The Triple Crown of horse racing consists of three races, run in a specific order, that are open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds. The races are the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby is always held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The Preakness Stakes is held two weeks later at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The Belmont Stakes is held three weeks after the Preakness at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Any horse that wins all three races in the same year is said to have captured the Triple Crown. Only 13 horses have ever accomplished this feat. Justified became the 13th Triple Crown winner in 2018.
The Triple Crown of Horse Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is a prestigious series of three races for three-year-old horses in the United States. The races are held at different tracks around the country, and each race has its own unique set of challenges. The Triple Crown is considered to be the most difficult test in horse racing, and only 13 horses have ever won all three races.
The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the first race in the Triple Crown, and it is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run on the first Saturday in May, and it is one of the most popular sporting events in the United States. The Kentucky Derby is a 1.25-mile race, and it is known as the “Run for the Roses” because the winner is draped in a garland of roses.
| Race | Track | Date | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Derby | Churchill Downs | First Saturday in May | 1.25 miles |
| Preakness Stakes | Pimlico Race Course | Third Saturday in May | 1.31 miles |
| Belmont Stakes | Belmont Park | Fourth Saturday in June | 1.5 miles |
The Triple Crown Series
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is a prestigious series of three races for three-year-old horses in the United States. The races are:
- Kentucky Derby
- Preakness Stakes
- Belmont Stakes
The races are held in the following order:
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown. It is held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is 1 1/4 miles long and is run on a dirt track.
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is the second leg of the Triple Crown. It is held on the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The race is 1 3/16 miles long and is run on a dirt track.
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. It is held on the first Saturday in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The race is 1 1/2 miles long and is run on a dirt track.
To win the Triple Crown, a horse must win all three races in the same year.
| Race | Date | Track | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Derby | First Saturday in May | Churchill Downs | 1 1/4 miles |
| Preakness Stakes | Third Saturday in May | Pimlico Race Course | 1 3/16 miles |
| Belmont Stakes | First Saturday in June | Belmont Park | 1 1/2 miles |
Belmont Stakes
The third and final leg of the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes, which is held annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is the longest and most demanding of the three races, with a distance of 1 1/2 miles (2,400 meters). It is also the only leg of the Triple Crown that is run on a dirt track.
The Belmont Stakes is known as “The Test of the Champion” because it is the ultimate test of a horse’s stamina, speed, and courage. Only 13 horses have ever won the Triple Crown, and only two have done it since 1978. The most recent Triple Crown winner was Justify in 2018.
- Distance: 1 1/2 miles (2,400 meters)
- Track: Dirt
- Purse: $1.5 million
- Grade: I
- Age: 3-year-olds
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Rich Strike | Sonny Leon | Eric Reed |
| 2022 | Mo Donegal | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd Pletcher |
| 2021 | Essential Quality | Luis Saez | Brad Cox |
| 2020 | Tiz the Law | Manny Franco | Barclay Tagg |
| 2019 | Sir Winston | Joel Rosario | Mark Casse |
| 2018 | Justify | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert |
The Triple Crown of Horse Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is a series of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses in the United States. The races are held annually and are considered the most prestigious races in American horse racing.
- Kentucky Derby (held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky)
- Preakness Stakes (held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland)
- Belmont Stakes (held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York)
The Triple Crown is considered one of the most difficult achievements in sports. Only 13 horses have ever won the Triple Crown, and the last horse to do so was Justify in 2018.
Triple Crown Sweep
A Triple Crown sweep is when a horse wins all three races in the Triple Crown series in a single year. This is an extremely rare feat, and only 11 horses have ever accomplished it.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | Sir Barton | Johnny Loftus | H. Guy Bedwell |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox | Earl Sande | James E. Fitzsimmons |
| 1935 | Omaha | Wilfred White | Jim Fitzsimmons |
| 1937 | War Admiral | Charley Kurtsinger | George H. “Pete” Bostwick |
| 1941 | Whirlaway | Eddie Arcaro | Ben A. Jones |
| 1943 | Count Fleet | Johnny Longden | Don Cameron |
| 1946 | Assault | Warren Mehrtens | Max Hirsch |
| 1948 | Citation | Eddie Arcaro | Ben A. Jones |
| 1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew | Jean Cruguet | William H. Turner, Jr. |
| 1978 | Affirmed | Steve Cauthen | Laz Barrera |
Well, there you have it, folks! Now you know the sequence of the three races that make up horse racing’s hallowed Triple Crown. It’s a grueling test of a horse’s speed, stamina, and heart. Thanks for joining me on this equestrian adventure. If you’re hungry for more horse-related knowledge, be sure to saddle up and visit again. There’s always a thrilling race on the horizon!