Why has it been so long since there has been a Triple Crown winner?

Question

Why has it been so long since there has been a Triple Crown winner?

Answer 1

Well, you have to think about the distances of the 3 races.  The Kentucky Derby and the Preakness are pretty close w/ the Derby at 1 1/4 mile and the Preakness at 1 3/16 mile.  these races are moreless sprints for the horses.  But the Belmont is different.  The Belmont Stakes is a 1 1/2 mile race.  It is a long run for the horses during this race.  

If you're a fast sprinter, you have a good chance to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but you can't be a sprinter to win the Belmont.  To win the Belmont, you have to have a horse that can pace itself until the end.  If your horse can do both, it's in good shape to win the Triple Crown; but horses are bred for speed these days, not endurance.

Answer 2

It's hard enough to win just one race of the Triple Crown, let alone all three.  Horse racing can be very unpredictable, and races come down to a 100th of a second.

Big Brown is highly favored to be the first winner of the Triple Crown in a long time.  However I think the hype is getting out of hand.

Answer 3

Every horse that wins the derby is the NEXT BIG CROWN CANDIDATE!!! Yes you need a great horse to win the derby, but you need something more to win the crown.