I think that California Chrome has a shot at making history. If the voting for Champion Three-Year old goes the way I think it will, California Chrome will be the first horse in the modern era to win the Kentucky Derby and Pimlico Preakness and be denied the Eclipse Award for Champion Three-Year old.

Since 1987, ten horses have won the first two legs of the triple crown, and all ten of those horses have been awarded champion three-year old. Some of these horses had spectacular records and little opposition-these horses bear little resemblance to California Chrome and his circumstances. With some of these Derby/Preakness winners, one could have easily made an argument against them, but didn’t. These horses are the reason why I believe a vote for California Chrome stays consistent with the criteria normally used to decide champion three year old.

In 1989, Sunday Silence-much like California Chrome- won the first two legs of the Triple Crown and was still seen by many to be inferior to Easy Goer. The fact that he won the Eclipse Award anyway is important because it gives us a precedent. The selection of Sunday Silence proved that the cumulative results of the Triple Crown and the Breeder’s Cup Classic would guide champion three-year old voting. There are other less stark examples of this unwritten rule such as 1999 when Charismatic won the first two legs of the Triple Crown, but Cat Thief won the Classic. Voters decided that Charismatic gave his all throughout the Triple Crown and simply won a greater share of races that actually counted than Cat Thief did. If they had only looked at the Breeder’s Cup Classic, Cat Thief would’ve won.

Now, let’s get to the elephant in the room; Steve Coburn. Throughout the season, Coburn has been a divisive personality. His remarks at the Belmont Stakes was a huge black eye for the sport. However, the Eclipse Awards have historically been about results and nothing more. It is not the horse’s fault that his owner is tempermental; nor is it the horses fault that he was ill-prepared for the Pennsylvania Derby and received a pretty poor ride.

So, let me ask you this, if California Chrome never contested the Pennsylvania Derby and was owned by someone like Mike Repole would he get your vote for Champion Three-Year Old? The scary thing is that he actually might.

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