Reading Melissa Keith’s article on black type in the August issue of Trot reminded me of an incident that occurred at a USTA meeting a few years back. It’s reflective of the fact that sometimes we seem to be treading water on the issue of black type and grading stakes.
A USTA director made a rule-change proposal that the Triple Crown be changed from the Jug, Cane, and Messenger to the Jug, Meadowlands Pace and North America Cup. (I don’t think this person cared much about trotters and thus ignored the need for any change in that Triple Crown.)
Someone then reminded him that the USTA did not have jurisdiction over the Triple Crown. Its races were not subject to any USTA rules. The USTA could not change what it did not create. The proposal died.
Yes, I know that many of the best sophomore pacers in recent decades have skipped the Messenger and Cane Pace and last year Beach skipped the Jug. But do you think any of the host tracks want to forfeit the right to call its race part of the Triple Crown?
I think not. It’s not going to happen. Yet I also don’t know of anyone who thinks that the Jug, Cane, and Messenger are still the most important three races for sophomore pacers.
There’s the dilemma.
Dean, My recollection
Dean,
My recollection could be playing tricks on me (which it frequently does), however I seem to recall that initially the LBJ was part of the "BIG 5" Circuit (Springfield, III-.—Sedalia, Mo.—Du Quoin, Ill.—Indianapolis, Ind.—Delaware, Ohio)