The Triple Crown thoroughbred title is one of the most prestigious awards in horse racing. It is given to any three-year-old horse that has won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes in the same year. To date, there are only thirteen Triple Crown horses to have ever won the title.
Below, we’re going to tell you about each and every one of these legendary athletes.
1. Sir Barton (1919)
Breed
The first of the incredible Triple Crown horses to win was Sir Barton, a chestnut thoroughbred colt. The thoroughbred was developed in 17-18th century England, by crossbreeding mares with oriental stallions. About 118,000 thoroughbreds are registered yearly, and many of them take part in the horse racing world.
Notable Achievements
Although Sir Barton won the title back in 1919, his achievement was not recognized until the 1930s, when the term became established. In 1948, eleven years after his death, he was officially considered the first winner.
Then, in 1920 he set a world record for 1 3/16 miles on dirt when he won the annual Merchants and Citizens Handicap race in Saratoga Springs. That same year, he was beaten at a race in Canada by seven lengths, and this is unfortunately what he is remembered most by. He had hoof problems throughout his career and retired in 1920, and was sold two years later where he remained until his death in 1933.
2. Gallant Fox (1930)
Breed
Gallant Fox was a bay horse with a white blaze. Not only is it a beautiful type of horse, it’s also one of the most common coat colors. The bay horse has a reddish brown coat with black point coloration located on the mane, tail, ear edges and/or lower legs.
Notable Achievements
Gallant Fox ran seventeen times and won eleven of those races. He was the second horse to win the Triple Crown. After a whole string of major races in 1930, he was declared the “outstanding thoroughbred” of the year by the Ludington Daily News. He also held the all-time earnings record, although it would be broken again only a year later by his son Omaha.
3. Omaha (1935)
Breed
Omaha was a chestnut colt with a white blaze and son of one of the Triple Crown horses, Gallant Fox. It’s one of the most common breeds, characterized by its reddish or light brown coloring. It has an absence of black hairs.
Notable Achievements
Known for his speed in the final stretch, it secured him a victory in the Belmont Stakes. He finished a length and a half in front of Firethorn, and an impressive eight lengths ahead of Rosemont. Out of twenty-two races, he won nine, inheriting the Triple Crown from his father. In his biggest wins, he was ridden by the legendary Canadian jockey, Smokey Saunders.
4. War Admiral (1937)
Breed
The American thoroughbred colt and son of Man O’ War was widely regarded as the greatest American racehorse at the time. The American thoroughbred is a tall, slim, athletic horse that is commonly nicknamed the “Blood-Horse”. The breed is considered to be hot-blooded, linked to its speed and spirit.
Notable Achievements
War Admiral was famous for his rivalry with Seabiscuit, as shown in the 2003 movie, Seabiscuit. Although the two only met a handful of times on the track, their competing spirits have become legendary. He won the American Triple Crown and Horse of the Year in 1937. The upcoming year he won Match Race of the Century.
5. Whirlaway (1941)
Breed
One of the Triple Crown horses to win the title was Whirlaway. He was a Chestnut thoroughbred colt. He was dubbed “Mr. Longtail” during his racing career, thanks to his long and thick tail, dramatically flowing behind him during races. He was bred in Kentucky and trained by Ben Jones, and ridden by Eddie Arcaro.
Notable Achievements
Whirlaway won the Kentucky Derby by a record 8 lengths, a feat which has not been surpassed to this day. He won consecutive Horse of the Year polls in 1941 and 1942. He’s the only horse to win both the Triple Crown and the Travers. He was thought of as quirky, and a creature of habit. An interesting anecdote is that he was prone to losses at the beginning, because he would drift towards the middle of the racetrack. But this was resolved by fitting him with a full-cup blinker over his right eye with a tiny hole.
6. Count Fleet (1943)
Breed
Count Fleet was an American thoroughbred colt. Thoroughbreds exert themselves to the max, and this results in high accident rates and bleeding from their lungs. They are also prone to low fertility, small hearts, and a small hoof to body ratio. Nevertheless they are excellent racers, known for their agility and great spirit.
Notable Achievements
In the 1943 Horse of the Year poll conducted by Turf and Sport Digest magazine, Count Fleet received 135 of the possible 143 votes, an unprecedented majority in the history of the poll. As a three-year-old he dominated North American horse racing, winning every single race he entered that year (5) and securing a record-breaking 25-length victory in the Belmont Stakes. That Triple Crown horse race record lasted until 1973 and is still the second biggest.
7. Assault (1946)
Breed
One of the greatest triple crown horses, Assault was a Chestnut American thoroughbred colt. He was the result of Sire Bold Venture, and Dam Igual. He was bred at King Ranch in Texas which was not very common, as most breeders came from Kentucky. The ranch predominantly bred cattle but also raised quarter horses for racing.
