Horse Racing's Triple Crown

Horse Racing's Triple Crown

The Triple Crown, like many of the best traditions, wasn't created, it evolved. During the late 1800's three different tracks created races to test the speed and stamina of the new crop of three year olds. The first Belmont Stakes took place in 1867, the first Preakness ran in 1873, and it wasn't until the advent of the Kentucky Derby in 1875 that all three races were run in the same year for the first time. Forty-four years later in 1919 Sir Barton became the first horse to win all three. The term Triple Crown wasn't coined until 1930 when a Daily Racing Form columnist, Charles Hatton, used it while covering Gallant Fox's road to becoming the second Triple Crown champion.In the 133 years that have passed only 11 horses have managed to accomplish what is arguably the most difficult feat in sports. Compared to the Triple Crown, no-hitters in baseball are a common occurrence. There have been more solar eclipses in our lifetime than Triple Crown winners and every year more people are struck by lightening than the total number of Triple Crown winners in history.Some of horse racing's most legendary names failed to capture this event. Man o' War managed only 2 out of the 3 legs, skipping the Kentucky Derby. Seabiscuit, after losing 17 straight races as a two year old wasn't even considered for a Triple Crown start. Seabiscuit did later beat 1937's Triple Crown winner, War Admiral in a match race. Cigar didn't competed, having started his great winning streak late in his fourth year.What makes this event so difficult to win? Several factors must be considered. First there's the age of the horses. Triple Crown races are limited to 3 year olds, all of whom officially have their birthday on January 1st each year. By the time of the Kentucky Derby, though most of the contestants will have actually reached their third birthday, they won't realize their full growth and potential until their fourth or fifth years.Another significant aspect is the brief time between races. Most graded stakes caliber horses of today run with 30 to 60 days off between races, but Triple Crown contenders must run 3 grueling races within the span of 35 days. Races at these distances take a toll on these young horses and it takes some time to fully recover. Sir Barton, the first Triple Crown winner, won the Preakness only 4 days after winning the Kentucky Derby while today's contenders do have 14 days between the two races. Nevertheless, it is quite a strain on their still developing bodies.One of the most important factors is the distances of these races; the Derby is a mile and a quarter, the Preakness, a mile and three sixteenths and the Belmont at a mile and a half, the last and the longest of the three. The horses that survive

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