Let's call it the Calvin Crown. Or maybe the Borel Blitz.
Whatever you want to call it, Calvin Borel should be recognized for pulling off a feat even more impressive than just winning a Triple Crown if he's able to ride Rachel Alexandra to a win at the Belmont Stakes on June 6.
Hard-line, traditional horse racing fans like Phil will say that winning the three races doesn't count as a Triple Crown if it isn't done on the same horse. To me, what Borel is doing is better.
Usually, horses that win or come close to winning the Triple Crown are the best in the field, and Borel hasn't had that luxury. He took a 50-to-1 longshot, Mine That Bird, to a Kentucky Derby victory before saddling up a filly and taking the Preakness Stakes.
Borel has taken two different horses to the Winner's Circle in as many races, beating out the best riders and horses the sport has to offer. He's the common denominator in the two races so far, and if he adds another win in the Belmont, he'll disprove the notion that jockeys are unimportant.
Without a good jockey, even the best of horses will lose. With Borel on board, it looks like any horse can win, and he should be honored for that.
