Triple Crown Betting History, Winners and Records

Triple Crown betting history, winners and records for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. The ultimate goal for horse owners, trainers and jockeys is to win the beloved Triple Crown. In order to claim the title, a horse must win three races; the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Belmont. A difficult task to accomplish since a race horse must win at three different race tracks, all at different lengths. In Triple Crown history, only 11 race horses over the span of 125 years have won and none have done so since Affirmed in 1978. Will Street Sense be the next Triple Crown champion?

Winning this prestigious title is without a doubt the most demanding part of horseracing and horse betting alike. A horse must first capture the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, then win the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico and finally earn victory in the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. The Triple Crown dates are run during a span of only five weeks from May to June which makes betting on the Triple Crown a fearsome challenge.

The difficult Triple Crown schedule makes it hard for the many thoroughbred 3-year-old horses as they attempt to shatter past Triple Crown records.  The three races are run in just five weeks and at different distances which is tricky for some horses, jockeys and horse bettors.

In 2006, a horse betting proposition offered a 1/9 payout if a horse was to win the Triple Crown for the first time in 28 years. The reason why chasing down Triple Crown history is so special, is that very few horses have actually won.

According to Triple Crown history, the term “Triple Crown” is credited to sportswriter Charles Hatton who; wrote about Gallant Fox, the second horse ever to win the Triple Crown. The first Triple Crown winner was Sir Barton in 1919.  Sir Barton actually won all three races before the term came into existence. The difficulty of the task has produced horse betting depression for the many long breaks in Triple Crown history waiting for another champion.

After Citation’s win in 1948, it would take another 25 years before a race horse would make Triple Crown history once again.  It was definitely worth the wait though as the winning horse in 1973 was Secretariat, who thrilled horse betting fans and made Triple Crown history by setting records that to this day have not been beat (Kentucky Derby Time: 2:02.17).

Horse betting fans had to wait four more years until Seattle Slew captured the Triple Crown in 1977.  The most recent Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978 with jockey Steve Cauthen aboard.

Many horses have come close to winning the Triple Crown since 1978 including Afleet Alex who won two of the three in 2005 and Smarty Jones who won two of three in 2004 to the excitement of many horse betting fans.  2006 was a sad occasion when Barbaro looked like he would make Triple Crown history but was injured in the Preakness.  In 2008, big brown has won the 134th Kentucky Derby and looks to extend his Triple Crown dreams in the upcoming Preakness Stakes. Here is a look at the list of past Triple Crown winners and then look at those who almost made Triple Crown history.

 

Triple Crown Winners
YearHorseJockeyTrainerOwner
1978AffirmedSteve CauthenLaz BarreraHarbor View Farm
1977Seattle SlewJean CruguetBilly TurnerKaren Taylor
1973SecretariatRon TurcotteLucien LaurinMeadow Stable
1948CitationEddie ArcaroBen A. JonesCalumet Farm
1946AssaultWarren MehrtensMax HirschKing Ranch
1943Count FleetJohnny LongdenDon CameronMrs. J.D. Hertz
1941WhirlawayEddie ArcaroBen A. JonesCalumet Farm
1937War AdmiralCharley KurtsingerGeorge ConwaySamuel Riddle
1935OmahaWillie SaundersJ.E. FitzsimmonsBelair Stud
1930Gallant FoxEarl SandeJ.E. FitzsimmonsBelair Stud
1919Sir BartonJohnny LoftusH. Guy BedwellJ.K.L. Ross

 

In Triple Crown history, a total of 47 horses have won two legs and just missed being a Triple Crown winner. Of those, sixteen have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes only to be beaten in the Belmont Stakes and denied Triple Crown winners history. Two others race horses; Burgoo King (1932) and Bold Venture (1936), won the Derby and Preakness but were forced out of the Belmont with a bowed tendon that effectively ended their racing careers.

In 1978, Alydar finished second to Affirmed in all three horse races, the only time that has happened in Triple Crown and horse betting history. It is also important to note that the Preakness preceded the Kentucky Derby in 1922, 1923 and 1931 according to Triple Crown records.  Here is a look at Triple Crown races in which a horse had two of the three Triple Crown wins but missed out on becoming a horse racing Triple Crown winner.

 

Near Triple Crown Winners

YearHorseKentucky DerbyPreakness StakesBelmont Stakes
2005Afleet Alex3rd1st1st
2004Smarty Jones1st1st2nd
2003Funny Cide1st1st3rd
2002War Emblem1st1st8th
2001Point Given5th1st1st
1999Charismatic1st1st3rd
1998Real Quiet1st1st2nd
1997Silver Charm1st1st2nd
1995Thunder Gulch1st3rd1st
1994Tabasco Cat6th1st1st
1991Hansel10th1st1st
1989Sunday Silence1st1st2nd
1988Risen Star3rd1st1st
1987Alysheba1st1st4th
1984Swale1st7th1st
1981Pleasant Colony1st1st3rd
1979Spectacular Bid1st1st3rd
1976Bold Forbes1st3rd1st
1974Little Current5th1st1st
1972Riva Ridge1st4th1st
1971Canonero II1st1st4th
1969Majestic Prince1st1st2nd
1968Forward Pass1st*1st2nd
1967Damascus3rd1st1st
1966Kauai King1st1st4th
1964Northern Dancer1st1st3rd
1963Chateaugay1st2nd1st
1961Carry Back1st1st7th
1958Tim Tam1st1st2nd
1956Needles1st2nd1st
1955Nashua2nd1st1st
1953Native Dancer2nd1st1st
1950Middleground1st2nd1st
1949Capot2nd1st1st
1944Pensive1st1st2nd
1942Shut Out1st5th1st
1940Bimelech2nd1st1st
1939Johnstown1st5th1st
1936Bold Venture1st1stdns
1932Burgoo King1st1stdns
1931Twenty Grand1st2nd1st
1923Zev1st12th1st
1922PilloryDns1st1st
1920Man o’ WarDns1st1st
1895BelmarDns1st1st
1881SauntererDns1st1st
1880GrenadaDns1st1st
1878Duke of MagentaDns1st1st
1877CloverbrookDns1st1st