Wide Open Race for Champion 3-Year Old
What have we learned in the 2024 Triple Crown
I’ve really enjoyed this crop of three year old thoroughbreds. Many of them have a lot of fight in them and they’ve created some competitive races to gamble on. But this Triple Crown has not separated the top contenders for champion three year old. The Haskell, Travers and Pennsylvania Derbies will decide who the champion is.
Who are the top 10 contenders right now? I base this ranking off performance in races as a 3yo and not on how good or fast I think they are. Let’s look at them.
#10. Resilience - This is a weak choice but couldn’t come up with anyone stronger. Won the Wood Memorial, made a threatening move but ended up 6th in Kentucky Derby. Was dead last in Belmont.
#9. Muth - Won Arkansas Derby impressively, wasn’t allowed to participate in Kentucky Derby and then scratched out of Preakness.
#8. Fierceness - Won Florida Derby impressively, ran poorly in Kentucky Derby.
#7. Mindframe - 2nd in Belmont Stakes in 3rd lifetime start and might have won if he had stayed straight in the stretch. Very talented colt
#6. Seize the Grey - Won Pat Day Mile as prep for muddy Preakness win when he ran unchallenged up front. Faltered in the stretch of Belmont.
#5. Catching Freedom - Won Louisiana Derby before finishing a solid 4th in Kentucky Derby. Ran unthreatening 3rd in Preakness.
#4. Dornoch - Won Fountain of Youth Stakes. Disappointed in Bluegrass and didn’t fire in Kentucky Derby. Rebounded in Belmont Stakes with aggressive ride on speed favoring track. Boy was I wrong! But he ends up here with a definite shot at champion three year old.
#3. Forever Young - Likely won’t see this one again until Breeders Cup Classic. Won UAE Derby and then lost Kentucky Derby by 2 noses while traveling farther than both and arguably being fouled by 2nd place horse repeatedly in stretch.
#2. Mystik Dan - Many will argue this one is still on top. Won a muddy Southwest Stakes, 3rd in Arkansas Derby, won Kentucky Derby saving ground by a nose. Solid 2nd in muddy Preakness and up the track in Belmont.
#1. Sierra Leone - Won Risen Star and BlueGrass Stakes. Denied Kentucky Derby by a nose and likely would have won if ran straight. Was solid 3rd in Belmont on speed favoring track while being covered in kick back.
Bottom Line - It’s wide open and theoretically any one of these could still win the title. Going to be a fun summer!