There is at least one racing term that immediately inspires respect, and admiration from people in the racing industry and from those with little knowledge of the sport – the Triple Crown.
The difficulty of capturing the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, at three distances, on three tracks, all in the span of five weeks is not hyperbole.
The task is such a tall order that only 13 horses have accomplished it in the more than 145 years of the series – and until AMERICAN PHAROAH conquered all three races in 2015, no horse had done it since AFFIRMED in 1978.
But in the decade that was the 1970’s there were three Triple Crown Winners (including the G.O.A.T.), and those in and around the game thought perhaps the difficulty bar of the series had been lowered.
We know that not to be true today, but who made up that triumphant triad in the era of bell bottom jeans, long hair and tie dyed shirts?
Here are some of their details:
1973 SECRETARIAT Jockey: Ron Turcotte. Trainer: Lucien Laurin. Career record: 21-16-3-1. Career earnings: $1,316,808. Earnings in today’s dollars: $7,002,779. Color: Chestnut
Deep Data: SECRETARIAT was named Horse of the Year as a 2-year-old after Winning eight of nine starts and was syndicated for a record $6.08-million early in his sophomore season.
The chestnut colt lost the Wood Memorial but proceeded to set the stakes record in each of the three Triple Crown races, including an American record 2:24 in the Belmont, a race he Won by 31 lengths.
Belmont Park has since installed a blue and white pole 31 lengths from the finish line, signifying the magnitude of the G.O.A.T.’s Victory.
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1977 SEATTLE SLEW Jockey: Jean Cruguet. Trainer: William H. Turner, Jr. Career record: 17-14-2-0Career earnings: $1,208,726. Earnings in today’s dollars: $4,709,623. Color: Dark bay or brown
Deep Data: SEATTLE SLEW was the first and remained the only undefeated Triple Crown Winner until JUSTIFY joined him in 2018. He sustained the first loss of his career in his next race after the TC series- Hollywood Park’s Swaps Stakes.
As a 4-year-old SEATTLE SLEW Won five of seven starts, including a Win over fellow Triple Crown Winner AFFIRMED in the 1978 Marlboro Cup.
At stud, he sired Horse of the Year and prolific sire A.P. INDY and more than 100 other Stakes Winners.
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1978 AFFIRMED Jockey: Steve Cauthen. Trainer: Laz Barrera. Career record: 29-22-5-1. Career earnings: $2,393,818. Earnings in today’s dollars: $8,669,109. Color: Chestnut
Deep Data: The rivalry between AFFIRMED and ALYDAR (the 2nd-place finisher in each of the 1978 Triple Crown races), is one of the most famous rivalries in the sport.
Though he lost to SEATTLE SLEW in that year’s Marlboro Cup, AFFIRMED was named 1978 Horse of the Year, and he would duplicate that title in 1979 with six straight Grade 1 Wins.
He was the first $2-million earner in Thoroughbred racing.
