Belmont Stakes

     Well, the triple crown races are over for another year. Once again, there is no winner of the triple crown.  There have been many calls to change the race series to make it easier to win the crown. Why? That idea ranks right up with the idea of making tests easier so that more kids can pass them. 

     The real reason that noone wins the triple crown any more is that horses are not trained to do so. In the days of old, horses were trained for the three races. They were entered in the Kentucky Derby as the first step in a series of races and were trained accordingly. That is, they were dead fit with a serious bottom put into them. Today, horses are trained for the Kentucky Derby as the end result of a series of prep races. Then the thought is "Ooh. we won--lets go to the Preakness." They win the Preakness and it is "Ooh, we won--lets go to the Belmont. " What is needed is for the Belmont Stakes to be the objective with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness as races leading up to it. Until then, forget about winning the triple crown. 

     The attendance for the Preakness and the Belmont were both down sharply. The New York Racing Association uses the excuse that there was no triple crown possibility and no Rachel Alexandra. Well, the Preakness had both. However, both tracks instituted a new policy of banning take in alcohol this year. However, both tracks did not ban the sale of alcohol. Gee, do you think the ban had something to do with both Associations wanting to increase the sale of their overpriced alcohol? Can anyone say gauging? By the way, when you place a bet at the $50 window, when was the last time you were offered a complimentary drink?