The Triple Crown has been a huge part of the horse racing calendar since it first started. Something that makes it such a unique event is that the triple crown is three separate horse racing events that racers need to win in order to earn the title of Triple Crown Winner.
These are the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Because each event has its own challenges from the different terrains, odds, and the tough competition of other racers, there have only been thirteen Triple Crown winners since the name was first used to describe the three event wins.
Here are the top 10 horses to have won the Triple Crown throughout history. Check out the top horses for the belmont for more detail.
The first horse to win all three events before the name ‘Triple Crown’ was first used was Sir Barton. In 1919, the champion thoroughbred was on a winning streak. He outran his rivals in each event of the Triple Crown over the span of 32 days!
Eleven years later, Gallant Fox joined Sir Barton as the second Triple Crown winner. The thoroughbred champion became an icon during his 1930 races. Gallant Fox stood out for the white ring around his eye, and for being a hardworking racer.
Having been sired by an English import, this racer had a relatively short career which did not fail to enter the record books. It was Gallant Fox’s performance in 1930 that was known as the first official use of the phrase ‘Triple Crown’.
Gallant Fox’s legacy lived on when his son Omaha won the Triple Crown five years later. Despite being the second choice for betting at the 1935 Kentucky Derby, Omaha completed the race 1.5 lengths ahead of his closest competitor.
Omaha went on to win the Preakness Stakes by six lengths one week later. His success continued during the final leg of the Triple Crown, where he finished on top of the leaderboard at the Belmont Stakes.
Another horse to win the Triple Crown was Count Fleet, who surprised everybody by making each event look effortless. The thoroughbred racer was known for not quite making the podium during his career.
1943 was a huge year for Count Fleet, who finished every Triple Crown race far ahead of his closest rival, Blue Swords. This champion stood out during each event for his easy wins and smooth movements.
One of the most popular Triple Crown victories occurred in 1948 when Citation came out on top of the leaderboard. Despite a tight competition from Coaltown, Citation finished the Kentucky Derby more than three lengths ahead of his stablemate.
This thoroughbred demonstrated a great deal of stamina and speed, which allowed him to finish the 1948 horse racing year with a Triple Crown win.
Another iconic thoroughbred that stood out for his powerful build and Triple Crown records is Secretariat. Not only did he win each event of the 1973 Triple Crown, but Secretariat set new speed records for each of them.
Some of his record-breaking victories have yet to be beaten, and are still in place today. Secretariat made light work of each event and left his closest competitors in the dust at every track. His movements seemed effortless, and Secretariat was able to speed way ahead of anyone else on the track.
This thoroughbred’s Triple Crown win earned him Horse Of The Year title. Seattle Slew saw a great deal of success during the 1977 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
He became the first to win the Triple Crown while being undefeated in any previous race. There are only two race horses that currently have this title, the second being Justify who is sired by Seattle Slew.
Another highly impressive Triple Crown win came from Affirmed, who came out on top in spite of a close competition from his opponents. Affirmed won the 1978 Kentucky Derby by 1.5 lengths, and it was even tighter at the end of the Belmont Stakes.
However, Affirmed secured his win and gained the Triple Crown title at the end of the 1978 season.
Moving into the twenty-first century, American Pharoah had an incredibly successful year in 2015. The thoroughbred won every event of the Triple Crown, and the Breeder’s Cup Classic.
He was widely regarded as one of the highest achieving thoroughbreds of this century, and the chestnut stallion is certainly one to remember.
Finally, Justify is the most recent Triple Crown winner who retired after a completely undefeated career. This high achieving race horse is descended from champions including Seattle Slew, Omaha, Gallant Fox, and Secretariat.
Looking at his ancestry leaves no doubt that Justify was born to be a champion, and he certainly delivered. The 2018 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes were all won by this high achieving thoroughbred racer.
The Triple Crown has always been an example of strength, stamina, and agility. Some of the highest achievements come from the most historic wins and record-breaking victories at the end of the Belmont Stakes.
Racers must finish the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes on top of the podium in order to be named a Triple Crown winner. Horse racing has long been a traditional sport that celebrates the unique bond between humans and horses.
These gentle giants need to be docile enough to train well and for jockeys to control when needed, but athletic enough to reach high speeds on the track. Because of this, some of the highest achieving race horses have been descended from previous champions.
This energetic sport is a passion for so many, and it is exciting to see what the future holds for the Triple Crown events separately as well as together. Check out the link above for the latest developments, and to predict the next record breaker.
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