The Icepick Cometh

Well, I guess it turned out that Triumph the Insult Comic Dog had as good a chance of winning the Belmont as Big Brown.

Don't weep for Big Brown and his owners, though. They'll make a killing in stud fees. And that's the problem — horses are bred and trained for their retirement years (after age 3), rather than for winning. Sure, they need to win the big races to command big stud fees, but the syndicates and conglomerates that own the Sport of Kings these days proudly operate like owners of mutual funds. That attitude, protecting your investment (protecting your brand, as the business-types say) has infected the entire sport for too long. It's not about winning. It's all about the money. That's why we're likely to never see a Triple Crown winner again.