Rich Strike skipping the Preakness Stakes is a lesson for sports
Rich Strike is skipping the Preakness Stakes. His trainer decided it would be too taxing for him to compete in the second leg of the Triple Crown. Sports are only as good as their participants. The rhythm of Triple Triple is what keeps it the same. It's about the participants, not the sport. The demand for viewing options is high, but the money is preposterous. In niche sports, there's so much jostling for relevance. There's a need to change the tradition. For example, sports of tradition hinders logic and the pursuit of revenue.
14 horses have competed in all three legs of the Triple Crown since 2013. I'll Have Another had a chance to become the first Triple Triple winner in 34 years in 2012, but he had to retire the day before the Belmont Stakes. In all sports, we're approaching a tipping point. Athletes can't handle the rigors of long regular seasons and postseasons. The way teams utilize players, particularly pitchers in baseball, is making significant alterations to the experience. The things players do to take care of themselves detract from the enjoyment.
Rich Strike skipping the Preakness Stakes is a lesson for sports. Sports are about people, not players. They need to shrink and be structured differently to maximize the drama. The play-in tournament was a beginning of creating renewed incentives for teams to remain competitive and to be fighting for playoff position. It might be through in-season tournaments and changes in format. For a long time, sports have been about money and expecting greatness on demand. Instead of feeding the obsession, they should take pride in putting their participants in a better position to succeed.
A beginner's guide to betting on horse racing is written to help newcomers.
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Rich Strike won't take part in the Preakness Stakes. Bob Baffert used his position to keep beating opponents and regulators.
Investigation by the sport's moneyed elite exposed the underbelly of the industry. Critics see it as a move by wealthy and politically connected horsemen to strengthen their hold on the business.
