2011 Breeders' Cup: Why the Event Doesn't Have the Flair of a Triple Crown Race

The Breeders Cup is a fantastic set of races and is one of the most prestigious events in the sport of horse racing, but it lacks the appeal and flair of a triple crown race.

The casual sports fan tunes into horse racing for the two-minute thrill of intense competition, which is exactly what you will find at the Kentucky Derby each May.

It's hard to get casual fans to watch multiple days of many races when it's tough to determine who all the biggest horses are.

The triple crown has not been won in many years, and the pursuit of that historic accomplishment is the appeal of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.

The Breeders Cup has also failed to attract some of the best horses for its races.

Out of the 33 winners of the Derby, Preakness and Belmont, only 13 have competed in the Breeders Cup in the same year they won one of those three prestigious events.

If the Breeders Cup is ever to have the flair of a triple crown event, it must have the triple crown race winners competing in its events.

Those winners are often the most popular horses, and missing out on those stars diminishes the quality of the event.

The Breeders Cup needs to become a more important event to the owners of the top horses, because some trainers would rather prepare their horse for next year's triple crown races than enter the Breeders Cup.

The Breeders Cup will never have the flair of a triple crown race, but there are changes it can make to bring in more casual fans.