Triple
Crown Near Misses
While there have only been 11 Triple Crown winners, there have plently of Triple
Crown near misses. The list below contains horses that have won at least 2 of
the 3 major races. There have been 17 horses that have won the Kentucky Derby
and Preakness Stakes, but failed to win the Belmont Stakes. There have been 6
horses that won the Derby and Preakness and came in 2nd in the Belmont.
|
Triple
Crown Nearisses |
|
Year |
Horse |
Kentucky Derby |
Preakness Stakes |
Belmont Stakes |
|
2008 |
Big Brown
|
1st |
1st |
9th |
|
2005 |
Afleet Alex |
3rd |
1st |
1st |
|
2004 |
Smarty Jones |
1st |
1st |
2nd |
|
2003 |
Funny Cide |
1st |
1st |
3rd |
|
2002 |
War Emblem |
1st |
1st |
8th |
|
2001 |
Point Given |
5th |
1st |
1st |
|
1999 |
Charismatic |
1st |
1st |
3rd |
|
1998 |
Real Quiet |
1st |
1st |
2nd |
|
1997 |
Silver Charm |
1st |
1st |
2nd |
|
1995 |
Thunder Gulch |
1st |
3rd |
1st |
|
1994 |
Tabasco Cat |
6th |
1st |
1st |
|
1991 |
Hansel |
10th |
1st |
1st |
|
1989 |
Sunday Silence |
1st |
1st |
2nd |
|
1988 |
Risen Star |
3rd |
1st |
1st |
|
1987 |
Alysheba |
1st |
1st |
4th |
|
1984 |
Swale |
1st |
7th |
1st |
|
1981 |
Pleasant Colony |
1st |
1st |
3rd |
|
1979 |
Spectacular Bid |
1st |
1st |
3rd |
|
1976 |
Bold Forbes |
1st |
3rd |
1st |
|
1974 |
Little Current |
5th |
1st |
1st |
|
1972 |
Riva Ridge |
1st |
4th |
1st |
|
1971 |
Canonero II |
1st |
1st |
4th |
|
1969 |
Majestic Prince |
1st |
1st |
2nd |
|
1968 |
Forward Pass |
1st* |
1st |
2nd |
|
1967 |
Damascus |
3rd |
1st |
1st |
|
1966 |
Kauai King |
1st |
1st |
4th |
|
1964 |
Northern Dancer |
1st |
1st |
3rd |
|
1963 |
Chateaugay |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
|
1961 |
Carry Back |
1st |
1st |
7th |
|
1958 |
Tim Tam |
1st |
1st |
2nd |
|
1956 |
Needles |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
|
1955 |
Nashua |
2nd |
1st |
1st |
|
1953 |
Native Dancer |
2nd |
1st |
1st |
|
1950 |
Middleground |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
|
1949 |
Capot |
2nd |
1st |
1st |
|
1944 |
Pensive |
1st |
1st |
2nd |
|
1942 |
Shut Out |
1st |
5th |
1st |
|
1940 |
Bimelech |
2nd |
1st |
1st |
|
1939 |
Johnstown |
1st |
5th |
1st |
|
1936 |
Bold Venture |
1st |
1st |
dns |
|
1932 |
Burgoo King |
1st |
1st |
dns |
|
1931 |
Twenty Grand |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
|
1923 |
Zev |
1st |
12th |
1st |
|
1922 |
Pillory |
dns |
1st |
1st |
|
1920 |
Man o' War |
dns |
1st |
1st |
|
1895 |
Belmar |
dns |
1st |
1st |
|
1881 |
Saunterer |
dns |
1st |
1st |
|
1880 |
Grenada |
dns |
1st |
1st |
|
1878 |
Duke of Magenta |
dns |
1st |
1st |
|
1877 |
Cloverbrook |
dns |
1st |
1st |
|
|
*-WON on a
Disqualification dns- Did Not Start
Back when horses were actually winning the
Triple Crown, the sport of
horseracing was completely different than it is today. The sport has grown
exponentially since the last Triple Crown winner – Affirmed in 1978 – walked
away with the sport’s most coveted title. What about today’s competition has
caused the 30-year gap? Horses are bigger, stronger and faster than they were in
yesterday’s sport. Visit any local racetrack in the world and you’ll find that
most horses are dead even. They’re like the reels on a
slot machine – to hit the
proverbial triple-7 is a long-shot, even for studs like Big Brown and War
Emblem.
The hectic schedule of three races in a five-week span takes its toll on every
horse. Pushing for the victory in all three races has caused a plethora of
injuries in racehorses. Most recently, Big Brown suffered injury in the last leg
of the Triple Crown, Belmont Stakes. The pure gamble of the Triple Crown makes
the light shine even brighter on the 11 previous winners.
