Justify Wins Belmont; 13th Horse to Win Triple Crown

Horses that win racing’s Triple Crown–Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes–are few in number. Since Sir Barton became the first horse to win it in 1919, only 11 other horses had won the Triple Crown going into the 2018 racing season. But while it is a rare event, Triple Crown winners have tended to come in bunches followed by long droughts.

After Sir Barton, it wasn’t until 1930 that the next horse–Gallant Fox–won. Then, two more won it in the 30’s–Omaha (1935) and War Admiral (1937). Four horses won the Triple Crown in the 1940s: Whirlaway in 1941, Count Fleet in 1943, Assault in 1946, and Citation in 1948. But then, just as it looked like a Triple Crown was going to be a regular event, we went all the way until 1973 for the next winner, Secretariat. There were consecutive winners in 1977 with Seattle Slew, and 1978 with Affirmed.

But then, year after year, no horse could win all three races. Between 1979 and 2014, 13 horses that won the Derby and Preakness lost in the third and longest race, the Belmont Stakes. (In 2001, Point Given, and in 2005, Afleet Alex both won the Preakness and Belmont but not the Kentucky Derby). Finally, in 2015 American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years.

Now, just three years later, we have another Triple Crown winner. After winning the first two races on wet and sloppy tracks, Justify had ideal conditions for the Belmont Stakes on June 9th. He did not disappoint, leading wire to wire to become the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown. It was also trainer Bob Baffert’s second winner; he trained American Pharoah as well, and is only the second trainer with two Triple Crown winners (Jim Fitzsimmons, trainer of Gallant Fox and Omaha is the other).

Justify did not even race as a two year old, and is undefeated at 6-0. No doubt, this was his last race, as ESPN reports his breeding rights are now worth $75 million. Impressive.