California Chrome co-owner Steve Coburn turned angry on national television Saturday after his colt’s failed attempt to become horse racing’s 12th Triple Crowns winner,, saying he felt the field ganged up on his colt.
m “This is a coward’s way out.”
m “I’m 61 years old and in my lifetime I’ll never see another Triple Crown winner because of the way they do this.”
m “I look at it this way: If you can’t make enough points to get in the Kentucky Derby, you can’t run in the other two races.”
“This is not fair to these horses and to the people that believe in them.”
The past nine winners of the Belmont Stakes have not run in the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, and since 2000, seven horses have run in the Derby, skipped the Preakness, and come back to win the Belmont, including Birdstone, who ended Smarty Jones’ 2004 Triple Crown run.
Belmont winner Tonalist and runner-up Commissioner came to the Belmont without running in the Derby or Preakness.