Triple Crown Treats: 11 Champs
Only Eleven Thoroughbreds Have Won the Derby, Preakness, Belmont
Only eleven Thoroughbreds have captured all three classics in the Triple Crown series. Also, just eleven horses could win only the first and the last of the three races.
In 1919 Sir Barton began a short list of Thoroughbreds who have been able to make it to the winner's circle in every race of the American Triple Crown series. The list of those who have won two of the three races is much longer, over thirty.
The three races weren't referred to as the Triple Crown until the mid-thirties, but by then it had become apparent that winning all three races was quite an important achievement, since so few could do it. Only three-year-olds are permitted to enter the three-race marathon spread out over five weeks. Some bring little experience to the task.
What are the three races, where are they held, and what are their distances?
- Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs race track, Louisville, Kentucky; first Saturday in May
- Preakness Stakes, Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland; two weeks later
- Belmont Stakes, Belmont Park, Elmont, New York; three week later
- 1-1/4 miles
- 1-3/16 miles
- 1-1/2 miles (respectively)
True or False:
Every contestant entering the first race, the Kentucky Derby, has already run the specific distances of the three Triple Crown races in previous seasonal competitions.
- False --- 3-year-olds might run several races at 1-1/8 miles, and less before the classics.
Who are the heralded 11 Thoroughbreds who have won the American Triple Crown?
No.1 -- Sir Barton, 1919 ----- No.2 -- Gallant Fox, 1930 ----- No.3 -- Omaha, 1935 ----- No.4 -- War Admiral, 1937 ----- No.5 -- Whirlaway, 1941 ----- No.6 -- Count Fleet, 1943 ----- No. 7 -- Assault, 1946 ----- No. 8 -- Citation, 1948 ----- No.9 -- Secretariat, 1973 ----- No.10 -- Seattle Slew, 1977 ----- No.11 -- Affirmed, 1978
There is a father-son act among these 11 winners. Who are they?
- Gallant Fox fathered Omaha.
The next best thing to winning the Triple Crown is probably winning only the first two races. Name any of the (also) eleven Thoroughbreds to do the third best thing by winning only the Derby and the Belmont:
- 1923 - Zev
- 1931 - Twenty Grand
- 1939 - Johnstown
- 1942 - Shut Out
- 1950 - Middleground
- 1956 - Needles
- 1963 - Chateaugay
- 1972 - Riva Ridge
- 1976 - Bold Forbes
- 1984 - Swale
- 1995 - Thunder Gulch
The fourth best thing? Who are the Thoroughbreds who won only the last two races, the Preakness and the Belmont?
2005, Afleet Alex ----- 2001, Point Given ----- 1994, Tabasco Cat ----- 1991, Hansel ----- 1988, Risen Star ----- 1974, Little Current ----- 1967, Damascus ----- 1955, Nashua ----- 1953, Native Dancer ----- 1949, Capot ----- 1940, Bimelech -----1922, Pillory ----- 1920, Man o' War (didn't enter Derby)
This season's Triple Crown begins on May 3 with the twenty Kentucky Derby hopefuls.
