Question about the Triple Crown?

Question

Why is it that a horse always seems to win the first 2 legs of the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby + Preakness). You never hear about a horse winning both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. Several times in the last few years a horse has won the first 2 parts, causing lots of money to be bet on him at the Belmont, then he doesn't win.

Is this just because of the order of the races, or does this suggest that horse racing is fixed? How many times in recent memory has a horse come "close" to winning the Triple Crown, but failed to win the Belmont Stakes?

Answer 1

The last Triple Crown winner was 'Affirmed' in 1978.  

To answer your first question, a horse winning the Preakness and Belmont Stakes is quite a accomplishment but it means they lost the Kentucky Derby so the Triple Crown is out of play.

Since 1978, only 11 horses have won the first two legs and failed on the 3rd leg, so its not as many as you believe it to be.  

Out of those 11 Horses only one horse has come close to winning that was in 1998, Real Quiet lost the Belmont Stakes by a nose.   Charismatic was leading in 1999, but broke his leg on the final stretch as well.  

You are right tho, more horses are competing for the triple crown, War Emblem in 2002, Funny Cide in 2003, and Smarty Jones in 2004.  I think since the sport has taken off and network television is pushing it more, we are noticing it more now.

Afleet Alex lost the Kentucky Derby in 2005, but won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

Big Brown right now has the best shot in the last years to win it all.  He is an amazing horse with a lot of power.  His cracked left hoof won't hinder him to much and he has shown he is the best out there.  He won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness by a few horse lengths.  Quite an accomplishment.  

We will find out Saturday tho if History will be made.

EDIT:

I dont see it as being rigged.  Horses these days are being breed much better and are on steriods.  I don't see it as being fixed, if it was, they would of done something sooner to increase the ratings and popularity of it across the nation.

Thats just me being hopeful, none-the-less I will be watching saturday in hopes of Big Brown Making the triple crown, Ive seen each already and await the 3rd leg.

Answer 2

A couple years ago, after Giacomo won the Derby, a horse named Afleet Alex won the Preakness and the Belmont.

Answer 3

I don't think it's rigged.  The media hypes horses that win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and that leads to heavy betting on them in the Belmont even if a better horse is in the race.  

Empire Maker and Funny Cide are a good example.  Empire Maker was the Kentucky Derby favorite.  The media hyped him as impeccably bred and invincible before the KD and they ignored Funny Cide.  Empire Maker had a sore foot in the KD and Funny Cide won.  The media instantly jumped on the Funny Cide bandwagon.  Then Funny Cide beat mediocre horses in the Preakness and the media went nuts hyping him.  

Empire Maker skipped the Preakness and ran in the Belmont.  A few handicappers picked Empire Maker to win, but mainstream media mostly wrote him off as unable to win past 1 1/8 miles even though a few weeks before they said he had impeccable distance breeding.  

Funny Cide was the betting favorite in the Belmont. Empire Maker won and Funny Cide came in third.   I think if the media had taken a more professional approach,  Empire Maker would have been the favorite because he really did have distance breeding and he had a good excuse for not winning the Kentucky Derby.      

Long story short, people that don't normally follow horse racing bet on the Triple Crown races.  I think because they're relatively inexperienced they get caught up in the media hype and overbet a horse that doesn't deserve to be favored.

Answer 4

The horse also might just be tired

Answer 5

The Triple Crown in horse racing is very difficult to achieve.  The length of the race and the time period between races has alot to do with winning all three of them.  Another factor is the competition.  Not all the horses compete in all three events.  The mile and 1/2 distance at the Belmont is the greatest test for a great race horse.  Horses very rarely ever race at this distance.

Answer 6

There are always a lot of variables, such as weather, type of turf they run on, length of the track.  For example, if a horse runs well on dirt, but not mud, rain would be a HUGE issue.  and it depends on if the horse runs on the rail or the outside.  There is less length on the inside turn.

Hope this helped.  You can also go to the racing tracks' websites to learn more.