Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
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The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States is a title awarded to a three-year-old Thoroughbred horse who wins the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The first Triple Crown title holder was Sir Barton, who won all three races in 1919. Since then, only 12 other horses have accomplished this feat. The most recent one was Justify, who earned the Triple Crown title in 2018.
The three races
Kentucky Derby
Also known as: The Run for the Roses
Inaugurated: 1875
Normally held on: The first Saturday in May
Location: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Current track: Churchill Downs
Track type: Dirt
Distance: 11⁄4 miles (10 furlongs) since 1897. Prior to 1897, the distance was 1 ½ mile.
Number of horses: Since 1975, the field has been limited to 20 horses.
Weights: Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds, fillies carry 121 pounds
Trophy: The Kentucky Derby Trophy
Preakness Stakes
Also known as: The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans
Inaugurated: 1873
Normally held on: The third Saturday in May
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Current track: Pimlico Race Course
Track type: Dirt
Distance: 13⁄16 miles (9.5 furlongs)
Number of horses: The field is limited to 14 horses.
Weights: Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds, fillies carry 121 pounds
Trophy: The Woodlawn Vase
Belmont Stakes
Also known as: The Test of the Champion
Inaugurated: 1867
Normally held on: The third Saturday following the Preakness (i.e. first or second Saturday in June)
Location: Elmont, New York, USA
Current track: Belmont Park
Track type: Dirt
Distance: 11⁄2 miles (12 furlongs) since 1926. Prior to 1926, the distance varied from 15⁄8 to 11⁄8 miles.
Weights: Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds, fillies carry 121 pounds
Trophy: The August Belmont Trophy
Number of horses: The field is limited to 16 horses.
The Triple Crown Trophy
Even though all the races date back to the 19th century, the Tiple Crown Trophy wasn´t commissioned until 1950. (But it was then awarded to all previous winners, retroactively.)
The term Triple Crown had been applied in the context of these specific three races by some journalists as early as 1923, but the idea of them constituting a Triple Crown wasn´t cemented until Gallant Fox won all three events in the year 1930.
Title holders
So far, only thirteen horses have become Triple Crown winners: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2018).
The amazingly fast Secretariat
Secretariat – winner of the Triple Crown in 1973 – holds the record time for each of the three races. Also, his time of 2:24 for 1
1⁄2 miles in the 1973 Belmont Stakes was a new world record for that distance, and this record still stands.
Betting on triple crown races
It is very easy to find a sportsbook that allows you to bet on the Belmont stakes, Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. These races are very popular among punters and almost all sportsbooks offer odds on this races. Click the link to compare the best gambling websites.
Notable trainers
The first trainer to win the Triple Crown more than once was James E. Fitzsimmons, commonly known as “Sunny Jim”. He trained the 1930 title holder Gallant Fox and the 1935 title holder Omaha. In both instances, he worked for the horse racing stable and breeding farm Belair Stud. Notably, Gallant Fox is the father of Omaha, and they are still the only father-son pair to both be Triple Crown holders.
It would take until the next century before anyone could repeat Fitzsimmons´s feat. The second trainer to win two Triple Crowns was Bob Baffer, who trained American Pharaoh (2015 title holder) and Justify (2018).
Notable jockeys
The only jockey to win more than one Triple Crown is Eddie Arcaro who rode 1941 title holder Whirlaway and 1948 title holder Citation.
Notable owners
Only two owners have won more than one Triple Crown: Belair Stud and Calumet Farm. Belair won with Gallant Fox and Omaha, while Calumet Farm was the owner of Whirlaway and Citation.