The Triple Crown

Schedule-2007

Hard Spin was holding the lead when Kentucky bred Street Sense started his run from 19th place a mile into the race to blast through all but one of the field and sent Hard Spin spinning as he passed with about a quarter of a mile remaining but did not slow down to look back. He pulled away to cross the finish by a 2 1/2 length nose. Hard spin came in second and Curlin curled into third for the money.

The Queen was there. It is the first time an English Monarch has attended. 1994 Playboy Playmate of the Year, Jenny McCarthy, Melissa Joan Hart, the "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" cast her spell as well. Another former Playmate of the Year, Shannon Tweed, brought Gene Simmons to carry her winnings. Tongues are wagging!

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Next Saturday's $1 million Preakness with seven confirmed starters, including Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and the next two finishers, Hard Spun and Curlin plus Flying First Class,

Street Sense has already defied long odds by winning the Kentucky Derby. The colt will be a short price in Saturday's Preakness Stakes. Street Sense was made the 7-5 favorite Wednesday, and a victory would set up a Triple Crown shot in the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

Street Sense is the 7-5 favorite Wednesday to win the Preakness for the simple reason that One thing gets you to the winner's circle; the horse is what gets you there! A victory would set up a Triple Crown shot in the Belmont Stakes on June 9 but we've heard that before.

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Kentucky Derby Results: 2007
By Pole Position

Post Position	Horse	Odds*	Race Results	To $1
1	Sedgefield	50-1	5	58.60
2	Curlin	7-2	3	5.00
3	Zanjero	30-1	12	36.00
4	Storm in May	30-1	16	27.20
5	Imawildandcrazyguy	50-1	4	28.90
6	Cowtown Cat	20-1	20	19.80
7	Street Sense	4-1	1	4.90
8	Hard Spun	15-1	2	10.00
9	Liquidity	30-1	14	40.00
10	Teuflesberg	30-1	17	51.90
11	Bwana Bull	50-1	15	50.30
12	Nobiz Like Showbiz	8-1	10	10.40
13	Sam P.	20-1	9	43.70
14	Scat Daddy	10-1	18	7.20
15	Tiago	15-1	7	14.80
16	Circular Quay	8-1	6	11.40
17	Stormello	30-1	19	44.80
18	Any Given Saturday	12-1	8	13.60
19	Dominican	20-1	11	24.90
20	Great Hunter	15-1	13	25.30

* Before Race

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Kentucky Derby Results: 2007
By Finish Position

Post Position	Horse	Odds*	Race Results	To $1
7	Street Sense	4-1	1	4.90
8	Hard Spun	15-1	2	10.00
2	Curlin	7-2	3	5.00
5	Imawildandcrazyguy	50-1	4	28.90
1	Sedgefield	50-1	5	58.60
16	Circular Quay	8-1	6	11.40
15	Tiago	15-1	7	14.80
18	Any Given Saturday	12-1	8	13.60
13	Sam P.	20-1	9	43.70
12	Nobiz Like Showbiz	8-1	10	10.40
19	Dominican	20-1	11	24.90
3	Zanjero	30-1	12	36.00
20	Great Hunter	15-1	13	25.30
9	Liquidity	30-1	14	40.00
11	Bwana Bull	50-1	15	50.30
4	Storm in May	30-1	16	27.20
10	Teuflesberg	30-1	17	51.90
14	Scat Daddy	10-1	18	7.20
17	Stormello	30-1	19	44.80
6	Cowtown Cat	20-1	20	19.80

* Before Race

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All horses in Triple Crown Races are three years old and carry a weight of 126 pounds for there is no handicap. May the best horse win!

KENTUCKY DERBY Saturday, May 5th for The 131st Kentucky Derby. 1 1/4 Mile (10 furlongs)

There is excitement in the grandstand beneath the twin spires as the crowd, the ladies in their spring finery and the men looking dashing, try to pick their bet on the Derby winner. The crowd may enjoy the day, sipping a Mint Julep, while awaiting the playing of My Old Kentucky Home! during the post parade just before "Run for the Roses" starts.

Churchill Downs, 700 Central Avenue, Louisville, Ky. (3 miles from downtown, 3 miles from Louisville International Airport)

Internet Contact   Kentucky Derby


PREAKNESS STAKES Saturday, May 19th, the 132nd running of the Preakness Stakes, 1 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs).


