We continue to look at the past Triple Crown failures with the last six horses who couldn't get the job done. A pair of longshots in 1999 and 2002 tried to complete the hat trick. In 1999, the former D.Wayne Lukas claimer; Charismatic came up with an injury in the run of the Test of Champions and quick thinking from his jockey; Chris Antley saved his life. Charismatic wasn't your typical Triple Crown looking candidate and I stated in my column on his attempt that I would shave my head if he was successful, he couldn't do it. Three year's later in 2002, speedball War Emblem sprinted his way to the first two legs and in the Belmont Stakes, stumbled at the start losing all chance. He finished eighth, the worst of any contending Triple Crown tries since Affirmed.
In the next two years of a three straight year challenge for the Triple Crown, fan favorites were the runners attempting history. The gutsy gelding; Funny Cide in 2003 won the Derby and walloped the field in the Preakness Stakes. But on sloppy surface in the Belmont Stakes, he faded to third behind Empire Maker. Although he couldn't get the job done, he was the most successful of this group of six, after his Belmont Stakes failure. One year later in 2004, the undefeated Smarty Jones captured the hearts of a nation. In front of a record crowd of 120,000 (which will stand in history) Birdstone ran him down late to upset Smarties bid. These two thoroughbreds quelled the fuel of the public in seeing this feat accomplished after a long and disappointing drought.
Now, we come up to Big Brown who in 2008 was considered by some as a "super horse". With little accomplishments as a two year old, he came into his own at Gulfstream Park, a track that favors speedy type runners. He won the first two legs over a somewhat debatable talent less group of sophomores. Unfortunately in the Belmont Stakes that year, my top selection; Casino Drive was a late scratch and the horse I had second, Big Brown became my top selection. Under a very suspect ride by Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown became the "Big Fraud" and was pulled up at the top of the stretch and eased. This outcome further clouded by opinion of ANY horse completing the three race victory of the Triple Crown.
One year ago, history would be attempted for the twelve time with California Chrome coming from the west coast and trying to get the job done. I was in the crowd of over 100,000 people to once again see a thoroughbred fail to complete the sweep. Now 37 years in a row since Affirmed won, no other horse could duplicate racing's biggest mountain. Some who tried have been very good and others just got lucky in the first two legs. Today, American Pharoah tries once again, where no horse has been since 1978. He has a two year old championship going for him, he's beaten all of the seven other horses he faces today soundly. He been has been brilliant as Sunday Silence, Silver Charm, Smarty Jones and even Spectacular Bid . His jockey says he'll make amends from his ill timed ride from last year with California Chrome. His trainer; Bob Baffert's three other attempts in this spot, came up short and today that will change he said. Many of the top horseman and top handicappers believe we'll see something special today.
But, there is the other side of the coin and that is the history that has played out. I was fourteen years old when we had our last Triple Crown winner. I've been disappointed too many times to count. Everybody says if it happens this year it will be "good for the sport". Thoroughbred racing has gone through many changes during this time. As someone who has followed the sport for nearly thirty years, I would love to see this happen. But, realistically the sport will continue on even if American Pharoah ends up in the same ranks as the others. The best thing that comes from this is the national attention that sport has gathered these last five weeks. If we could bottle up that same furor for the other 47 weeks of the year, that would be the real "good thing" for the sport. We'll know this evening!
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