Triple Crown winners are horses that have won the three most prestigious races in horse racing: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. Only 13 horses have ever achieved this feat, and they are considered to be among the greatest racehorses of all time. The most recent Triple Crown winner was Justify, who won the races in 2018. Other notable Triple Crown winners include Secretariat (1973), Affirmed (1978), Seattle Slew (1977), and American Pharoah (2015). These horses have all demonstrated exceptional speed, stamina, and talent, and their victories have captured the imagination of racing fans around the world.
Triple Crown Winners in Horse Racing
The Triple Crown is the pinnacle of achievement in horse racing, awarded to thoroughbreds who win three prestigious races during their three-year-old season: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.
Secretariat: The Undefeated Champion
Secretariat, foaled in 1970, is considered the greatest racehorse of all time. He remains the only horse to have won the Triple Crown by more than 31 total lengths, accomplishing this feat in record times for all three races.
- Kentucky Derby: 1:59.4 (record)
- Preakness Stakes: 1:53 (record)
- Belmont Stakes: 2:24 (record)
Secretariat retired after his Triple Crown victory with a perfect 16-0 career record. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1974 and remains one of the most beloved and celebrated horses in the world.
Triple Crown Winner Year 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 Justify: From Obscurity to Greatness
In the annals of horse racing, few horses have achieved the elusive Triple Crown, winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes in the same season. One such horse was Justify, a once-unheralded colt who rose from obscurity to become a legend.
Born in Kentucky in 2015, Justify was sired by the champion stallion Scat Daddy and out of the mare Stage Magic. Initially, he failed to command much attention at auctions due to his small size and unassuming appearance.
- Early Career: Justify made his racing debut in February 2018, winning a maiden race at Santa Anita Park.
- Unbeaten Streak: He went on to win the Santa Anita Derby and the Kentucky Derby, extending his unbeaten streak to four races.
- Triumphator: Justify became the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes on June 9, 2018.
Justify’s victory was particularly remarkable given his humble beginnings. Once seen as an underdog, he proved that even the most unassuming of horses can achieve greatness. His Triple Crown triumph cemented his place in history as one of the greatest racehorses of all time.
Year Horse Jockey Trainer 2018 Justify Mike Smith Bob Baffert 2015 American Pharoah Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert 2010 Big Brown Kent Desormeaux Rick Dutrow The Elusive Triple Crown
Horse racing’s Triple Crown is one of the most challenging feats in all of sports. It requires a horse to win three of the most prestigious races in North America: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.
Triple Crown Winners
- Sir Barton (1919)
- Gallant Fox (1930)
- Omaha (1935)
- War Admiral (1937)
- Whirlaway (1941)
- Count Fleet (1943)
- Arrogate (1946)
- Citation (1948)
- Secretariat (1973)
- Seattle Slew (1977)
- Affirmed (1978)
- American Pharoah (2015)
American Pharoah: The First in Nearly Four Decades
American Pharoah became the first horse in nearly four decades to win the Triple Crown in 2015. He won the Kentucky Derby by seven lengths, the Preakness Stakes by seven lengths, and the Belmont Stakes by five lengths. His Belmont Stakes victory was the largest margin of victory in the race’s history.
Race Margin of Victory Kentucky Derby 7 lengths Preakness Stakes 7 lengths Belmont Stakes 5 lengths Triple Crown Winners in Horse Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is the pinnacle of achievement in the sport. Only 13 horses have ever won all three races—the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes—in the same year.
Affirmed: A Victory Marred by Controversy
Affirmed’s 1978 Triple Crown victory was marred by controversy. He crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby, but an objection was filed alleging that he had interfered with Alydar. After a lengthy investigation, the stewards upheld the objection and Stewards decided that Alydar would be promoted to winning the race. This marked a controversial change to the race’s result after the running of the race on the track.
Affirmed went on to win the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, becoming the 11th Triple Crown winner. However, the controversy over the Kentucky Derby lingered, and many fans never fully embraced Affirmed as a true Triple Crown champion.
Triple Crown Winners
Year Horse Jockey Trainer 1919 Sir Barton Johnny Loftus H. Guy Bedwell 1930 Gallant Fox Earl Sande James Fitzsimmons 1935 Omaha William Saunders James E. Fitzsimmons 1937 War Admiral Charles 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 2015 American Pharoah Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert 2018 Justify Mike Smith Bob Baffert Thanks for sticking with me through this wild ride of Triple Crown winners! I hope you enjoyed learning about these legendary horses and their iconic achievements. Just remember, folks, there’s always more to discover in the world of horse racing. So do me a favor, swing by again soon to catch up on the latest wins, upsets, and behind-the-scenes stories. Until then, keep those hooves pounding and ride on!