Every year, the 3-year-old male division dominates the first half of the U.S. racing season. This is not a complaint, just a statement of the obvious. Big races for other divisions are conducted, and obsessives like us notice. But in general, other divisions don't get anywhere near the attention that the 3-year-old males do as they march through the many preparations for the Kentucky Derby, and, of course, through the Triple Crown itself.
Once the Belmont Stakes is over, however, things change. The focus widens, and dramatically so, like a transition from a two-lane country road to an eight-lane interstate highway.
Of course, because of established fixtures like the Haskell and Travers, the 3-year-old division will still get considerable attention. And with this year's 3-year-old male championship still there to be won -- the division goes through Derby-winner Nyquist, but a strong second half by someone else could unseat him -- there is no chance the Triple Crown division will be overlooked. But there is a whole lot more out there demanding to be noticed. That is a good thing.
The Belmont Stakes was decided just last Saturday. Yet by only Tuesday, the entire racing world was enthralled with the historic victory by the American-based Tepin in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in England. I doubt Twitter would admit it, but it sure seemed as if Tepin was coming close to breaking the social media platform. That's how strong the response was to what she accomplished.
Oh, and Tepin is not a 3-year-old male. She is a 5-year-old turf mare, and a fantastic one, at that.
California Chrome is a Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, and a Horse of the Year (all in 2014), and yet his workout last Saturday morning at Los Alamitos Race Course was overshadowed because last Saturday was also Belmont Stakes Day. But California Chrome's work, his fifth since his return from Dubai, brings him closer to a start in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 23.
The San Diego, a stepping stone to the Pacific Classic on August 20, will be a must-see race because it will mark California Chrome's first start since his smashing victory in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in late March. California Chrome was already one of the very best horses in the U. S., but his Dubai performance made him one of the top two or three horses in the world.
Beholder won the Vanity at Santa Anita on June 4. But one could say that this three-time Eclipse Award winner's victory over fellow Eclipse Award winner Stellar Wind didn't get as much play as it might have had it happened a week after the conclusion of the Triple Crown instead of a week before.
No matter. Beholder is also pointing to the Pacific Classic with a start first in Del Mar's Clement L. Hirsch on July 30. With all due respect to the Haskell and Travers, and the 3-year-olds who will decide them, this potential match between a 5-year-old horse and 6-year-old mare would be the race of the summer.
And if they dare, 3-year-olds can play in it, too.