The Road To The Triple Crown

Where were you when the Triple Crown was awarded to the legendary Secretariat? Maybe you weren’t born yet, but for the rest who were able to form memories in 1973, June 9th was a life landmark.

The record breaking race was a substantial event for the world of horse racing. The famous colt not only won all 3 races, but managed to beat the previous time records for every leg in the process.

June 6th will mark the 37th running of the Belmont Stakes since the last king has been crowned. Since then, there have been thirteen prospective dethroners that have won the Derby and the Preakness only to fail by just a few short lengths at Belmont. Now number 14 is approaching a similar crossroad, similar to the one Atreyu once faced at the Sphinx Gates.

American Pharaoh now faces the seemingly simple task of winning a race that he is the absolute odds on favorite. Although America’s stud is seeing ridiculous numbers like 3/5 to win, past prospects have been in extremely similar situations and have been unable to scoop up the trifecta. Since last Saturday, fans believe that they may just have their darling that will overcome the “favorable” odds.

All of the hype generated from a horse winning the first two legs ,unsurprisingly, manifests itself in soaring ticket prices. Everyone loves a winner, but even better is a winner who breaks a 37 year old streak. This is why tickets for the Belmont Stakes are 2.5x higher when a potential Triple Crown winner is thrown into the mix. This year Belmont Park will see a capped attendance of 90,000 who will all be at the edge of their seats hoping to be a part of history. The thought of having the chance to share in the glory that comes with breaking a record of this magnitude is intoxicating for most. Fanatics and wealthy alike are willing to pay a surge premium for historically hype fueled events.

Even if you believe skeptics like Steven Coburn, the race will be one for the books. He is still not completely over the fact that California Chrome finished 4th in last years equally buzzed about race. His argument was that the majority of the horses that ran in last year’s Stakes didn’t enter into either of the first initial legs. This supposedly provided them with a significant advantage over CC, which resulted in the very least a memorable experience.

American Pharaoh may or may not have the movies, plays, tv shows, and books written about him over the next 50 years, but he has the chance to take the Triple Crown.