Change the Triple Crown? Eh.

Patience people, patience.

Yesterday's Belmont discussions centered heavily around changing the Triple Crown, and I have to say I was upset by it. The Triple Crown is supposed to be hard. That is its identity. What meaning is there in accomplishing anything if the rules have been changed to make the fear easier? If the distance of the races, or the time between them were changed, it would affect both the tradition and sentiment that lie behind the greatest challenge in sports. Is it too hard? Maybe. But there was a time when fans and experts complained it was too easy. The Triple Crown doesn't need reformatting, it needs a hero. Jumping the gun and changing the series may bring more champions, but really, what are they winners of? An easier Crown than those that won before them? Is there truly anything special about that?

Patience people, patience.

When the time is right, the next Secretariat will come along. Now, if change must be made, I'm on Jerry Bailey's side. Lower the number of horses that can enter the Kentucky Derby. Traffic problems sometimes cost the most deserving horses their shot at the race. Then there's another issue: Lowering the number in the field would take chance away from horses that may deserve to be in the race. This year was not a great example of this, but there are years when there are twenty great horses that all deserve their two minutes of fame.

The bottom line is that whether we think the Triple Crown is too difficult or not, changing it would change too much of its rich history. Imagine if the Belmont was shortened to a mile and quarter, and Secretariat's stakes record was replaced by a new one? Changing the chemistry of the races would take away from the great feat that the eleven champions have accomplished. The Triple Crown is no harder than it was when Seattle Slew won it, so why should our current, less talented horses be held to a lower standard? If a horse is going to be called a Triple Crown champion, he (or in a really wild twist, she) should earn it-really earn it. Any horse that wants to deserve that title should have to do it the same way that Affirmed did.

That's all I have for now,
Waiting for Incredible # 12.