Amid all the happy talk after Golden Tempo’s Belmont win at Saratoga on June 6, something was missing. Sure, it was an amazing personal story for Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux, who became the first woman to ever win two Triple Crown races.
While not diminishing this historical feat, what was missing was the drama of a potential Triple Crown. And in light of that, what I missed was any serious discussion of what horse racing needs to do to bring that drama back.
That is, if anybody in the sport really cares. The decision by Golden Tempo’s connection to bypass the Preakness has sadly become run of the mill. In fact, five Kentucky Derby winners have decided to skip the rigors of attempting to race for history in the past 10 years. Only four Derby winners in that time have run on two weeks rest at the Preakness. The 2020 Triple Crown schedule was thrown out of whack by COVID-19.
This conversation has absolutely nothing to do with questioning the motives of the owners and handlers of the horses. With the money that can now be made on stud fees for a winner of a Triple Crown race, keeping a horse healthy is what fuels most of these decisions on when to run a horse.
The sport has changed so much. What is really needed and doesn’t exist is one true governing body for horse racing. Imagine baseball or football without a commissioner. That is what racing has.
They say nature abhors a vacuum. Well, the vacuum in horse racing has led to virtually zero serious discussion about how to save the Triple Crown.
The Derby should have the first Saturday in May, the Preakness should run three or four weeks later and then the Belmont should run one month later. And therein lies the rub. The New York Racing Association folks do not want to be flexible with the date of the Belmont.
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The Jesse Minter era is underway in Baltimore, and excitement is building with the draft, the recent release of the 2026 schedule and the Ravens’ offseason program.
Training camp is due to start for rookies on July 14. Veterans are due to report on July 21. The Ravens host the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 15 in the first preseason game for both teams.
After the dismissal of longtime head coach John Harbaugh after one too many failed conclusions of a season, the Ravens’ fan base is excited to see some new life breathed into the team.
How will Minter and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, both of whom know the DNA of a true Ravens defense, recreate that sort of force of nature? Key to that will be creating an elite pass rush, which has disappeared the past two seasons.
As such, the Ravens added veterans Trey Hendrickson and Calais Campbell. Second-year outside linebacker Mike Green will look to take a step forward as well.
Remember when the Ravens traded Odafe Oweh to the Chargers last season? He had zero sacks in five games with the Ravens, but he had 7.5 sacks in 12 regular-season games (plus three in a playoff game) under Minter, the defensive coordinator of the Chargers at the time. If Minter and Weaver can bring about that type of growth from Green this year, that would go a long way toward getting the defense back to a typical Ravens level.
That doesn’t even include mention of rookie second-round edge rusher Zion Young or wild card Nnamdi Madubuike, who missed the last 15 games of 2025 with a severe neck injury.
There are other areas with questions. Who will the starting center be? How will the tight end group evolve without Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely? Which receivers will step up beyond Zay Flowers?
There is plenty of time for that all to be sorted out this summer. And all of those questions will pale in comparison to the work of Minter and Weaver with the defense.
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Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. It’s about Orioles left-handed pitcher Trevor Rogers. I am not always a guy who sees the glass as half full, but I see yet another opportunity to invest in Rogers, who is scheduled for free agency in the fall.
I have written about this topic more than once, and I am writing it again. Rogers’ rough start to the season has to have chipped away at his hopes for a huge payday.
Rogers is just 28 years old. He is 6-foot-5 and a former first-round pick. He is not on his way to Cooperstown unless he pays his way into the Baseball Hall of Fame, but I still believe in him, his humility and his work ethic.
In March, Shane Baz signed a five-year contract worth $68 million, an average salary of $13.6 million. I may not know the exact numbers, but I think there is a deal to be had for the Orioles and Rogers.
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox
Originally published June 24, 2026