The Triple Crown
The Triple Crown is the pinnacle of horseracing achievements for three-year-old thoroughbreds. It requires winning three of the biggest stakes races in the world, back to back to back, all within a five-week stretch that starts on the first Saturday of May.
The races, in order of running, are The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes two weeks later, and The Belmont Stakes three weeks after that. Each of these races is a prestigious event in and of itself but when a horse combines to win all of them the feat becomes legendary. In fact, only eleven horses have been Triple Crown winners.
Triple Crown Winners
YEAR | HORSE | JOCKEY | TRAINER | OWNER |
1978 | Affirmed | Steve Cauthen | Laz Barrera | Harbor View Farm |
1977 | Seattle Slew | Jean Cruguet | Billy Turner | Karen Taylor |
1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable |
1948 | Citation | Eddie Arcaro | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
1946 | Assault | Warren Mehrtens | Max Hirsch | King Ranch |
1943 | Count Fleet | Johnny Longden | Don Cameron | Mrs. J.D. Hertz |
1941 | Whirlaway | Eddie Arcaro | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
1937 | War Admiral | Charley Kurtsinger | George Conway | Samuel Riddle |
1935 | Omaha | Willie Saunders | J.E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
1930 | Gallant Fox | Earl Sande | J.E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
1919 | Sir Barton | Johnny Loftus | H. Guy Bedwell | J.K.L. Ross |
There have been 42 horses who won two of the three races. Here are the ones to win the first two and miss on the third.
YEAR | HORSE | BELMONT FINISH |
2004 | Smarty Jones | 2nd (Birdstone) |
2003 | Funny Cide | 3rd (Empire Maker) |
2002 | War Emblem | 8th (Sarava) |
1999 | Charismatic | 3rd (Lemon Drop Kid) |
1998 | Real Quiet | 2nd (Victory Gallop) |
1997 | Silver Charm | 2nd (Touch Gold) |
1989 | Sunday Silence | 2nd (Easy Goer) |
1987 | Alysheba | 4th (Bet Twice) |
1981 | Pleasant Colony | 3rd (Summing) |
1979 | Spectacular Bid | 3rd (Coastal) |
1971 | Canonero II | 4th (Pass Catcher) |
1969 | Majestic Prince | 2nd (Arts and Letters) |
1968 | **Forward Pass | 2nd (Stage Door Johnny) |
1966 | Kauai King | 4th (Amberoid) |
1964 | Northern Dancer | 3rd (Quadrangle) |
1961 | Carry Back | 7th (Sherluck) |
1958 | Tim Tam | 2nd (Cavan) |
1944 | Pensive | 2nd (Bounding Home) |
1936 | Bold Venture | (Did not start) |
1932 | Burgoo King | (Did not start) |
**Won on disqualification.
Horse Racing Spotlight
- THE TRIPLE CROWN This is the pinnacle of horse racing achievements. It requires winning three of the biggest stakes races in the world, all within a five-week stretch that starts on the first Saturday of May.
- THE KENTUCKY DERBY This is the first jewel of the Triple Crown. It is staged at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival.
- THE PREAKNESS STAKES This the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. It was conceived through an agreement among sportsmen to stage a special race to commemorate a memorable occasion on a late summer evening in 1868.
- THE BELMONT STAKES This is the third jewel of the Triple Crown. It is held five weeks after the Kentucky Derby at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
- THE BREEDERS' CUP This is a one-day event held at a location that changes each year. All the sites have been in the United States, except in 1996, when the races were held at Woodbine Racetrack in Canada.