American Triple Crown
Posted August 4, 2010 – 12:12 am in: Horse Racing NewsThe American Triple Crown is one of the biggest horse betting spectacles in the world. For five weeks in May and June, fans from other sports get to enjoy betting on the biggest three stages in the history of sports gambling.
Since 1978 no horse has been able to capture the Triple Crown. Affirmed in 1978 became the 11th horse to ever win the Triple Crown. Recently however, Big Brown in 2008 came the closest to a Triple Crown by winning the first two stages, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Although the first known winner of the Triple Crown was Sir Barton in 1919, the Triple Crown was not actually recognized as such until the beginning of the 1930s. In 1931, the Triple Crown was recognized in the order of, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Prior to the stages of the Triple Crown being set, the Preakness was run before the Derby. As well in 1917 and again in 1922, the Derby and Preakness were run on the same day.
As noted before the Triple Crown is a five week race. In the first week of May on the Saturday, the Kentucky Derby is raced out of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Two weeks later the Preakness Stakes are run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Finally on first Saturday in June, the Belmont Stakes are run at Belmont Park, in Elmont, New York.
Of the three races which make up the Triple Crown, Belmont has been operated the longest, as it was established in 1867. Nevertheless, the Belmont tends to be the least viewed, because the potential Triple Crown winner rarely wins at Pimlico.
In 1995, trainer D. Wayne Lukas became the only person to ever win a Triple Crown using three different horses. At the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, Lukas was the trainer for Thunder Gulch. Conversely, he was also the trainer for Timber Country who won the Preakness.
Tags: American Triple Crown, Belmont Stakes, horse betting, Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes
