Many people say no, but fillies have won the Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont. So we know a filly is capable of winning each race.
I say YES. And when it does happen it will be the greatest feat in the history of American horse racing.
Yes
No
No, because fillies belong with fillies
Many people say no, but fillies have won the Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont. So we know a filly is capable of winning each race.
I say YES. And when it does happen it will be the greatest feat in the history of American horse racing.
It's so rare for fillies to even run in the races, let alone win one. I won't say impossible, but statistically unlikely. But yeah, it would be one awesome thing to see.
As a self proclaimed historian of the sport, it really is the only major achievement not accomplished. That and winning the KY Derby and the ARC, but that is not just American racing.Originally Posted by Sheepish
I'd say it's totally doable. Genuine Risk came the closest. Won the Derby and came 2nd in the Preakness and Belmont, so if the filly is good enough I'm sure they can win it.
I voted no not because I don't think a filly can win the Triple Crown, but in echoing Sheepish. It's so rare for a filly to contest in just one of the TC races, let alone all three, that I don't think a filly will ever win the TC based on how often they compete on the trail.
Very doubtful a filly will even win two of the three races..
She did much better than most Derby winning colts do!
Only 40 fillies have ever run in the race, period. That's a radically small sample. 11 of them came in 4th or higher.
There are a couple interesting things in my mind about fillies and the TC:
1) Theoretically, fillies aren't run unless they are really showing something special. Unlike colts, who can end up there "just because," most owners of fillies would rather take their ho-hum filly to the Oaks than the Derby. Easier race, more likely to get that paycheck, better for the horse, etc. So if a filly shows up in the Derby, she probably has shown some genuine talent - thereby, IMO, giving her a better chance for having that brilliance needed to carry them through three races in five weeks. It's hard to qualify this with the results of fillies in the Derby, as it's such a weird race. Serena's Song, one of the best fillies in recent memory and probably one of the best fillies for the task, struggled to come home in front of anyone.
2) Fillies in May are usually more developed than colts. They tend to be further along in their growth. So a filly may have that sort of advantage over colts at the end of 5 weeks.
It's an interesting question. I think it can be done, there will just need to be a filly who is both talented enough AND owned by someone who is interested in taking that risk. Getting that to line up has been notoriously difficult...never mind all the straight racing luck needed to capture all those jewels. Even really, really nice colts struggle with that (Bid, Point Given, Afleet Alex, etc.)
And listening to some big out a' town jasper, hearing him tell about horse-race gamblin'.
Not a wholesome trottin' race, no, but a race where they sit down right on a horse!
Like to see some stuck-up jockey boy sittin' on Dan Patch?
Make your blood boil? Well, I should say!
Only because Ruffian never ran in it. And she won the filly Triple Crown. She had to be seen to be believed. I still say that she broke down because she stepped on a thrown shoe left on the track from another horse. She was a bona fide monster.
There's been filly Triple Crown winners in several other countries.
Canada
Chile
Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico
Jamaica
Barbados
Trinidad & Tobago
Singapore
Czech Republic
Belgium
Mexico
Columbia
Yugoslavia
Austria-Hungary (Kincsem!)
Is it possible? Sure, I don't see why not. There are many fillies that on their best days were as good as any of the boys running in their years were.
It's too bad more don't try. How many have even run in a TC race in the last ten years? I can only think of three right off hand and two of them won.
If Zenyatta's Tapit foal is a filly and is closer to 16 hands than 17, just maybe
Not if Shirreffs trains her.If Zenyatta's Tapit foal is a filly and is closer to 16 hands than 17, just maybe
I'd disagree, he got Giacomo to a Derby win and a 3rd in the Preakness, especially if she's a gray....
I didnt hear of this. Where you find this info?
I wasn't casting aspersions on his training ability, I was saying uberconservative trainer who could barely stand to let Zenyatta race against the boys ain't going to be running a filly in any Triple Crown race, much less all 3.
hahahaha....how bout waiting till she gallops,breezes,races,breaks her maiden-allowance-stake first.....If Zenyatta's Tapit foal is a filly and is closer to 16 hands than 17, just maybe
....and no shot with Shirreffs training her...
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on
the support of Paul.
~George Bernard Shaw
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."
~Cicero - 55 BC
No need to wait for anything, it's a discussion of possibility, and I disagree on Shirreffs, but to each his own.
If Ruffian doesn't get injured at age 2 and miss the Champagne, she was being aimed for the classics against the boys. Ruffian would have won the TC. Easily.
Absolutely!
At this rate Ebblouissante isn't going to start till she's 5.
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