Last Triple Crown Winner Affirmed
Scat Daddy, Street Sense, Nobiz Like Shobiz: Can One Equal TC Title?
Apr 23, 2007 BarbaraAnne Helberg
Triple Crown Spotlight Series: Rankings
The Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing for three-year-olds in America begins on May 5 in Louisville, Kentucky at Churchill Downs. Will a special 2007 colt step up to end the 28-year drought since the last TC champion, Affirmed, claimed the crown?
Scat Daddy, Street Sense, Nobiz Like Shobiz, and perhaps, Great Hunter, who was pinched out of his stretch move in the recent Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, are likely favorites for the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel of the TC crown.
The three races are the Derby, 1-1/4 miles at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky; the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, 1-3/16 miles; and the Belmont Stakes at Elmont, New York's Belmont Park, 1-1/2 miles.
Affirmed, last TC champ, 1978
won Derby by 2-1/2 lengths-----won Preakness by a neck-----won Belmont by a nose-----all over Calumet Farm's Alydar
bred at Harbor View Farm, Florida; by Exclusive Native--Won't Tell You, by Crafty Admiral
owned by Louis and Patrice Wolfson-----trained by Lazaro Barrera-----regularly ridden by Steve Cauthen
lifetime record--29 starts, 22 firsts, 5 seconds, 1 third, 1 unplaced-----career earnings, $2,393,818
"Baby Huey" Seattle Slew, 1977
won Derby by 1-3/4-----won Preakness by 1-1/2-----won Belmont by 4
bred at Ben Castleman's White Horse Acres, Kentucky; by Bold Reasoning--My Charmer, by Poker
owned by Karen and Mickey Taylor and Dr. James and Sally Hill-----trained by Billy Turner-----regularly ridden by Jean Cruget
liftetime record--17 starts, 14-2-0-1-----career earnings, $1,208,726
Secretariat, 1973
won Derby by 2-1/2 in track record time of 1:59-2/5-----won Preakness by 2-1/2 in (track record disputed) time of 1:54-2/5-----won Belmont in track and world record time of 2:24 flat
bred at Meadow Stud, Inc., Virginia; by Bold Ruler--Somethingroyal, by Princequillo
owned by Chris T. Chenery, then Penny Chenery (Tweedy)-----trained by Lucien Laurin-----regularly ridden by Ron Turcotte
lifetime record--21 starts, 16-3-1-1-----career earnings, $1,316,808
Citation, 1948
won Derby by 3-1/2-----won Preakness by 5-1/2-----won Jersey Derby by 11-----won Belmont by 8
bred at Calumet Farm; by Bull Lea--Hydroplane II, by Hyperion(Great Britain)
owned by Calumet Farm-----trained by Ben A. Jones-----regularly ridden by Al Snider, who died in Florida; then by Eddie Arcaro in the TC and after
lifetime record--45 starts, 32-10-2-1 (includes 16 straight wins tied in America only by Cigar)-----career earnings, $1,085,760 (first millionaire)
Assault, 1946
won Derby by 8-----won Preakness by a head-----won Belmont by 3
bred at King Ranch, Kingsville, Texas; by Bold Venture--Igual, by Equipoise
owned by King Ranch-----trained by Max Hirsch-----regularly ridden by Warren Mehrtens
lifetime record--42, 18-6-7-11-----career earnings, $675,470
Count Fleet, 1943
won Derby by 3-----won Preakness by 8 (only three rivals)-----won Withers Stakes by 5 (three opponents)-----won Belmont by 25 (two challengers)
bred at Stoner Creek Stud, Paris, Kentucky; by Reigh Count--Quickly, by Haste
owned by Mrs. John D. Hertz-----trained by Don Cameron-----regularly ridden by John Longden
lifetime record--21, 16-4-1-0-----career earnings, $250,300
Whirlaway, 1941
won Derby by 8-----won Preakness by 5-1/2-----won Belmont by 2-1/2
bred by Calumet Farm; by Blenheim II--Dustwhirl, by Sweep
owned by Calumet Farm-----trained by Ben A. Jones-----regularly ridden by Eddie Arcaro
lifetime record--60, 32-15-9-4-----career earnings, $61,161 (first over $1/2 million
War Admiral, 1937
won Derby by 1-3/4-----won Preakness by a head-----won Belmont by 3
bred at Faraway Farm, Lexington, Kentucky; by Man o' War--Brushup, by Sweep
owned by Glen Riddle Farms-----trained by George Conway-----regularly ridden by Charles Kurtsinger
lifetime record--26, 21-3-1-1-----career earnings, $273,240
Omaha, 1935
won Derby by 1-1/2-----won Preakness by 6-----lost Withers to Rosemont by 1/2-----won Belmont by 1-1/2
bred at Belair Stud, Kentucky; by Gallant Fox--Flambino, by Wrack
owned by Belair Stud-----trained by James (Sunny) Fitzsimmons-----regularly ridden by Willie Saunders
lifetime record--22, 9-7-2-4-----career earnings, $328,165
Gallant Fox, 1930
won Preakness May 9th (first time thoroughbreds used automatic starting gate) by 3/4 of a length-----won Derby, eight days later, by 2-----won Belmont, June 7th, by 3
bred at Claiborne Farm, Paris, Kentucky; by Sir Gallahad III--Marguerite, by Celt
owned by Belair Stud-----trained by James (Sunny) Fitzsimmons-----regularly ridden by Earl Sande
lifetime record--17, 11-3-2-1-----career earnings, $328,165
Sir Barton, 1919
won Derby by 5, wire to wire-----won Preakness, four days later, by 4 (eased up), wire to wire-----won Withers ten days later-----won Belmont (first to win all three classics); first 11 furlongs in 2:17-2/5, a new American record
bred by Madden & Gooch, Kentucky; by Star Shoot--Lady Sterling, by Hanover
owned by Commander J.K.L. Ross, Maryland and later by Dr. J.R. Hylton, Wyoming-----trained by H.G. Bedwell-----regularly ridden by Johnny Loftus
lifetime record--31, 13-6-5-7-----career earnings, $116,857
Standing record times for the three classics: Derby, 1:59-2/5, Secretariat, 1973-----Preakness, 1:53-2/5, Tank's Prospect, 1985-----Belmont, 2:24.0, Secretariat, 1973.
"Baby Huey" died in 2002. There is now no living American thoroughbred Triple Crown champion.
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