What defines a horse as being undefeated? Can’t the owner pick and choose that races the horse will run in? What if the owner is so selective, the horse runs in so few races that term “undefeated” becomes meaningless? Please clarify! - Jinx
From SI. A victory in the Belmont and Smarty Jones would join Seattle Slew as the only Triple Crown winners with unbeaten records. Smarty, like Slew in 1977, would be 9-for-9. ?
Of course the owner can be selective in what races the horse runs. Same thing happens in boxing. What makes it meaningful (or meaningless) is what races he wins. Smarty Jones won some big ones, including the Arkansas Derby and others against top horses (ones who would end up in the Kentucky Derby).
Obviously, any horse that runs at least one race and wins each time can be called undefeated. It doesn’t matter what races they are – it’s very difficult to go 8 for 8 in any competition. The fact that Smarty Jones has done it against some top horses is what makes it notable.
If you know the ratings systems in Horse Racing, looking at some numbers on Smarty will tell you he ran in good races against good competition. Recently, a number of Derby winners could hardly be rated.
Smarty has good numbers, ran in respected races, and seems like a throwback to the 70’s, the last killer decade for the Triple Crown.
Secretariat, who has made ESPN’s (and Sports Illustrated ??) list of all time greatest athletes, was not undefeated. But his history is noted as being bugged by some ailments at race time in a couple lossses, and wasn’t expected to win.
Sometimes, when entering a race, you are looking to get the best the horse can give you on that day with future days in mind. Sometimes other owners put fast pacers in to get things screwey. Sometimes, if you are postioned for place or show, you take it and don’t break the horse for the sake of the win.
While we’re at it, the Triple Crown is tough because it’s three intense races, fairly close together, in the heat…and the last - The Belmont - is just plain long compared to the first two…and you can run into fresh horses in the last races.
Smarty is respected going in, because he has a firm and respected record.
When Secretariat hit another gear and another dimension on his run for the Crown, people were crying as he did it. Like he was possessed…or ‘in the zone’ like any human athlete.
Well, it’s just like in baseball.
Any schmoe can get 1 AB and retire with a 1.000 batting average.
But official MLB records only recognize career batting averages of people with more than a certain number of ABs. Which is why Ty Cobb has the record at .366 and Joe Nobody doesn’t with 1.000.