Belmont Overnight Ratings Soar - Highest Ratings in 27 Years

[Jag_Warrior]

The Belmont win by 36-1 shot Birdstone ended previously unbeaten Smarty Jones' Visa Triple Crown hopes and delivered a 13.4 overnight rating / 27 share, the best Belmont overnight since a 15.4/47 for Seattle Slew's Triple Crown-clinching victory in 1977, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 13.4/27 (5:30-7:15 p.m. ET) represents a 29% improvement over last year's 10.4/22.

In related news, upon hearing that the Belmont Stakes' ratings were over three times that of this year's Indy 500, Tony George said, "Ya know, ratings are just numbers. And to be honest, I don't like numbers... there's like way too many of 'em."

I don't feel like I missed anything special by not watching Indy. But as I watched Belmont and saw that other horse, Birdsh!^, gaining on Smarty and making the pass... I felt really horrible.

[Chiphead_Dave]

I can't believe it.

I mean IRL cars look like horses asses to me.
The IRL should draw just as well as horse racing.

[Sean O'Gorman]

That race was awesome, especially the part where I got to laugh at all the people who bet on Smarty Jones and can't even take a souvenir away from the event. :D

[Methanolandbrats]

Horse racing? Can someone explain why bolting a midget on a horse is a sport? I'd rather see the little dude ride the horse owners back and whip the **** out of him for a lap. I'd watch that.

[Tall1]

Horse racing? Can someone explain why bolting a midget on a horse is a sport? I'd rather see the little dude ride the horse owners back and whip the **** out of him for a lap. I'd watch that.

The horse is the athlete, and as such requires as much training as a human. The typical standardbred (harness racing) horse gains 300-400 lbs in a 3 month layoff during the winters in Ohio. Thus, training begins on January 1 regardless of the temperature, to prepare the horse to race in May.
Methinks Smarty's opponents knew how to beat him - keep Smarty away from the rail in the curves, and Smarty must race a longer distance, perhaps as much as 100-150 yds., and the track looked a lot like a beach.

[Ankf00]

next thing you know, roosters in ****fights will be claimed as athletes ;)

[Methanolandbrats]

I know the horse trains hard, it's the midget, the rich ******** who owns the horse and the probable overtraining and abuse the horse endures that I have a problem with. I seem to remember some horses who were too slow having ping-pong balls stuffed up their noses to suffocate them. If humans want to have speed contests they should stick to flogging machines or themselves rather than animals.

[racer2c]

As a horse owner and a former owner of an ex-racing Thoroughbred (I bought after he was retired) I have mixed feelings on horse racing. On one hand, as one who loves the Thoroughbred breed, I enjoy watching the triple crown. These are the best of the best. Just absolutely phenomenal animals. The Ferrari of the equine world and just like a thoroughbred Ferrari, the Thoroughbred horse was bred for one thing, galloping faster than any other horse. On the other hand, knowing the history on how racers are treated bothers me enough tonot endorse racing. Not that racing itself is wrong, horses love to run and jump, but their mistreatment and disposable philosophies of those involved suck. It's very similar to dog racing. There are associations that help to find home for thrown away TB's (the same as gray-hounds) and will even rehabilitate. TB's are trained so that they know, when a human is on their back they are going to Gallup as fast as they can. The jockey also rides the bit (a firmer pull on the reigns) than your casual rider who wants the opposite.
I would cantor all day long on my 16.5 hand TB and he would look at me as if I was still warming him up. I never galloped on him though. Never had the goombas. With that in mind, I don't have a problem with calling jockey's athletes.

[Jag_Warrior]

The horse is the athlete, and as such requires as much training as a human. The typical standardbred (harness racing) horse gains 300-400 lbs in a 3 month layoff during the winters in Ohio. Thus, training begins on January 1 regardless of the temperature, to prepare the horse to race in May.
Methinks Smarty's opponents knew how to beat him - keep Smarty away from the rail in the curves, and Smarty must race a longer distance, perhaps as much as 100-150 yds., and the track looked a lot like a beach.

Yep. I'd say keeping him away from the rail, and the track being longer than what he was used to, killed him in the end. I was hoping the wet track would play in his favor, but I guess not. But he took it to the end; he didn't fade. Great run! :thumbup:

And to what Sean said, it wasn't about the people who bet on him. There were children who attached human traits to the horse and wanted to be like him. Maybe to jaded adults that sounds silly. But in today's sorry @ss world with sorry @ss humans, mucking up everything they touch, I figure there's worse things than an 8 year old saying she'd like to be like a spirited horse when she grows up. She probably meant she wanted to be on center stage as a winner with class. Nothing wrong with that... and she didn't have a dime on the race. Whatever the case, Smarty Jones was a better human interest story than any of the silliness that likely took place in Indiana a week or so back. High ratings for Smarty. Record low ratings for Indy. 'Nuf said! :p

[Racewriter]

The typical standardbred (harness racing) horse gains 300-400 lbs in a 3 month layoff during the winters in Ohio.

Kinda like Anna Nicole Smith...

[L1P1]

Who cares if a race horse is an athlete or not. To me, they're gods. If they've been successful, they retire and get young girl horses brought to them for the rest of their lives. Whoo Hooo!

[Tall1]

Who cares if a race horse is an athlete or not. To me, they're gods. If they've been successful, they retire and get young girl horses brought to them for the rest of their lives. Whoo Hooo!

Yeah, and gets some lackey to take care of warming up all those fillies for him.

[Jag_Warrior]

Well, I just decided that I wanna be like Smarty Jones too! But I think me and that lil girl have different "goals" in mind. :o