Today arrived warm and overcast with clouds. We're supposed to reach a high of 84 degrees today - which will be a good test to see if I can stand to continue to grow my hair out - and, so far, it's been a quiet day. I've done my grocery shopping and have plenty of kitty litter, cat food and crunchies for the kits; I have nuts for the squirrels; and plenty of food and drink for me. My neighbor had his Flemish Giant outside feeding on dandelions, earlier, so I was introduced to Harvey, and was informed that after one week, he was already housebroken.
Here in the USA, Kentucky Oaks favorite Untapable won on Friday, and California Chrome, the Kentucky Derby favorite, won yesterday. Yesterday was also the running of the first race of the English Triple Crown, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes. The betting favorite for the race was Kingman, with the seond betting choice was Australia. The 2,000 Guineas is run on a one-mile straight course - the Rowley Mile - and it seemed that two races were being run at the same time - Kingman was running on one side of the track, along with six others, and Australia was running down the other side of the track, with six others. But a 40 to 1 long shot, Night of Thunder made a huge drive and ran past Kingman - and then he slowed, so the jockey hit him three times with the whip. The colt went sideways, and almost ran into Australia, on the other side of the track, before the jockey could straighten the colt out. Night of Thunder, at 40 to 1 odds, defeated Kingmaker (3 to 2), and Australia (5 to 2) ran third; Shifting Power (Night of Thunder's stablemate, and ridden by Frankie Dettori) ran fourth at 50 to 1 odds.
What are the differences between the two countries' Triple Crown races? In England, the "Triple Crown" races began in 1809 (and earlier); they are run on turf (or a grass surface); and, they run in a clockwise direction, if the course is oval, round, or triangular. The United States races are run on a dirt surface (though it varies from track to track); the three races began running in 1875 (and earlier); and US horses run races in a counter-clockwise direction. (The United States Thoroughbred and Jockey Clubs wanted to do everything different from our mother country, to show our independence.) The races are for 3-year-old horses only, and can be colts or fillies, even though there is a series specifically for the females only. Bristish Triple Crown races are run in May, June, and September. The American Triple Crown races are run over a short period of 6 weeks, with two weeks between the Derby and the Preakness, and three weeks between the Preakness and the Belmont.
In the 140 years of the American Triple Crown Races (that's counting this year), only eleven horses have been able to win all three races. Here, the Triple Crown includes the Kentucky Derby, run over 1 and 1/4 miles; the Preakness Stakes, run at 1 and 3/16 miles; and the Belmont Stakes, run at 1 and 1/2 miles. The race tracks are in three different states - the Derby in Kentucky at Churchill Downs; the Preakness in Maryland at Pimlico Racetrack; the Belmont at Belmont Park in New York. California Chrome is the only horse that could become a Triple Crown winner this year. The previous Triple Crown winners were:
1978 Affirmed
1977 Seattle Slew
1973 Secretariat
1948 Citation
1946 Assault
1943 Count Fleet
1941 Whirlaway
1937 War Admiral
1935 Omaha
1930 Gallant Fox
1919 Sir Barton
In the 206 years of the British Triple Crown (counting this year), only fifteen horses have won the three Triple Crown races. Their Triple Crown races consist of the 2,000 Guineas, run at 1 mile; the Epsom Derby, run at 1 and 1/2 miles plus 10 yards; and the St. Leger Stakes, run at 1 and 3/4 miles plus 127 yards. The 2,000 Guineas is run at Newmarket in May, over the course named for King Charles II's famous stallion. The Derby is run at Epsom Downs in Surrey, in June; while the St. Leger is run at Doncaster Race Course in September. This year, Night of Thunder is the only possible winner of the Triple Crown. Past winners were:
1970 Nijinsky
1935 Bahram
1918 Gainsborough
1917 Gay Crusader
1915 Pommern
1903 Rock Sand
1900 Diamond Jubilee
1899 Flying Fox
1897 Galtee More
1893 Isinglass
1891 Common
1886 Ormonde
1866 Lord Lyon
1865 Gladiateur
1853 West Australian
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