All the track athletes had to qualify. Not all the horses have run the Derby and the Preakness. Justify ran away with the Derby. It was a close and closing race at the Preakness against many of the same horses. Owners did not race Justify as a 2 year old (all of last year). Besides fatigue, the horse has to deal with being trailered to another state and setting up in unfamiliar barns/stalls. That is why there have only been a few Triple Crown winners in the last 127 years.
madspackler wrote: