Two down, one to go

As expected, Big Brown easily won the Preakness, and will have a shot at the Triple Crown in the Belmont three weeks from now. Here's today's race:

Big Brown will be the first horse to arrive at the Belmont with a chance for the Triple Crown since Smarty Jones in 2004 -- and if he achieves it, he'll be the first to do so in 30 years, since Affirmed in 1978. Eleven horses since then have won the Derby and the Preakness but lost in the Belmont, six of those between 1997 and 2004. (Silver Charm did it in '97, Real Quiet in '98, Charismatic in '99, War Emblem in '02, Funny Cide in '03 and Smarty Jones in '04.)

Comments

[Andrew]

Which horse was HRC rooting for this time, and did it have to be euthanized after the race?

[Russ]

I still like Secretariat as the greatest athlete of the 20th century. Every other individual performance record will eventually be beaten. That horse may never be topped, even after 35 years, no one has come close.

That stud broke 2:00 in the Kentucky Derby. Never to be done again in the 20th century. He still holds records in 2 of 3 Triple crown events [again 35 years later].

[Brendan Loy]

Howard Cossell agreed with you, as I recall.