The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, commonly referred to as the Triple Crown, is a series of three horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds in the United States. The three races—the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes—are held in succession from May through June and are sometimes referred to as the “Run for the Roses,” “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” and “The Test of the Champion.”
The Triple Crown series is the most prestigious set of races in the world and the accomplishment of winning all three races is considered one of the greatest feats in sports. Since 1875, only thirteen horses have won the Triple Crown and it has become one of the most sought-after achievements in the sport of horse racing.
History of the Triple Crown Races
The concept of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing originated in the United States in the 19th century. The three races that make up the Triple Crown were all established by the mid-1800s, with the Kentucky Derby being the oldest race, in 1875.
The Preakness Stakes was established in 1873 and the Belmont Stakes was first run in 1867. The first horse to win all three races was Sir Barton in 1919, and since then, only thirteen horses have achieved the feat.
The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the first of the three Triple Crown races and is held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is one and a quarter miles long and is open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds.
The Kentucky Derby is the most popular of the three races and has been dubbed “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.” It is the most attended horse race in North America and is known for its lavish parties and traditions such as the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” before the race and the wearing of colorful hats.
Notable Kentucky Derby Winners
- Secretariat (1973)
- Seattle Slew (1977)
- Affirmed (1978)
- California Chrome (2014)
- American Pharoah (2015)
The Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is the second of the Triple Crown races and is held annually on the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The race is one and three sixteenths miles long and is open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds.
The Preakness Stakes is the shortest of the three races and is known for its iconic trophy, the Woodlawn Vase, which is presented to the winning horse’s owner. It is also known for its traditional post-race celebration, the “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans,” a blanket of yellow flowers draped over the winner.
Notable Preakness Stakes Winners
- Secretariat (1973)
- Seattle Slew (1977)
- Affirmed (1978)
- American Pharoah (2015)
- Justify (2018)
The Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is the third and final of the Triple Crown races and is held annually on the first Saturday in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The race is one and a half miles long and is open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds.
The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the three races and is known for its long stretches and challenging turns. It is also known as “The Test of the Champion” due to its difficulty and the fact that it is usually the deciding race in a Triple Crown attempt.
Notable Belmont Stakes Winners
- Secretariat (1973)
- Seattle Slew (1977)
- Affirmed (1978)
- American Pharoah (2015)
- Justify (2018)
Triple Crown Champions
Winning all three Triple Crown races is an incredibly difficult feat and only thirteen horses in history have achieved it. The first horse to win the Triple Crown was Sir Barton in 1919 and the most recent was Justify in 2018.
The horses who have won the Triple Crown 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)
- Justify (2018)
The Triple Crown Challenge
In recent years, the Triple Crown has become even more difficult to achieve due to changes in the training and racing schedules of horses. In response to this, a series of incentives known as the Triple Crown Challenge were created to reward horses that compete in all three races.
The Triple Crown Challenge consists of a series of bonuses that are awarded to horses that enter all three races and finish in the top three in each race. The bonuses are funded by the Triple Crown races and are designed to encourage owners and trainers to aim for the Triple Crown.
Conclusion
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is the most prestigious set of horse races in the world and the accomplishment of winning all three races is considered one of the greatest feats in sports. The series consists of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes and only thirteen horses have achieved the feat since 1919.
The Triple Crown races are among the most popular sporting events in the United States and are steeped in tradition and history. The Triple Crown Challenge was established to reward horses that compete in all three races and is designed to encourage owners and trainers to aim for the Triple Crown.