I will defend the Messenger in a moment, but first the question of the three horses that entered the Matron race. What a crock that there is no race. For sure, you can't have the race as a betting event but what is this nonsense about splitting the purse three ways? Make them race in a non-wagering event and distribute the purse accordingly. The only reason not to race the event is so the Hambletonian Society (owner of the race) doesn't have to pay the $20,000 added money).

I have heard the complaint about the Messenger being too late. If there is blame on that, make the complaints to the Breeders Crown people for racing the Crown in October. The Messenger has traditionally been the last leg of the triple crown; this means it has to come after the Jug. So when do you want them to race the Messenger. After Delaware? Can't, you then go to Lexington for the two weeks of the Grand Circuit. Right after The Red Mile? Nope, you need to allow two weeks for the Breeders Crown (elims and finals). So you race it after the Crown. You need two weeks to race the Messenger under the current conditions, to allow for eliminations. So this year, the last day of the Red Mile meet was October 10. We then went to the Breeders Crown with elims on October 17 and the finals on the 24th. Last week, November 1 was set aside for the Messenger elims which brings us to the final this week (November 7).

What should be happening is the Breeders Crown should be raced after the Messenger but the Hambo Society doesn't want to race the Breeders Crown in November because it is too late (runs against the Breeders Cup?). The fact is there are too many three year old stakes races and too few weeks to race them. We certainly can decide to change tradition and move the Messenger before the Jug if we don't value tradition (let's see the runners move the Belmont Stakes before the Preakeness) but then when do we race the Messenger? The same weekend as the Battle of the Brandywine or what other major stakes race?

The logical thing would be to switch dates for the Breeders Crown so the Messenger runs first. However, don't expect the people at the Hambletonian Society to be so accommodating.

As a side note, I think it is a feather in the cap of Yonkers Raceway that the Breeders Crown champion is racing in tonight's Messenger stakes.

I don't say the Triple Crown needs to be the same format as we have now. I think we should have one race on each size oval. First of all, you need to keep the triple crown in the states and let the Canadians have their own crown. Media in the states won't cover a race in a foreign country (yes, I know Canada is the 51st state). As for tradition, the Meadowlands Pace is not tradition, it is because of the big bucks. Give it a couple of years when the Meadowlands Pace is worth less than the Messenger stakes and you will see how much tradition remains in that race.

I would suggest the following races make up the Triple Crown: Meadowlands Pace (if it is around much longer) or the Tatersalls (need to change the format to eliminate racing in divisions), Battle of the Brandywine and the LBJ or Messenger.

Dk, a lot of people keep talking about the bigger tracks being the future. How many extended pari-mutuel tracks are mile (7/8) tracks and were built to be exclusively harness tracks (in the states)? They would be Balmoral Park, The Red Mile (ignoring their two day quarterhorse meet), and Vernon Downs. The point is if there was not thoroughbred racing, all but three of the harness extended pari-mutuel meets would be racing in the 'bull ring'. I think the demise of the smaller tracks is greatly exagerated. If the Meadowlands goes under, we will all be embracing the the smaller ovals. BTW, I think the 5/8 oval is the future of harness racing.

I know people say half mile racing is so predictable. It did not always be that way. If we went back to classified racing (here I go again), I would suggest half mile racing would not be as predictable as it is now; it can be exciting again.