USA TODAY Sports

California Chrome co-owner Steve Coburn was a bitter man after his horse lost the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown on Saturday to Tonalist, which did not run in the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness.

Coburn, normally mild-mannered, said it was a "coward's way out" that horses who don't run the other two Triple Crown races come in fresh and win this.

"It's all or nothing. It's not fair to these horses that are running their guts out. This is a cowards' way out," Coburn said. "If you've got a horse that earns points, that runs in the Kentucky Derby, those horses should be the only ones who should run in all three races."

Tonalist owner Robert Evans, asked on the trophy stand by NBC Sports' Bob Costas for a reaction to Coburn's outburst, declined to comment.

"A reasonable response," Costas said.