As a result of all this, today’s horses run faster but not farther, race less often but train harder, compete over faster surfaces while dealing with increased pollution, travel and a racing season that never ends. Most modern sires now have two decades of medication, legal and otherwise, coursing through their veins. And everybody knows it.

A longer Triple Crown series is in the best interests of the horse and, by extension, the sport. By lengthening its duration from five weeks to nine, the series would be far less stressful on today’s thoroughbred and easier for them to compete in more legs of the series. Those that argue it would cheapen the accomplishment of the 11 Triple Crown winners are myopic for not considering that a longer series would be easier on the horses but also conceivably more difficult to win.

An extended series would require horsemen to keep their runners at a high level longer. Competition would deepen, because late foals needing developmental time would catch up to the group. More Derby horses would run back in a Preakness — if the second leg were held on the first Saturday in June. And more Derby and Preakness horses would run back in the July 4 Belmont. What would be more American than an Independence Day classic sandwiched between barbecue and fireworks?

Wouldn’t the sport benefit from an additional four weeks of Triple Crown promotion? Such a schedule would not adversely effect traditional Derby preps or lesser Derbies and there would be no need for changing the dates of the prestigious Haskell and Travers.

Although Sir Barton won the first Triple Crown in 1919, it wasn’t recognized at the time because the term had not yet been invented by the legendary turf writer, Charles Hatton. It wasn’t until 11 years later that Hatton used the term to describe Gallant Fox’s sweep of the 1930 Derby, Preakness and Belmont.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

If present day turf writers began to bang this drum, maybe racing would do something good for the speed-bred animals they sell by insisting on a more humane schedule for aspiring classicists. If a turf writer can invent the series, surely a barnful of them can be an instrument for collective good. Or Frank Stronach or the New York Racing Association just could schedule their classics for June’s first Saturday and July 4, respectively. The other track would have to adjust.

Coming back in two weeks might or might not have been a contributing factor in Barbaro’s injury. That is not knowable. The only known is that trainer Michael Matz and others thought it to be a legitimate concern. Matz wanted as much time as possible between Derby preps because he believed he was doing what was best for Barbaro. Last Saturday he had no choice. Nowhere in the rules of racing does it state it must always be that way.