The Triple Crown is a series of three horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. It is the most prestigious honor that a horse can achieve in the sport of competitive horse racing. The Triple Crown races are the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.
History of the Triple Crown
The Triple Crown was first established in the United States in the early 1930s. The first Triple Crown winner was Sir Barton in 1919. Since then, only twelve horses have been able to win the Triple Crown. The last Triple Crown winner was American Pharoah in 2015.
The Three Races of the Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the first race of the Triple Crown and is held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds and is the longest of the three races at 1¼ miles (2 km). It is the most watched race of the Triple Crown series and is also known as the “Run for the Roses” because a blanket of 554 roses is draped over the winning horse.
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is the second race of the Triple Crown and is held annually on the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds and is the shortest of the three races at 1 3/16 miles (1.91 km). It is also known as the “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” because a blanket of the Maryland state flower is draped over the winning horse.
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is the third and final race of the Triple Crown and is held annually on the first Saturday in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds and is the longest of the three races at 1½ miles (2.4 km). It is also known as the “Test of the Champion” because it is the most grueling of the Triple Crown races.
The Prize Money for the Triple Crown
The prize money for each of the Triple Crown races is $1 million. The winner of the Triple Crown is awarded a $5 million bonus. This bonus is split among the owner, trainer, and jockey of the winning horse.
The Triple Crown Winners
Since 1919, only twelve horses have been able to win the Triple Crown. They are:
- 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)
The Triple Crown Challenge
The Triple Crown Challenge is an annual competition for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. Horses that compete in the Triple Crown Challenge must compete in all three Triple Crown races in order to be eligible for the $5 million bonus.
The Triple Crown Trail
The Triple Crown Trail is a series of prep races that are held leading up to the Triple Crown races. These races are designed to help the horses prepare for the rigors of the Triple Crown races. The Triple Crown Trail consists of five races: the Kentucky Derby Prep Races, the Preakness Stakes Prep Races, the Belmont Stakes Prep Races, the Wood Memorial, and the Santa Anita Derby.
The Triple Crown Trophy
The Triple Crown Trophy is awarded to the winning horse of the Triple Crown. The trophy is made of solid sterling silver and is engraved with the names of the horse, the owner, and the trainer. The trophy is 24 inches tall and weighs over 30 pounds.
Conclusion
The Triple Crown is the most prestigious honor that a horse can achieve in the sport of competitive horse racing. It is a series of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. The prize money for each race is $1 million and the winner of the Triple Crown is awarded a $5 million bonus. Only twelve horses have been able to win the Triple Crown since it was first established in 1919. The Triple Crown Challenge and the Triple Crown Trail are annual competitions that help prepare horses for the rigors of the Triple Crown races. The Triple Crown Trophy is awarded to the winning horse of the Triple Crown.