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Swale....Winning Two Legs of The Triple Crown
I am intrigued about horses that won two legs of the triple crown. The most popular is of course those who won the first two but then lost the Belmont like Smarty Jones, Big Brown, etc. etc.
Then there is the non winner of the Kentucky Derby that comes back and wins the Preakness and Belmont like Afleet Alex in 2005. I am kind of inquisitive about the other combination. Winning the Kentucky Derby and then losing the Preakness but winning the Belmont. This happened to Swale in 1983. Can somebody who followed Swale offer some history on his races that year? What happened in the Preakness to him? It seems odd to me he would get beat so badly in the Preakness yet win the longer track Belmont so easily. Also Swale died of a heart attack eight days after winning the Belmont. Heard he was a hell of a horse. Glad he won the top 3yr old, even though his season was over after the Belmont. |
He walked on the lead in the Belmont.
He was a very good horse but was lost in the shadow of his stablemate Devil's Bag. As a 2YO he had a terrific rivalry with a Fred Hooper horse named Shuttle Jet. He won two Grade 1s as a 2YO and the Florida Derby prior to the Triple Crown. He would have drowned Big Brown. |
Also Swale died of a heart attack eight days after winning the Belmont. Heard he was a hell of a horse. Glad he won the top 3yr old, even though his season was over after the Belmont.
And if you really like the history of it, it's very important to note he was the middle of the five in a row wins of The Belmont by trainer Woody Stephens. Whenever the question comes up, "which sports record will be the toughest to break," I normally note the five consecutive Belmont's won by Woody Stephens. I also note the number of consecutive MLB no hitters.....two.....held by Johnny Vander Meer. |
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swale was claibornes first derby winner btw. |
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Riva Ridge won the Derby and Belmont, but bombed in the Preakness. Mainly because he detested an off track, and Pimlico was sloppy that day.
Thunder Gulch is another. He was 3rd in the Preakness to his own stablemate, but basically had no excuses. His Belmont was a pretty weak affair. Little Current won both the Preakness and the Belmont by 7 lengths each, coming from way out of it. I'm pretty sure he was in the Derby, too, but obviously his late kick wasn't enough. Hansel also took the last 2 legs (at generous odds each time, despite being Derby favorite). Not sure what happened in the Derby (he was 10th), although his last two preps (the Jim Beam and Lexington) were monstrous efforts, so perhaps he was over-the-top. That doesn't make much sense though when he comes right back 2 weeks later and beats the same horses by 7 lengths. |
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Little Current finished 5th... in a 23 HORSE FIELD!! :eek: http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2005/de...ears/1974.html |
and i was incorrect in memory, swale finished seventh in the preakness. and imo would hold more than a 'slight' edge over big brown.
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Wow there was horse in that Derby that finished 17th named Triple Crown. Yikes. I see that was Canonade's Derby. What happened to him the rest of his 3 year old career? |
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swale wasn't a great horse either, his life was cut short so we'll never know, and he could be inconsistent. but i'd give him more than a 'slight' edge over big brown, just as i'd give swales peers more than a slight edge over BBs competition. |
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You may very well be right about Swale being more than slight. At the same time, I see many arguments on here about comparing horses who have never run against each other, from different eras, and how they compare. So I guess I will continue to question an argument like this when there is a real way to make that comparison seem credible. But your experience in this field makes me take notice of your posts and I respect what you offer so I can learn from it. I appreciate that you take time to respond to my posts. |
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I can say it because I was around for all the good and great horses that have raced in the last 35 years. I spend my life trying to fairly, and accurately, judge racehorses' relative talents. Some are better than me....and many are worse.....but regardless of that I feel I am more than qualified to make these kinds of comparisons. Take this for what it's worth, but if instead of being so defensive about any comment that doesn't imply that Big Brown is the second coming of Hindoo, you took the time to really research some top horses from the past ( buy the book Champions from DRF ) you might be surprised at what you discover. |
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1974 was a very confused year for 3yos, with lots of different prep winners, and even double classic winner Little Current didn't appear to be anything special. The top 10 3yos in the Blood-Horse Handicap for 3yos were: Little Current, Agitate, Stonewalk, Cannonade, Holding Pattern (the Travers winner; the filly Chris Evert was third), Lightning Mandate, Judger, Within Hail (a turfer), Bushongo, and Stardust Mel. Some good, solid racehorses in there, but no immortals. Triple Crown was the last foal of a mare called Belle Jeep, a daughter of War Jeep (he by War Admiral). Among her earlier foals were champion 2yo Jewel's Reward, Ky Jockey Club S winner Evasive Action, SW Lord Jeep, and SP Guillemot, who ran third in the Irish Derby (G1). |
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