As I write this column, I offer a warning and an apology. Versions of this piece have been written before, and will unfortunately be written again. But until this issue is actually solved, I don’t have the desire to ignore it. So in advance, please accept my apologies.
As the sporting world turns its attention to Belmont Park, and the amazing story of California Chrome, it’s once again hard to believe that harness racing hasn’t fixed its Pacing Triple Crown.
Unlike many issues that divide the industry between purists and dreamers, this one seems to have both groups on the same page.
Inaugurated in 1956, the Pacing Triple Crown combined three prestigious races – The Cane Pace, the Messenger Stakes and the Little Brown Jug – into one series. Ten horses have captured the Crown, including Bret Hanover, Most Happy Fella and Niatross. The most recent was No Pan Intended in 2003.
But much has changed since 1956. While the Little Brown Jug has held much of its status, The Cane Pace, once a Yonkers staple, has been relocated to Tioga Downs in upstate New York, and fails to get much attention as a major event. Since Roosevelt Raceway closed in 1988, the third leg, the Messenger Stakes has bounced around from racetrack to racetrack, moving numerous times and eventually landing back at Yonkers. Last year, the race was held on November 2, six weeks after the Jug, and was won by a little known horse named Ronny Bugatti. Neither Cane Pace winner, Captaintreacherous, nor Little Brown Jug winner Vegas Vacation were in the field.
During the past two years, horses that won the Cane Pace, did not race in either the Jug or the Messenger. Only one Cane winner of the last six has even started in the Messenger.
A recent poll on standardbredcanada.ca asked readers to choose three races from the six listed, to be included in the Triple Crown. Here is how they voted
North America Cup 84%
Little Brown Jug 69%
Meadowlands Pace 67%
Breeders Crown 43%
Cane Pace 6%
Messenger Pace 6%
(*through May 21)
Just one of every 17 people surveyed chose the Cane or the Messenger to be included in the Triple Crown, even though each person was asked to make three selections. The results are dramatic but not one bit surprising.
A Triple Crown consisting of the North America Cup, Meadowlands Pace, and Little Brown Jug makes far too much sense to ignore. The three events draw large crowds, big betting pools, are on a tough but manageable schedule, and are contested over three different sized tracks (seven-eighths, one mile and a half mile).
A Triple Crown bonus could easily be generated by adding a small fee to nominating and sustaining payments of each race. If not won on any given year, it could build up and carry over to the next season, making the race increase in meaning, over time, when it’s not won.
There are so many reasons to make this change and very few good reasons not to. Now, can we finally get this one done? I’d like to cross it off the list so you’ll never have to read this column again.
Darryl Kaplan
[email protected]