April is Triple Crown Buzz Month
From Gallant Fox to Affirmed, TC Champions Have Dominated in Spring
Triple Crown Champions Gallant Fox, Omaha, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Assault, and Affirmed won April races. Carry Back and Sunday Silence surprised, others ran rivalries.
With March and February races behind them, thoroughbreds on the Triple Crown trail separate themselves in the month of April. Those who remain in the top ten rankings by April 30 will have defining moments in the next two months.
April 1, 1961 - Carry Back won the Florida Derby, and his connections aimed him to compete in the American Triple Crown series for thoroughbred runners. Carry Back's chief opponents were Globemasterand Crozier. A winner in the Kentucky Derby over Crozier by 3/4 of a length, Carry Back came out of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, against Globemaster's challenge. In the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the triple classics, Sherluck surprised the favorites with a spoiler's victory.
April, 1978 - Alydar won the Florida Derby on the first of the month, and on the west coast on April 2, Affirmed was victorious in the Santa Anita Derby. The two colts clashed mightily in the Triple Crown series, with Affirmed nipping his rival each time by the thinnest of margins to become America's 11th Triple Crown Champion.
April 8, 1989 - East coast leader Easy Goer scored a mammoth record threatening win in the Gotham Stakes (this date) and again in the Wood Memorial. In the Derby and in the Preakness, west coast champ Sunday Silence thrashed Easy Goer twice in heated contests. But Easy Goer took away Sunday Silence's bid for the Triple in the Belmont, going away by eight lengths.
April 11, 1941 - A six furlong sprint named the A.J. Joyner was the stage for rivals Whirlaway and Blue Pair. Whirlaway's late charge won the contest. Runner-up to Blue Pair in the Derby Trial, Whirlaway came back to win the Kentucky Derby by eight lengths. He followed with wins in the Preakness and in the Belmont to become American Triple Crown winner No. 5.
April 14, 1937 - The son of Man o' War found easy stride in the Chesapeake Stakes in Maryland. War Admiral captured the race and his audience. The Blood-Horse magazine report was a glowing review. As he completed the triple sweep, War Admiral had no peer. He wore the fourth triple crown.
April 17, 1943 - Another son, Count Fleet, by Reigh Count, gave notice of his special gifts as he outclassed the field in the Wood. Before June was out, Count Fleet had won the sixth Triple Crown championship.
April 18, 1953 - He could win no matter where the contest. Native Dancer (is) "as good as you thought" The Blood-Horse author George R.T. Ryall wrote after "The Gray Ghost" took the Gotham, his first three-year-old start, and his 11th win in a row. It was a shock when the Ghost lost to Dark Star in the Kentucky Derby. The shock went away when Native Dancer got back on stride to win the Withers, the Preakness, and the Belmont.
April 22, 1935 - The only son of a Triple Crown champion to also win the honor was Omaha. He won the Wood after an under-appreciated two-year-old campaign. He not only triumphed in the triple, becoming the third TC champion, but went to Europe and finished second in the Ascot Gold Cup.
April 23, 1987 - Alysheba, sired by Alydar, won the Blue Grass Stakes, but lost a disqualification battle. He jumped a stride and clipped the horse in front of him, Leo Castelli. Alysheba placed third, instead. In the Derby, a similar incident nearly spelled disaster when Alysheba himself almost wrecked. He held up to win by 3/4 of a length. In the Preakness, he scored clearly without complication, but in the Belmont he could get up no better than fourth.
April 26, 1930 - Gallant Fox, the nation's second TC champion, took a slightly different route to the title. After his victory in the Wood (this date), he ran the Preakness, scheduled before the Derby that year. No matter to the champ. He won both classics, then scored again in the Belmont.
April 30, 1940 - Bimelech left his hoofprints as much as a sire as he did as a runner. An unbeaten two-year-old, Bimelech ran three races, including the Kentucky Derby, in ten days. After his Blue Grass Stakes win (this date), he won the Derby trial, then missed in the Kentucky Derby, giving way to Gallahadion in the last furlong to place. He returned to win both the Preakness and the Belmont, completing an endurance string of victories rarely seen today.
Tests of will, stamina, and speed come in April, before the Triple Crown begins. Many come, but few triumph.
