[Nepeta]

Triple, three races. Tonalist only ran in one. How is he qualified for the ‘triple’ crown?

He's a 3 y o Thoroughbred with registration papers recognized by the Jockey Club, and he paid all the required entry fees.

There are Triple Crown series in every country with racing and in NONE of them is it a requirement that the same group of horses compete in all of them. Steve Coburn doesn't know what he is talking about.

40 years ago, when there were still breeders who were in the game over decades of time, some of them bred horses specifically for the Belmont Stakes--they did not consider the Kentucky Derby their primary target.

Actually, from a breeding standpoint, California Chrome only missed winning by 1 3/4 lengths. That is meaningless in genetic terms--if he had failed by finishing up the track, eased, that would have been a failure to handle the distance. Missing by 1 3/4 lengths is not a disgrace.

[Talisker]

I think Coburn is wll aware of how the races are independent. He’s also aware that there are owners that were gunning for him, and hid behind the independence of the races. And then after he blasted out his frustration and anger, he realized that there was no way to get that subtlety across, or prove it happened to him.

I think it did happen, and I can empathize with his being upset. But at the same time, that’s life - the bastards are always up to something, that’s why their called bastards. And as for the masses - win, and they always knew you could do it. Lose, and they hate you simply because that’s what they like to do the most.

He had the class to calm down and apologize, and I respect him for that. I don’t think he’s crazy or misguided. I think he got ganged up on, and that’s part of horseracing. He still did great with California Chrome, no matter what anyone else says.