Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (Triple Crown for short, but the term is also used in other sports, and thus the full name should be used when it could cause confusion) consists of three races for three-year-old thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a thoroughbred racehorse.

United Kingdom

In England, where the term Triple Crown originated with West Australian's three wins in 1853, it is made up of:

1. the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes at Newmarket Heath, Newmarket, Suffolk;
2. the Epsom Derby at Epsom Downs, Epsom, Surrey;
3. the St. Leger Stakes at Town Moor, Doncaster, Yorkshire.

In the nearly 200 years that these races have been run, only 15 horses have ever won the English Triple Crown, including the great Nijinsky II. Nijinsky II is only the second horse to have won the English Triple Crown since the end of World War I.

Winners

• 1853 - West Australian
• 1865 - Gladiateur
• 1866 - Lord Lyon
• 1886 - Ormonde
• 1891 - Common
• 1893 - Isinglass
• 1897 - Galtee More
• 1899 - Flying Fox
• 1900 - Diamond Jubilee
• 1903 - Rock Sand
• 1915 - Pommern
• 1917 - Gay Crusader
• 1918 - Gainsborough
• 1935 - Bahram
• 1970 - Nijinsky II

In the United States, in 1930, Gallant Fox won all three important races, and sportswriter Charles Hatton brought the phrase into American usage. The United States Triple Crown is made up of:

1. the Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky;
2. the Preakness Stakes, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland;
3. the Belmont Stakes, at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

In the more-than-125-year history of the U.S. events, only eleven horses have ever won the U.S. Triple Crown:

• 1919 Sir Barton
• 1930 Gallant Fox
• 1935 Omaha
• 1937 War Admiral
• 1941 Whirlaway
• 1943 Count Fleet
• 1946 Assault
• 1948 Citation
• 1973 Secretariat
• 1977 Seattle Slew
• 1978 Affirmed

The Canadian Triple Crown consists of the Queen's Plate, held at Woodbine, the Prince of Wales Stakes, held at Fort Erie, and the Breeders' Stakes, held at Woodbine.

Japan has two sets of races referred to as Triple Crowns.

Japanese Triple Crown

1. Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) - May (Azalea) prize
2. Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)
3. Kikuka Sho (Japanese St.Leger) - Chrysanthemum flower prize

Only five horses have received the Japanese Triple Crown:

• 1941 St.Lite
• 1964 Shinzan
• 1983 Mr. C.B.
• 1984 Symboli Rudolf
• 1994 Narita Brian

Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown

1. Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) - Cherry blossom prize
2. Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)
3. Shuka Sho - Autumn flower prize

Only two horses have received the Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown:

• 1986 Mejiro Ramonu
• 2003 Still in Love