Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

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 by any athlete (human or animal). In recent years, the triple crown has become a very rare achievement, with most horses specialising on a limited range of distances.

United States

The United States Triple Crown is made up of:

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• the Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky;
• the Preakness Stakes, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland;
• the Belmont Stakes, at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

In 1930, Gallant Fox won all three important races, and sportswriter Charles Hatton brought the phrase "Triple Crown" into American usage.

Related Topics:
Gallant Fox - Sportswriter - Charles Hatton

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In the more-than-125-year history of the U.S. events, only eleven horses have ever won the U.S. Triple Crown:

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• 1919 Sir Barton
• 1930 Gallant Fox
• 1935 Omaha
• 1937 War Admiral
• 1941 Whirlaway
• 1943 Count Fleet
• 1946 Assault
• 1948 Citation
• 1973 Secretariat
• 1977 Seattle Slew
• 1978 Affirmed

As of May 21, 2005, the longest drought between Triple Crown winners is 26 years, dating back to Spectacular Bid's ill-fated Triple Crown run in 1979.

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Also, as of May 21, 2005, the VISA Credit Card company, offically withdrew their sponsorship of the US Triple Crown, starting in 2006. It relieves them of paying the $5,000,000 bonus to the owner of the horse that wins the Triple Crown. As of the date this was written, the new sponsor of the US Triple Crown has not been announced.

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Some believe this is a result of the New York Racing Association's decision to break with the other two tracks on a television contract. In October 2004, NYRA announced the American Broadcasting Corporation would hold television rights to the Belmont Stakes, breaking from Triple Crown Productions' deal with NBC Universal. NBC Universal continues the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes rights.

Related Topics:
New York Racing Association - American Broadcasting Corporation - NBC Universal

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There is also a Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States, open to three-year old fillies.

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External link:

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• "The Most Glorious Crown: The Story Of America's Triple Crown Thoroughbreds From Sir Barton To Affirmed" by Marvin Drager (ISBN 1572437243)