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Hello Sportaliciers, let's talk Triple
Crown.
What kind of shot does Funny Cide have at being
the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 25 years? Well, since
horse racing has no inherent logic, I was forced to make up a
system that brought the world of mathematics into the equation.
And you know what? The mathematical possibilities for Funny Cide
winning aren't quite as slim as you would think.
I dug into some horse annals and found some pretty juicy stuff.
Of the past 11 Triple Crown winners:
Five held some sort of title:
Sir Barton, Gallant Fox, War Admiral, Count Fleet, and Secretariat.
Two were named after a city:
Seattle Slew, Omaha
Two broke some sort of law:
Assault, Citation
One was a verb:
Affirmed
One must have been a misspelling:
Whirlaway
In addition, if we combine the numerical equivalent of their initials,
breaking it down by year, we get the following chart:
The chart just speaks for itself.
Let's continue.
Funny Cide is a nine and a misspelling. On the surface the odds
don't look good. (I mean, heck, look at that chart up there!)
Only once has a misspelling won the Triple Crown and no number
greater than a three has won for 60 years! But hold your horses
- (snicker, gigglygoof!) - the last time a horse won the Triple
Crown that was greater than a three? That's right, Count Fleet
who happened to be a nine AND the reverse initials of Funny Cide
(an excellent mathematical omen by the way). The year before?
That's right; a misspelling.
So you see...it's beginning to look more and more like we have
our horse.
Now winning the fourth race of the Triple Crown, THAT will be
tough to do. Fact: No horse in the history of racing has accomplished
that feat!
Mister Stats
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