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Originally posted by revo
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I'll Have Another is the 12th horse since Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978 to head into the Belmont Stakes with a chance. Here's how I rank the prior 11 on if they would have been "worthy" winners of the Crown:
Dey Were Worthy
1979 - Spectacular Bid: he's considered one of the greatest horses of all time, and his loss in the Belmont is still questioned (bad ride by inexperienced jockey; stepping on a pin, etc.). He shoulda won.
1987 - Alysheba: another HOFer, Alysheba came into his own after the Triple Crown races, having only won a maiden race before the Derby. he capped off an incredible 4-year old campaign with one of the greatest Breeders Cup Classics ever.
1989 - Sunday Silence: yet another HOFer, he's ranked as the 31st greatest thoroughbred by The Blood Horse. Unfortunately for his legacy, he had the misfortune of running into the 34th greatest thoroughbred ever, Easy Goer, who romped in the Belmont by 8 lengths in the second-fastest time ever.
1997 - Silver Charm: the fourth of this group to be inducted into the HOF, Silver Charm finished 2nd to Touch Gold in a minor upset. He had everything going for him heading into the race, but couldn't get it done.
2004 - Smarty Jones: was the undefeated winner of the Derby, and then romped in the Preakness by 12 lengths. How could he lose? He was intensely popular, and his Belmont Stakes is still the most-attended sporting event in New York state history. Somehow Birdstone caught him in the stretch and that was that, and he never raced again.
2008 - Big Brown: if everyone thought Smarty Jones would end the TC schneid, everyone knew Big Brown would. Like Smarty Jones, he was undefeated heading into the Belmont,but then something went terribly wrong and he was eased in the stretch, finishing dead last in what would also be the last race of his career.
Woulda Been OK
1981 - Pleasant Colony: he was a nice horse, a champion, and would've made a fine TC winner. But that's why there's a fine line between immortals and the just missed.
1998 - Real Quiet: he was lightly regarded heading into the Derby but crushed in the Preakness. He held a 5-length lead at the top of the Belmont stretch, only to have Victory Gallop catch him by a nose at the wire in the closest of the "just missed" margins.
No Bidness
1999 - Charismatic: a great story, he was a $25k claimer who somehow managed to win both the Derby and Preakness, but he broke a bone in the Belmont and valiantly still finished 3rd. It was his final race of a storied career, but he doesn't come close to the immortals who won the TC before.
2002 - War Emblem: another who emerged at the right time, War Emblem did little after his Belmont loss.
2003 - Funny Cide: an improbable winner of both the Derby & Preakness, he was the 1st gelding since 1929 to win. He skidded badly after his Belmont loss, but since geldings tend to run for years, he made a remarkable comeback three years later before being retired.
The jury's out on I'll Have Another, but I know I don't have the same confidence in him that I had in Smarty Jones, Big Brown, Silver Charm, etc. Maybe that's the kiss of death?
Dey Were Worthy
1979 - Spectacular Bid: he's considered one of the greatest horses of all time, and his loss in the Belmont is still questioned (bad ride by inexperienced jockey; stepping on a pin, etc.). He shoulda won.
1987 - Alysheba: another HOFer, Alysheba came into his own after the Triple Crown races, having only won a maiden race before the Derby. he capped off an incredible 4-year old campaign with one of the greatest Breeders Cup Classics ever.
1989 - Sunday Silence: yet another HOFer, he's ranked as the 31st greatest thoroughbred by The Blood Horse. Unfortunately for his legacy, he had the misfortune of running into the 34th greatest thoroughbred ever, Easy Goer, who romped in the Belmont by 8 lengths in the second-fastest time ever.
1997 - Silver Charm: the fourth of this group to be inducted into the HOF, Silver Charm finished 2nd to Touch Gold in a minor upset. He had everything going for him heading into the race, but couldn't get it done.
2004 - Smarty Jones: was the undefeated winner of the Derby, and then romped in the Preakness by 12 lengths. How could he lose? He was intensely popular, and his Belmont Stakes is still the most-attended sporting event in New York state history. Somehow Birdstone caught him in the stretch and that was that, and he never raced again.
2008 - Big Brown: if everyone thought Smarty Jones would end the TC schneid, everyone knew Big Brown would. Like Smarty Jones, he was undefeated heading into the Belmont,but then something went terribly wrong and he was eased in the stretch, finishing dead last in what would also be the last race of his career.
Woulda Been OK
1981 - Pleasant Colony: he was a nice horse, a champion, and would've made a fine TC winner. But that's why there's a fine line between immortals and the just missed.
1998 - Real Quiet: he was lightly regarded heading into the Derby but crushed in the Preakness. He held a 5-length lead at the top of the Belmont stretch, only to have Victory Gallop catch him by a nose at the wire in the closest of the "just missed" margins.
No Bidness
1999 - Charismatic: a great story, he was a $25k claimer who somehow managed to win both the Derby and Preakness, but he broke a bone in the Belmont and valiantly still finished 3rd. It was his final race of a storied career, but he doesn't come close to the immortals who won the TC before.
2002 - War Emblem: another who emerged at the right time, War Emblem did little after his Belmont loss.
2003 - Funny Cide: an improbable winner of both the Derby & Preakness, he was the 1st gelding since 1929 to win. He skidded badly after his Belmont loss, but since geldings tend to run for years, he made a remarkable comeback three years later before being retired.
The jury's out on I'll Have Another, but I know I don't have the same confidence in him that I had in Smarty Jones, Big Brown, Silver Charm, etc. Maybe that's the kiss of death?
Coincidentally, America's Best Racing.com ran a simulation yesterday of the above 12 dual classic winners. And the winner is........I'll Have Another!
- Wonderboy
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