Triple crown bid... why does nobody ever talk about Real Quiet, the horse who came closest since Affirmed?

Question

Everyone talks about Smarty Jones, Funny Cide, War Emblem... all of these were beaten by at least 1 length. Real Quiet literally lost by a nostril, and it was stil closer than that. And yet, no love?

Answer 1

i loved real quiet.... that was a h**l of a race.

charasmatic was a bad boy too...

Answer 2

In my opinion it was Charismatic who came closest, isn't it sad how they lose one and end up forgotten? Real Quiet was a great horse, but I think the general public who watch the crown and don't follow racing only remember the winners. My heart goes out to Alydaar too!

Answer 3

Okay I am a Real Quiet fan too but there is plenty not to talk about.

Kent Desormeaux committed a foul coming home at the Belmont and he still lost the race. I mean it was a blatent foul. The stewards told the Daily Racing Form, "they would have taken him down." but I don't know about that. Any other stakes race, yeah he would have been DQd easily... but if he won the tripple and got taken down there would have been a riot started at Belmont?

Also the competition for the triple crown was light in 1998.

Plus he had 20 starts and only 6 wins. He got beat by some so so horses... Now he did run in the money alot (18 of 20) but it's wins that gets the glory and starts the converstaions on the talk shows.

Srtill his story was some what interesting being purchased for $18,000 (I think that was the amount) by Millionair Mike Peagram and winning the Derby.

How ever Funny Cides story of a bunch of guys making middle class income who got together after work and bought a gelding.... that is a little bit better story, plus He was the first NY bred to win KY derby and that was a big story in itself.

(Good Ole NY... Best tracks in the country and the almost the worste breds in the country.)

They are alot better now because the requirements to be declard a NY bred have been eased up on by the state of NY.

  

Smarty Jones was a better story to have too with an unknown trainer (Sevis)  & an unknown jockey (Elliott) getting all the glory untill Belmont.  I mean those connections had no business being there and they brought an undefeated horse to win the first two legs... Very Rare!

  

I don't see War Emblem being a better story and he didn't do much after the tripple either...

but it was a funny story how Baffert and The Shiek bought him from Chicago businessman Russell Reineman after he won the Illinoise Derby. (Someone just didn't know what they actaully had).

That was so tragic... at least he retained %10 ownership.

Don't worry though they'll bring up and talk about Real Quiet and Victory Gallop when the Belmont gets closer especially if Big Brown wins today. They have to bring it up because Big Brown has the same Jockey Real Quiet had.

Answer 4

I won a lot of money on Real Quiet when he won the

Kentucky Derby.  I still remember the power move

that he put on the field coming out of the last turn.

Great horse.

Answer 5

I guess it's because those three are in more recent memory, but I agree -- Real Quiet should get more credit.  Smarty Jones and Funny Cide were fan favorites and brought a lot of people to the sport, so that's probably why they get mentioned so often.  I'm hoping we'll hear more about Real Quiet, especially if Big Brown wins the Preakness, since they share the same jockey.