Preakness Favorites

PP	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1.	Mint Slewlep	Alan Garcia	Robbie Bailes	30-1
2.	Xchanger	Ramon Dominguez	Mark Shuman	15-1
3.	Circular Quay	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher	8-1
4. Curlin	Robby Albarado	Steve Asmussen	7-2
5.	King of the Roxy	Garrett Gomez	Todd Pletcher	12-1
6.	Flying First Class	Mark Guidry	D. Wayne Lukas	20-1
7.	Hard Spun	Mario Pino	J. Larry Jones	5-2
8.	Street Sense	Calvin Borel	Carl Nafzger	7-5
9.	C P West	Edgar Prado	Nick Zito20-1

The crowd at Pimlico is always excited before the Preakness to see if the Derby winner can do it again to get two of the three legs needed for the Triple Crown. The crowd may include Middies from Annapolis in addition to the men and women enjoying the day, sipping a Preakness Cocktail, while awaiting the playing of Maryland! My Maryland! during the post parade just before race starts.

Pimlico, nicknamed "Old Hilltop," is a shorter race with shorter turns (65' instead of 80'), you find yourself sniffing Black Eyed Susans instead of Roses and drinking Preakness Cocktails while awaiting the playing of Maryland, My Maryland to the tune of Oh, Tannebaum. Now the race is about to start.

Winning horses at the Preakness, run two weekends after the Kentucky Derby, are draped with blankets made of flowers. In 1940, a new tradition was begun-the winner was given a blanket of black-eyed Susans...or were they? In fact, Maryland's state flower isn't even in bloom on Preakness Day in May. Instead, yellow daisies are used, with the centers painted with black shoe polish! The black-eyed Susan has been given a special honor at the Preakness because it is gold and black, the colors or Lord Baltimore the founder of Maryland as well as of the State Flag and the State Bird, the Baltimore Oriole.

The dress and behavior of the crowds in the Grandstands are impeccable but the action in the Infield is more frantic. With 20 colleges in the Baltimore area and infield prices only $35 per person there are a lot of college kids. Someday they will be in the Grandstand and maybe even the Winner's Circle!

Another tradition is repainting the Pimlico weathervane with the winner's silk colors immediately after the race every year. The first Preakness was in 1873.

Pimlico Race Course, Hayward & Winner Avenues, Baltimore, Md.

Internet Contact  Preakness Stakes


BELMONT STAKES Saturday, June 9th, the 139th running of the Belmont Stakes, 1 1/2-mile (12 Furlongs, Sand Track), third and final leg of racing's Triple Crown.

Belmont, the largest racing facility in US, is the home of the Belmont Stakes. Referred to as "The Test of Champions," it is the last and longest of the three crown races. The first Belmont was in 1867 and still runs every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

The night before every Belmont, the previous year's winner is honored at a trainer's banquet. Then comes the race itself, attended by enthusiastic crowds from the Big Apple and the world. The most casual of the three races, the Belmont attracts a crowd more concerned with the horse race than the fashion statements. That doesnít mean they donít do both.

The first running of the Belmont Stakes in 1867 took place at Jerome Park. The Belmont is the oldest of the Triple Crown events, predating the Preakness by six years and the Kentucky Derby by eight.

The cocktail for the Belmont Stakes, the Belmont Breeze,  was created by Dale DeGroff, head bartender at Manhattan's Rainbow Room/Windows on the World for the 2003 running. The cocktail is based on an old, Colonial recipe for whiskey punch:

"One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak." He said he wanted to use a spirit that has significance in New York, so he chose rye whiskey. New York has always been a big rye town, and it was one of the first spirits to be distilled in quantity in America, by none other than George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. He also wanted a drink that would appeal to a wide audience, which can be difficult with rye. So, he introduced another flavor to cut the strength and bite of the rye. He chose Harvey? Bristol Cream Sherry and finished with a combination that is the base of the most popular drinks in the last 10 years, cranberry and citrus. Cranberry gives it the name Breeze for cranberry is the flavor of a Bay Breeze.

Traditionally people have enjoyed Long Island Iced Tea.  Either will add to the enjoyment when they play Sidewalks of New York, indicating the post parade has started. When it is over the winner is presented with a blanket of White Carnations. If it is a Triple Crown winner the winner will be crowned in history.

The blanket of carnations that the Belmont Stakes winner receives takes 10 man hours to put together, as between 300-400 carnations are glued onto a green velveteen spread.

A new Belmont tradition began in 1997. In the stand-ease area, where horses are saddled, large cast iron horses stand about 4 feet high with iron jockeys on them. At the conclusion of the Belmont, an artist paints the colors of the winning horse on the iron jockey. If it is a Triple Crown winner it is moved to a permanent position in the Triple Crown ring.

Belmont Park, Elmont, Long Island, New York (20 miles from Times Square)

Internet Contact Belmont Stakes

The Triple Crown races at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes are on NBC TV while the Belmont Stakes is televised on ABC TV.

Other Coverage of Triple Crown