Triple Crown of Thoroughbred 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 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.
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United Kingdom
In England, where the term Triple Crown originated with West Australian's three wins in 1853, it is made up of:
- the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes at Newmarket Heath, Newmarket, Suffolk;
- the Epsom Derby at Epsom Downs, Epsom, Surrey;
- the St. Leger Stakes at Town Moor, Doncaster, Yorkshire.
In the nearly 200 years that these races have been run, only 15 horses have ever won the English Triple Crown, including the great Nijinsky II. Nijinsky II is only the second horse to have won the English Triple Crown since the end of World War I. It is unlikely that any horse will ever win the English Triple Crown again. Since Nijinsky, only Nashwan in 1989 has won both the Guineas and the Derby, and in addition no Derby winner has even entered the St Leger since Reference Point in 1987.
Winners
- 1853 - West Australian
- 1865 - Gladiateur
- 1866 - Lord Lyon
- 1886 - Ormonde
- 1891 - Common
- 1893 - Isinglass
- 1897 - Galtee More
- 1899 - Flying Fox
- 1900 - Diamond Jubilee
- 1903 - Rock Sand
- 1915 - Pommern
- 1917 - Gay Crusader
- 1918 - Gainsborough
- 1935 - Bahram
- 1970 - Nijinsky II
United States
The United States Triple Crown is made up of:
- 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.
In the more-than-125-year history of the U.S. events, only eleven horses have ever won the U.S. Triple Crown:
- 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.
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.
There is also a Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States, open to three-year old fillies.
Canada
The Canadian Triple Crown consists of the Queen's Plate, held at Woodbine, the Prince of Wales Stakes, held at Fort Erie, and the Breeders' Stakes, held at Woodbine.
Japan
Japan has two sets of races referred to as Triple Crowns.
Japanese Triple Crown
- Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) - May (Azalea) prize
- Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)
- Kikuka Sho (Japanese St.Leger) - Chrysanthemum flower prize
Only five horses have received the Japanese Triple Crown:
- 1941 St.Lite
- 1964 Shinzan
- 1983 Mr. C.B.
- 1984 Symboli Rudolf
- 1994 Narita Brian
Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown
- Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) - Cherry blossom prize
- Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)
- Shuka Sho - Autumn flower prize (1996 -), Queen Elizabeth II commemorative cup (1976 - 1995)
Only two horses have received the Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown:
- 1986 Mejiro Ramonu
- 2003 Still in Love