Comments on: The horse that came in first…

By: Geoffrey Britain

Geoffrey Britain — Fri, 13 May 2022 22:24:38 +0000

This brings home the superb stamina a triple crown winner must possess. Clearly, staying power and recovery are of at least equal importance to speed.

By: Rufus T. Firefly

Rufus T. Firefly — Fri, 13 May 2022 19:39:51 +0000

Tom Gray,

Aren’t U.S. horse racing payouts based on $2 increments? If you bet $2 on Secretariat you got $2.10?

Also not sure what you mean by “lowest Belmont payout?” It’s parimutuel betting. All bets go into a pool, the house takes their pre-stated cut (the vigorish) and odds are calculated accordingly. The payout is related to the total number of bets, not bets on the winner. If fewer folks bet on the winner (place and show horses, perfects, quinellas, trifectas…) more money is given to them. The pool is always zero once all tickets are cashed.

At least I thought that’s how it worked?

And did you mean “Kentucky Derby payout,” rather than “Belmont payout?” The Belmont’s still a month away.)

By: LeClerc

LeClerc — Fri, 13 May 2022 18:45:02 +0000

Boxing fans will never forget Dempsey-Tunney and Ali-Frazier.

Racing fans will never forget Secretariat and Rich Strike.

By: PA+Cat

PA+Cat — Fri, 13 May 2022 18:30:53 +0000

before Schwarzenegger became “Arnold”

The former governor is “Ahnuld”– are you a girly-man who doesn’t speak Austrian like Obammy? BTW, isn’t it interesting that Ronald Reagan and Ahnuld both served as Republican governors of the same state?

By: Tom Grey

Tom Grey — Fri, 13 May 2022 18:00:27 +0000

Too bad no chance for Triple Crown.
But far better two wins, than 1 win plus an injury or merely 1 win and 2 also-rans.

Looked up lengths – a ‘furlong’ is 1/8 of a mile (220 yards, ~201 m).
Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs – 1 1/4 mile
Preakness is 9.5 furlongs – 1 3/16 mile
Belmont is 12 furlongs – 1 1/2 mile
https://edge.twinspires.com/racing/how-long-is-a-furlong-and-how-are-they-used-in-horse-racing/
(Which includes a vid of Secretariat’s fantastic still-record win at Belmont.)

Based on Rich Strike’s come-from-behind, and seeing how Sham faded in trying to match Secretariat, I suspect, and now hope (a bias of public prediction), that Rich Strike wins at Belmont.

And I care less, tho still a bit, about Preakness.
I didn’t care at all last year for any horse race – and wouldn’t this year, except for the 80-1 longshot winner.
I did remember Secretariat.
“Secretariat was like the Arnold Palmer or Sugar Ray Leonard of horse racing,” John Sosby, manager at Claiborne Farm, once said. “He’s a people’s horse.”
(I remember Arnold & Sugar Ray Leonard, too; before Schwarzenegger became “Arnold” )

I suspect, but too tired to google more, that this was the lowest Belmont payout.
Secretariat paid out $0.10, meaning a $2 bet got you $2.20 back.
(and I didn’t get nothin’ being second to comment – and wouldn’t have gotten nothin’ bein’ first, neither; too bad some places become slums)