To honor Eight Bells - Pace and Cap

Tim Y · 05-09-2008, 02:59 PM

There is a online petition to request that Churchill toll 8 bells before next year's Derby.

Details at www.8BellsForEightBelles.org

Ted Craven · 05-09-2008, 03:57 PM

Done.

I would also sign a petition supporting a new Spring championship series titled The Triple Crown - for 4 year olds who did NOT run in the previous year's 3 year old series - to be held on the same day and locations as the current Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, say back-to-back with the 3 year old series while we gradually fade out the 3 year old races.

In other words, begin to support the notion that the REAL Triple Crown should occur in the Spring of a 4 year old's career, not a 3 year old's career.

If it takes a gradual change-over and gaining of support, fine, but the distances should be shorter for the 3 year olds (e.g. 9f, 9.5f, 10f) and the purse should be (gradually) less, while the purse for the 4 year old series should be gradually higher, until someday it's the 4 year old Triple Crown which is considered the real Triple Crown, with the REAL money. Traditions can evolve. After all, the current Triple Crown series was not always contested at the current distances, and at precisely today's tracks (wasn't Belmont different in the 1800's?).

So say I.

Ted

admin · 05-09-2008, 07:33 PM

Thank you Tim

"So say I" too

Neil S. · 05-09-2008, 08:35 PM

Everyone needs to stop thinking they can avert a tragedy by merely having happy thoughts and trying to toy with tradition. Do you think that a 4 year old will never break down? Do you think that it will be easier for a 4 year old to win the triple crown? You denegrate the brilliance of all of the great thoroughbreds who have won the Triple Crown races and the brilliance they displayed by trying to change things to your liking. PETA has no clue or no statistical evidence of anything that they claim regarding the safety of horse racing, yet we have to bow to them just because the filly broke down in public. What would you do if she broke down at 6AM while working out? Would you chime 8 bells at 6AM before workouts started? Would you not allow horses to wake up that early?

Let's all stop buying into the PETA B***s**t!!! This is a great game steeped in tradition. Don't mess with it!!!

Neil

Lasix1 · 05-10-2008, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Craven

Done.

I would also sign a petition supporting a new Spring championship series titled The Triple Crown - for 4 year olds who did NOT run in the previous year's 3 year old series - to be held on the same day and locations as the current Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, say back-to-back with the 3 year old series while we gradually fade out the 3 year old races.

In other words, begin to support the notion that the REAL Triple Crown should occur in the Spring of a 4 year old's career, not a 3 year old's career.

If it takes a gradual change-over and gaining of support, fine, but the distances should be shorter for the 3 year olds (e.g. 9f, 9.5f, 10f) and the purse should be (gradually) less, while the purse for the 4 year old series should be gradually higher, until someday it's the 4 year old Triple Crown which is considered the real Triple Crown, with the REAL money. Traditions can evolve. After all, the current Triple Crown series was not always contested at the current distances, and at precisely today's tracks (wasn't Belmont different in the 1800's?).

So say I.

Ted

Ted,

This is an eminently sensible proposal and long overdue. It brings specificity to other proposals that seek the same end; namely moving all horse racing back a year so that the current 2-year-old season begins with 3-year-olds, the 3-year-old season becomes the 4-year-old season and so on.

Your proposal ties the shift to money and that would ensure that it would happen.

I've been telling people for years that if I were the God of racing, this is exactly the change I would mandate.

Traditionalists will oppose it, but if we are to keep this great game, changes are going to have to occur. As it is, we are one high profile break-down away from broader calls to ban racing and the next time it won't just be from loonies like PETA.

JimG · 05-10-2008, 07:50 AM

I'm not in favor of changing the triple crown as it it exists, however I am in favor of a 2-3 race series restricted to 4yo and upward. The races could be run in the time frame from late June through late August, to bridge the gap between the Triple Crown and Breeder's Cup. Racing could take existing stakes during that time frame (Haskell and Travers come to mind) and get sponsorship or create a new series and also create a multi million dollar bonus paid down to the top 4 point getters in the series. This could help create some rivalries amongst older horses.

For me this would serve two purposes. First, it would give some incentive to keep horses in training past 3 years old. Secondly, it could serve to keep horse racing in the media during the time between the Triple Crown series and the Breeder's Cup. This would culminate in hopefully top horses from the triple Crown series and top horses from the proposed series meeting in the Breeder's Cup Classic.

05-09-2008, 02:59 PM	#1
Tim Y turf historian Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 6,455	To honor Eight Bells There is a online petition to request that Churchill toll 8 bells before next year's Derby. Details at www.8BellsForEightBelles.org

05-09-2008, 03:57 PM	#2
Ted Craven Grade 1 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada Posts: 8,853	Done. I would also sign a petition supporting a new Spring championship series titled The Triple Crown - for 4 year olds who did NOT run in the previous year's 3 year old series - to be held on the same day and locations as the current Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, say back-to-back with the 3 year old series while we gradually fade out the 3 year old races. In other words, begin to support the notion that the REAL Triple Crown should occur in the Spring of a 4 year old's career, not a 3 year old's career. If it takes a gradual change-over and gaining of support, fine, but the distances should be shorter for the 3 year olds (e.g. 9f, 9.5f, 10f) and the purse should be (gradually) less, while the purse for the 4 year old series should be gradually higher, until someday it's the 4 year old Triple Crown which is considered the real Triple Crown, with the REAL money. Traditions can evolve. After all, the current Triple Crown series was not always contested at the current distances, and at precisely today's tracks (wasn't Belmont different in the 1800's?). So say I. Ted __________________ RDSS - Racing Decision Support System™

05-09-2008, 07:33 PM	#3
admin Administrator Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,643	497 Thank you Tim "So say I" too Attached Images

05-09-2008, 08:35 PM	#4
Neil S. Grade 1 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pembroke Pines, FL Posts: 170	This is Going to Sound Harsh But...... Everyone needs to stop thinking they can avert a tragedy by merely having happy thoughts and trying to toy with tradition. Do you think that a 4 year old will never break down? Do you think that it will be easier for a 4 year old to win the triple crown? You denegrate the brilliance of all of the great thoroughbreds who have won the Triple Crown races and the brilliance they displayed by trying to change things to your liking. PETA has no clue or no statistical evidence of anything that they claim regarding the safety of horse racing, yet we have to bow to them just because the filly broke down in public. What would you do if she broke down at 6AM while working out? Would you chime 8 bells at 6AM before workouts started? Would you not allow horses to wake up that early? Let's all stop buying into the PETA B*st!!! This is a great game steeped in tradition. Don't mess with it!!! Neil

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05-10-2008, 07:50 AM	#6
JimG Grade 1 Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 992	I'm not in favor of changing the triple crown as it it exists, however I am in favor of a 2-3 race series restricted to 4yo and upward. The races could be run in the time frame from late June through late August, to bridge the gap between the Triple Crown and Breeder's Cup. Racing could take existing stakes during that time frame (Haskell and Travers come to mind) and get sponsorship or create a new series and also create a multi million dollar bonus paid down to the top 4 point getters in the series. This could help create some rivalries amongst older horses. For me this would serve two purposes. First, it would give some incentive to keep horses in training past 3 years old. Secondly, it could serve to keep horse racing in the media during the time between the Triple Crown series and the Breeder's Cup. This would culminate in hopefully top horses from the triple Crown series and top horses from the proposed series meeting in the Breeder's Cup Classic.