My Drift Title: Triple Crown Written by: Jerry D. Petersen Date: 20 May 2017 Article Number: 259-2017-15 The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Horse Racing, better known as the Triple Crown, is a title awarded to a three-year-old thoroughbred horse who wins the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The three races were inaugurated in different years, the last being the Kentucky Derby in 1875. These races are now run annually in May and early June of each year. The Triple Crown Trophy, commissioned in 1950 but awarded to all previous winners as well as those after 1950, is awarded to a Triple Crown winner. The Triple Crown Trophy Churchill Downs thoroughbred racetrack is located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky. It is most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually (on the first Saturday of May). This race is nicknamed, “The Run for the Roses.” The track is named for John and Henry Churchill who provided the land. It officially opened in 1875 and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs has also hosted the renowned Breeders' Cup on eight occasions, most recently in 2011. Churchill Downs Front Inside Churchill Downs The Kentucky Derby Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London. The racetrack is nicknamed "Old Hilltop" after a small rise in the infield that became a favorite gathering place for thoroughbred trainers and race enthusiasts. Pimlico officially opened in the fall of 1870 and the first Preakness Stakes were held there in 1873. It is currently owned by the Maryland Jockey Club. Pimlico Gate – Preakness Race – “Horses Finish Line Grandstands – “And They’re Off” are at the Home Turn” “And the Winner is …” The first Belmont Stakes was held at Jerome Park Racetrack in The Bronx, built in 1866 by stock market speculator Leonard Jerome and financed by August Belmont, Sr., for whom the race was named. The first race in 1867 saw the filly Ruthless win while in the following year it was won by General Duke. The race continued to be held at Jerome Park until 1890, when it was moved to the nearby facility, Morris Park Racecourse. The race stayed there until Belmont Park opened in 1905. Belmont Park is a major Thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont, New York, just outside New York City limits. It is typically open for racing throughout May and June and into late July, and again from late September through late October. It is known as the home of the Belmont Stakes, regarded as the "Test of the Champion", the third leg and longest race (1.5 mile-long) of the Triple Crown. Belmont Stakes Starting Horses Run by the American Pharoah Wins Gate Grandstands Twice by a Neck in 2015 Triple Crown History The first winner of all three Triple Crown races was Sir Barton in 1919. Some journalists began using the term Triple Crown to refer to the three races as early as 1923, but it was not until Gallant Fox won the three events in 1930 that Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form put the term into common use. Only twelve horses have won the Triple Crown: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), and American Pharoah (2015). James E. "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons was the only trainer to win the Triple Crown more than once; he trained both Gallant Fox and his son Omaha for the Belair Stud breeding farm. Gallant Fox and Omaha are the only father-son duo to win the Triple Crown. Belair Stud and Calumet Farm are tied as the owners with the most Triple Crown victories with two apiece. Calumet Farms won with Whirlaway and Citation. Eddie Arcaro rode both of Calumet Farms' Triple Crown champions and is the only jockey to win more than one Triple Crown. Secretariat holds the record time for each of the three Triple Crown races. His time of 2 minutes 24 seconds for one and a half miles (in the 1973 Belmont Stakes) also set a world record that still stands. See picture at the top of this article – He left the other horses in the dust 31 lengths behind! I believe Secretariat is the greatest race horse ever. Many horse racing experts say Man O’ War was the greatest. Let’s take a closer look at these 12 great horses plus Man O’ War who didn’t win the triple crown. We might as well start with Secretariat. #1 Secretariat (Won Triple Crown in 1973) A foal is born at midnight And in the frosty morn The horseman eyes him fondly, And a secret hope is born. But breathe it not, nor whisper For fear of a neighbor's scorn. He's a chestnut colt, and he's got a star. As a Playful Young Colt He may be another Man o' War. Nay, say it aloud – be shameless. Dream and hope and yearn, For there's never a man among you But waits for his return. —from "Big Red", by J.A. Estes A Little Older doing Stud Service On March 30, 1970, at 12:10 a.m. at the Meadow Stud in Caroline County, Virginia, Somethingroyal foaled a bright-red chestnut colt with three white socks and a star with a narrow stripe. The foal stood when he was 45 minutes old and nursed 30 minutes later. Howard Gentry, the manager of Meadow Stud, was at the foaling and later said, "He was a very well-made foal. He was as perfect a foal that I ever delivered." The colt soon distinguished himself from the others and was always the leader of the herd. He was known as “Big Red” to all people that knew him and he had a personality. He was a clown and was always cutting up, always into some mischief. When owner Penny Chenery first looked at the foal, she made a one word entry in her notebook: "Wow!" The name “Secretariat” came from Elizabeth Ham who was the Meadow's longtime secretary. Secretariat grew into a massive, powerful horse said to resemble his sire's maternal grandsire, Discovery. He stood 16.2 hands (66 inches, 168 cm) when fully grown. He was noted for being exceptionally well-balanced, a big, powerful horse described as having "nearly perfect" conformation and stride biomechanics. His chest was so large that he required a custom- made girth, and he was noted for his large, powerful, well-muscled hindquarters. Secretariat's length of stride was large even after taking into account his large frame and strong build. His stride was measured as 24 feet, 11 inches. His powerful hindquarters allowed him to unleash "devastating" speed and because he was so well- muscled and had significant cardiac capacity, he could simply out-gallop competitors at any point in a race. His weight during his two years of racing was about 1,155 pounds (524 kg). Secretariat was known for his appetite—during his three-year-old campaign, he ate 15 quarts of oats a day—and to keep the muscle from turning to fat, he needed a good workout every day. Secretariat won 16 of 21 races and was Horse of the Year both seasons he raced. He actually won 17 races but was disqualified in one race for bumping another horse. Secretariat saved his best for the most important races where he set a track record in all three of his Triple Crown victories. The 1973 Kentucky Derby on May 5 attracted a crowd of 134,476 to Churchill Downs, then the largest crowd in North American racing history. The bettors made the entry of Secretariat and Angle Light the 3–2 favorite, with Sham the second choice at 5–2. Secretariat avoided problems by breaking last from post position 10, then cut over to the rail. Early leader Shecky Greene set a reasonable pace, then gave way to Sham around the far turn. Secretariat came charging as they entered the stretch and battled with Sham down the stretch, finally pulling away to win by 2 1∕2 lengths. Our Native finished eight lengths further back in third. Secretariat Flies Around Track to Victory In the 1973 Preakness Stakes on May 19, Secretariat broke last, but then made a huge, last-to-first move on the first turn. Jockey Turcotte later said that he was proudest of this win because of the split-second decision he made going into the turn: "I let my horse drop back, when I went to drop in, they started backing up into me. I said, 'I don't want to get trapped here.' So, I just breezed by them." Secretariat completed the second quarter mile of the race in under 22 seconds. After reaching the lead with 5 1∕2 furlongs to go, Secretariat was never challenged, and won by 2 1∕2 lengths, with Sham again finishing second and Our Native in third, a further eight lengths back. It was the first time in history that the top three finishers in the Derby and Preakness were the same; the distance between each of the horses was also the same. Only four horses ran against Secretariat for the June 9 Belmont Stakes, including Sham and three other horses thought to have little chance by the bettors: Twice A Prince, My Gallant, and Private Smiles.