Fresh off a few wins in the West, Sunday Silence came to face his Eastern counterpart Easy Goer in the 1989 Triple Crown races. Though newspapers and betting publications called for Easy Goer to win Louisville, the muddy track worked in Sunday Silence’s favor, affording him a 2½-length victory. The two rivals faced off again at the Preakness and the outcome was similar, though Sunday Silence nipped Easy Goer right at the finish. After missing a few days with an injured foot, the colt became the favorite heading into the Belmont and even made headlines when he reared up and kicked his 76-year-old trainer, Charles Whittingham, in the head. Whittingham, in classic horse-first mode, said: “I hope he didn’t bruise his foot hitting me in the noggin.” On race day, Sunday Silence battled Easy Goer through the final turn, but Easy Goer picked up the pace and won by eight lengths in what turned out to be the second-fasted Belmont Stakes to date. Surely there was silence after such a stunning loss.