to be achieved.  It’s only something that can happen – “as an act of G-d” (My Opinion)!  And that’s the way it was designed and that is the way it is…  But I would argue, it’s easier to do now than it was in the 1970 and 1980.  The simple reason we have not had a Triple Crown winner, is we have not had any really strong, distance loving, super durable and really fast horses since then.  We have had plenty that almost filled the bill, but none who have quite made the grade.

Isn’t that OKAY!  Next time we have a really great horse as great as Affirmed (and Alydar), Seattle Slew, Citation or the amazing Secretariat, then we will have another Triple Crown winner — not before.  I ask each of you to do one thing, regardless of which side of the argument you feel represents your opinion…  Go look at Affirmed repel Alydar’s bid in the 1978 Belmont and then think about (or watch) the 2014 Belmont.  If you will do that, you will surely agree that CC is no Affirmed and should NOT be held in the same extremely high esteem.   But no  doubt, CC is a marvelous, hard trying and very talented race horse, but he is not Affirmed, no Alydar, no Seattle Slew, no Secretariat.

As my friend said, after I explained the difficulties of winning the Triple Crown, “To win the Triple Crown a horse has to be better than everyone on his worst day – not simply on his best day!”