Todd Pletcher Joins the TDN Writers’ Room

And it started off with a press release coming out from Naira and Churchill Downs that they are coming up with something called the Thoroughbred Championship Series.

It encompasses six races, starting with the Kentucky Derby, then the Belmont, see if I can get this in order, the Matt Wynn, Jim Dandy, the Travers, and then a yet-to-be-named championship race in September, all for three-year-olds, $5 million in bonus money up for grabs.

What does this all mean for the Triple Crown? Well, hold on for a second.

Just a few minutes ago today on Wednesday, as we record this, Pimico announced that they are moving the Preakness to 22 days after the Kentucky Derby.

They're going to run it on a Sunday, three weeks plus one day after the Kentucky Derby.

Governor Wes Moore gave a press conference.

A lot of dignitaries, including Bill Moff, the key man, at Pimaco was there.

And they had said they're doing this because they believe it will help get horses that run in the Kentucky Derby to run in the Preakness.

So where do we start? I don't know.

This is an absolute, I don't know what to call it, but let's start with this.

I don't think the preakness is going to benefit by moving the date of the race.

Three weeks plus one day is still probably not enough for the most modern trainers.

They prefer at least four or five weeks.

Pimlico had to do something, I suppose, because they're not getting the Kentucky Derby winners or the Kentucky Derby horses anymore.

But I don't think this is going to move the needle much.

Now, also, you have a situation that if horses run in the Preakness after running in the Kentucky Derby, they would be asked to come back in 13 days to run in the Belmont.

Can't see that happening either.

Zoe, like I said, I hardly even know where to start.

There's so much to talk about.

This thing is somewhat of a mess.

And I think the bottom line is that the Triple Crown, which we knew was in trouble before because horses weren't coming back to run in the Preakness, they haven't solved anything.

The Triple Crown is still in trouble.

Yeah, I read your piece in the TDN.

What was the headline? The Triple Crown is dead?

At 107.

And it started off with a press release coming out from Naira and Churchill Downs that they are coming up with something called the Thoroughbred Championship Series.

It encompasses six races, starting with the Kentucky Derby, then the Belmont, see if I can get this in order, the Matt Wynn, Jim Dandy, the Travers, and then a yet-to-be-named championship race in September, all for three-year-olds, $5 million in bonus money up for grabs.

What does this all mean for the Triple Crown? Well, hold on for a second.

Just a few minutes ago today on Wednesday, as we record this, Pimico announced that they are moving the Preakness to 22 days after the Kentucky Derby.

They're going to run it on a Sunday, three weeks plus one day after the Kentucky Derby.

Governor Wes Moore gave a press conference.

A lot of dignitaries, including Bill Moff, the key man, at Pimaco was there.

And they had said they're doing this because they believe it will help get horses that run in the Kentucky Derby to run in the Preakness.

So where do we start? I don't know.

This is an absolute, I don't know what to call it, but let's start with this.

I don't think the preakness is going to benefit by moving the date of the race.

Three weeks plus one day is still probably not enough for the most modern trainers.

They prefer at least four or five weeks.

Pimlico had to do something, I suppose, because they're not getting the Kentucky Derby winners or the Kentucky Derby horses anymore.

But I don't think this is going to move the needle much.

Now, also, you have a situation that if horses run in the Preakness after running in the Kentucky Derby, they would be asked to come back in 13 days to run in the Belmont.

Can't see that happening either.

Zoe, like I said, I hardly even know where to start.

There's so much to talk about.

This thing is somewhat of a mess.

And I think the bottom line is that the Triple Crown, which we knew was in trouble before because horses weren't coming back to run in the Preakness, they haven't solved anything.

The Triple Crown is still in trouble.

Yeah, I read your piece in the TDN.

What was the headline? The Triple Crown is dead?

At 107.