The Triple Crown represents one of the most prestigious achievements in the world of horse racing.
This title is awarded to a 3-year-old Thoroughbred horse that can string together three of the most significant races in America within the same year.
Winning the Triple Crown is no easy feat, as horses and their jockeys train for countless hours to perfectly execute exceptional speed, endurance, strategy and a bit of luck for race day.
With the Triple Crown considered a pinnacle of success in Thoroughbred racing, let's take a look at the horses that have earned the title.
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Which races are part of the Triple Crown?
The Triple Crown features three races for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses, with just weeks separating each event. A horse that emerges victorious in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes is dubbed a Triple Crown winner.
What is the order of the Triple Crown races?
The Triple Crown begins with the Kentucky Derby, followed by the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes.
What are the distances of the Triple Crown races?
The Belmont Stakes is the longest race at 1 1/2 miles. The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles long, while the Preakness Stakes is the shortest at 1 3/16 miles.
How many horses have won the Triple Crown?
Winning the Triple Crown is very hard to do. There have been just 13 Triple Crown winners in horse racing history, with the first one coming over 100 years ago.
Sir Barton was the first to claim the Triple Crown title all the way back in 1919, while Justify was the most recent to do so in 2018.
Here's a full look at the 13 Triple Crown winners:
- 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
- American Pharoah, 2015
- Justify, 2018
When is the Kentucky Derby 2024?
The first leg of the Triple Crown will take place on Saturday, May 4, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
When is the Preakness Stakes 2024?
This leg of the Triple Crown will take place on Saturday, May 18, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
When is the Belmont Stakes 2024?
The Triple Crown wraps up with the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 8, at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The race comes just over a month after the Kentucky Derby.
