California Chrome

[Phishfan]

What they need to do is shorten that distance to match the others. If tennis courts and football fields have standards for length, so should a horse race track

Why? There is no precedent in any form of racing that I know for setting one standard distance. You have an apples  and oranges comparison going.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

What they need to do is shorten that distance to match the others. If tennis courts and football fields have standards for length, so should a horse race track

To go back to the grand slam comparison, that is part of what makes it such a great and worthy challenge.

In order for the horse to be considered among the elite it must be able to win the race at three different lengths. 

In order to win a grand slam you don't just need to win 4 tennis tournaments in the same year.  You need to be the best tennis player on grass, the best tennis player on clay, and the best tennis player on turf. 

Who is a better runner:  Usain Bolt or Wilson Kipsang?

You really can't say. Bolt is better at 100 or 200 meters, Kipsang at 26.2 miles.  But if Kipsang could win a sprint or Bolt would win a marathon, then they would accomplish something even more impressive than the triple crown or grand slam.

What makes the grand slam or the triple crown such a great accomplishment is you need to be the best under a variety of conditions.  Just like you need slightly different golf skills to win Masters than the US Open than the Open, than the PGA.  And if you can win all four than you are truly the elite of the elite. 

I don't think what makes the triple crown so hard is the horse needs time to rest as much as that the horse needs to be the best in a variety of lengths. 

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Talk about your retirement incentives.... "Live long enough to retire, and you finally get to have sex!"

Do they even get to have actual sex with another horse?   Or is it the way they do it with many farm animals were it is all done thru artificial insemination? 

[Sunstroke]

^^^ These days, probably the latter...

[CF DolFan]

^^^^ I didn't think that was true of race horses so I looked it up.

Wikipedia
"The Jockey Club, the organization that oversees the Thoroughbred industry in the United States, requires all registered foals to be bred through live cover. Artificial insemination, listed below, is not permitted.[19] Similar rules apply in other countries."

[Sunstroke]

^^^ There ya go...horse booty upon retirement.

[bsmooth]

I think the field at Preakness should be limited to horses that have run the previous races.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I think the field at Preakness should be limited to horses that have run the previous races.

Out of curiosity, do you also feel that the US Open should be limited to players that also competed in  Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon?

Do you feel that the PGA Championship should be limited to players that also competed in Masters,  U.S. Open , and The Open Championship?

If not, why the difference?     

[masterfins]

I think the field at Preakness should be limited to horses that have run the previous races.

Not sure why you think this.  The Preakness is the shortest of the three races, and has the hardest time attracting quality horses, as it is only two weeks after the Derby.  Winning the second leg of the Triple Crown has never been the problem.  If you limited the Preakness to horses that raced in the Derby you would end up with a lot of five horse fields.