Notable Achievements
Assault, the only winner from Texas, won the title in 1946. Although he became one of the most successful racers, he was haunted by injuries. At a young age, he stepped on a surveyors stake leaving his hoof permanently damaged. As such, he always walked with a limp that disappeared when running. He retired at four and sent to mate with mares. Unfortunately, Assault was sterile. He went back to racing at the age of seven and won the Brooklyn Handicap after which he retired to King Ranch where he died at the age of 28.
8. Citation (1948)
Breed
Citation was a European and American thoroughbred colt. He grew up in Kentucky, but his pedigree was largely European. Out of 16 horses in the fourth generation, fourteen were bred in the UK and one in France.
Notable Achievements
Citation ran a total of 29 races across his entire career, recording an impressive 27 wins, and 2 2nd place finishes. He was the first horse in history to win $1 million in prize money. He retired after this prize. In 1999, Citation was ranked the 3rd best American racehorse of the 20th century. He finished behind Secretariat and Man O’ War, despite recording more wins and entering eight more races.
9. Secretariat (1973)
Breed
Secretariat was a large American thoroughbred chestnut colt. His sire, Bold Ruler, was one of the best, most important studs at the time. Somethingroyal, the 1973 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, was his dam. Naturally, Secretariat had an excellent pedigree. Lucien Laurin trained Secretariat and won with jockey Ron Turcotte.
Notable Achievements
When Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby in under two minutes, it set a record that would stand close to 30 years. He is, however, most remembered by the 1973 Belmont Stakes race, where he ran the 1.5 miles in 2:24. No one has beaten his record yet. As such, it is widely regarded as the greatest race in US history. He also holds the record for the Preakness Stakes, meaning he is the record holder for every Triple Crown event.
10. Seattle Slew (1977)
Breed
Seattle Slew was an American thoroughbred, dark brown colt with a small white patch of hair by his left rear hoof. His Sire was Bold Reasoning, winner of the Jersey Derby and Wither Stakes in 1971. His Dam My Charmer also birthed Lomond and Seattle Dancer, also successful horse racers.
Notable Achievements
Seattle Slew is the only horse to have won the title while having been undefeated in any previous race. Because of this, race fans consider him to be one of the greatest Triple Crown horses in history. Prior to the title, he took the title of Champion 2 Year Old in 1976. He’s a part of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame as of 1981.
11. Affirmed (1978)
Breed
Affirmed is another one of the triple crown horses to have won. He was a chestnut American thoroughbred colt. His Sire was Exclusive Native, a racehorse, and his Dam was Won’t Tell You. Affirmed’s breeder was Harbor View Farm, and his trainer was Laz Barrera.
Notable Achievements
Affirmed holds two Triple Crown records. Notably, he took the shortest time between winners, as he claimed his Crown just 52 weeks after Seattle Slew. The second record is for the longest period between winners, 37 years. Likewise, his rivalry with Alydar is quite famous. The two met ten times. Affirmed won seven races and Alydar won three. Moreover, as a three-year-old, he claimed the American Champion Three Year Old Male Horse award.
12. American Pharoah (2015)
Breed
The latest holder of the title is American Pharoah, a bay colt with a faint star on his forehead. His Sire, Pioneer of the Nile, did classic race distances, and his Dam Star of Goshen gave him speed. Likewise, Pioneer of the Nile won the Santa Anita Derby and ran in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. His trainer is Bob Baffert, who was as impressed by the American Pharoah’s talents as everyone else. Considering that he’s from a long line of racers, it is no surprise that he’s as good as he is.
Notable Achievements
American Pharaoh became the first horse in history to win what has been dubbed the “Grand Slam” of American horse racing. This is the Triple Crown along with the Breeder’s Cup Classic. He won the Classic at Keeneland with a track record of 2:00:07 and broke the existing record by a whole five seconds.
13. Justify (2018)
Breed
In 2018, Justify extended the list of Triple Crown title winners. This is the 13th winner of this title. He is a chestnut colt with a striking white blaze on his forehead. Bred in Kentucky, Justify’s dam, Stage Magic, won the 2018 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. His sire was Scat Daddy, who won the Champagne Stakes as well as the Florida Derby. Trained by Bob Baffert, Justify comes from a long line of successful racers and now as the 13th titleholder, his name will go down in history.
Notable Achievements
Justify is only the second horse to ever win the Triple Crown with an undefeated record. On his first start in 2018, he won the race, followed by two more wins, including the Santa Anita Derby, to qualify for the 2018 Kentucky Derby. He is also the only Triple Crown winner who has never lost a race in his career.
Justify was also named the 2018 American Horse of the Year and was a unanimous selection to win the award for Champion three-year-old male. Also, he received the NTRA Moment of the Year award for his impressive win at the Belmont Stakes.
If you liked this article on triple crown horses, you might be interested in the greatest horse racecourses in the USA.
