Tom Noonan

Now that was one great horse race.  The anticipated match-up between Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra materialized, and we can only wonder what the result would have been had the Derby winner not encountered traffic.  Or we can wonder what would have happened if Calvin Borel's assessment that the filly did not like the track was accurate and she ran on a surface she liked.  What is particularly satisfying, however, is that we could enjoy the best of the sport of horse racing, and not have to confront the tragedies that have marked two of the last three Triple Crown years.

Speaking of enjoying horse racing, wouldn't you think that a television network that has a vested interest in promoting the sport would take every opportunity to do so?  So why did NBC not televise the Grade 2 Dixie that preceded the Preakness?  It might have exposed some people to the notion that there are more than the three Triple Crown races in the United States, that some races are run on grass, or that former Derby horses actually have a racing career that extends beyond their three-year old season.  That, of course, would have required the network to eliminate a portion of one of their silly "features" to devote a couple of minutes to actual horse racing - and viewers would have seen an exciting finish.

So, will Rachel and Bird move on to Elmont for the Belmont Stakes?  Part of the fan in me says I hope so, particularly to see if the added distance is all that the gelding needs to pass the filly.  The other part of me says, "not so fast."  At the moment, there is exactly one thoroughbred star over the age of three in the United States - the undefeated mare Zenyatta.  Mine That Bird's status as a gelding means that he can be around for a while, and I would prefer that he not burn himself out in five weeks running three intense races.  And Rachel may indeed be a special one, particularly when you consider that she has not even completed the first half of her three-year old season, and could get better.  As a measure of her talent, keep in mind that she has already matched the top Beyer of Zenyatta with her 108 in the Oaks - I do not yet know her Preakness fig.  So, why rush them?

And, one last burning question:  will Musket Man move on to the Belmont in an effort to become the new Mane Minister, finishing third in all three Triple Crown races?