Triple Crown Betting of Thoroughbred Horse Racing
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The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (Triple Crown for short, but the term is also used in other sports, and thus the full name should be used when it could cause confusion) consists of three races for three-year-old thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a thoroughbred racehorse, if not of any athlete (human or animal). In recent years, the triple crown has become a very rare achievement (and in fact the U.S. version has not been accomplished at all since 1978, although many horses have come close), with most horses specialising on a limited range of distances.
In the United States the Triple Crown is made up of:
1. The Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs in Louisville,
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The Triple Crown starts with the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday of May. The Preakness follows two weeks later. The Belmont Stakes is five weeks after the Kentucky Derby in early June.
For a horse, winning the Triple Crown is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as all three races only allow 3-year-old horses to enter.
In the U.S., the term "Triple Crown" is the usual reference for these three horse races unless another sport is specified.
In 1930, Gallant Fox won all three important races, and sportswriter Charles Hatton brought the phrase "Triple Crown" into the American lexicon.
In the more-than-125-year history of the U.S. events, only 11 horses have ever won the U.S. Triple Crown; none since 1978.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1919 | Sir Barton | Johnny Loftus | H. Guy Bedwell | J. K. L. Ross |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox | Earl Sande | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
| 1935 | Omaha | Willie Saunders | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
| 1937 | War Admiral | Charley Kurtsinger | George Conway | Samuel D. Riddle |
| 1941 | Whirlaway | Eddie Arcaro | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1943 | Count Fleet | Johnny Longden | Don Cameron | Fannie Hertz |
| 1946 | Assault | Warren Mehrtens | Max Hirsch | King Ranch |
| 1948 | Citation | Eddie Arcaro | Horace A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew | Jean Cruguet | William H. Turner | Karen L. Taylor |
| 1978 | Affirmed | Steve Cauthen | Laz Barrera | Harbor View Farm |
As of May 20, 2006, the longest drought between Triple Crown winning horses is 29 years, dating back to Spectacular Bid's ill-fated Triple Crown run in 1979. Since Affirmed, nine horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Of those, Real Quiet has come the closest to winning the Triple Crown, losing the Belmont Stakes by a nose in 1998. Charismatic led the Belmont in the final furlong in 1999 but broke his leg in the final stretch and fell back to third. Many horse-racing enthusiasts believe that had he not broken his leg, Charismatic would have won the Triple Crown. The two most recent to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness but lose the Belmont were War Emblem in 2002 Funny Cide in 2003 and Smarty Jones in 2004. War Emblem tripped at the start of the Belmont, Funny lost the Belmont in the slop to fresh horses, and Smarty lost by only a length.
In addition, several horses have won two of the three races since the last Triple Crown win, most recently Afleet Alex in 2005, who lost the Kentucky Derby but won the Preakness and Belmont.
Only one horse, Alydar, has placed (second place) in all three races. He was defeated by Affirmed in all three races in 1978 by a combined margin of two lengths. In addition, Mane Minister finished 3rd in each race in 1991, and Hawkster finished 5th in each race in 1989.
One trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, has won the Triple Crown with two different horses, Thunder Gulch and Timber Country, winning the three races in 1995. While this is not declared a Triple Crown officially, it is unique as a trainer that he is the only trainer to win the three races in a calendar year with different horses.
2006 is the first time since 2000 that three different horses won the races: Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby (but then suffered a career-ending and eventual life-ending injury during the Preakness), Bernardini won the Preakness, and Jazil won the Belmont Stakes.
There also is a Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States, open to 3-year old fillies.
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