Past Contenders for Horse Racing's Triple Crown

Since Affirmed last won horse racing's Triple Crown in 1978, we have seen 10 more horses come within one race of pulling it off. While Big Brown was dominant at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, I know all to well that the Belmont has broke the backs of plenty of Triple Crown hopefuls. Jimmy Boyd takes you on a stroll down memory lane as he looks at past Triple Crown contenders who came up short at the Belmont Stakes to give you more info for betting the odds on Big Brown winning.

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Spectacular Bid (1979) – Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown in 1977 and Affirmed won in the next year. After Spectacular Bid took care of business in the Derby and the Preakness, it looked like the Triple Crown was getting to be too easy. Spectacular Bid didn't have the same powerful kick that he had in the first two legs and wound up third. Rumor has it that he stepped on a safety pin the day before the big race, which caused him a lot of discomfort.

Pleasant Colony (1981) – Two years later Pleasant Colony had us hoping again. This horse was very tall, so much so that it looked uncoordinated. After a fifth place finish in the Florida Derby his trainer was fired and the rest was history – well, almost. He took the Derby and the Preakness and also finished third at the Belmont.

Alysheba (1987) – Alysheba won the Derby despite stumbling down the stretch. Many were skeptical before the Triple Crown got underway as he'd had surgery just a couple months prior to fix a breathing problem. After he overcame all that, he seemed unstoppable until he ran fourth at the Belmont which was won by 14 lengths by Bet Twice.

Sunday Silence (1989) – Affirmed and Alydar were the story in 1978 and Sunday Silence and Easy Goer were the talk of thoroughbread racing in 1989. Sunday Silence won the Derby over the favored Easy Goer and then edged him out again at the Preakness by a nostril. Easy Goer would have his revenge at the Belmont winning by eight lengths.

Silver Charm (1997) – Silver Charm looked to be the horse that would most certainly end the Triple Crown drought. This super horse was one of Bob Baffert's best, but he just wasn't quite good enough. He was in the lead down the home stretch of the Belmont, but Touch Gold over took him to win by less than a length.

Real Quiet (1998) – A year later, Real Quiet was making plenty of noise as Baffert had himself another quality horse. If Baffert couldn't stomach Silver Charm's heartbreaking loss in the Belmont, this one surely stopped him heart. Real Quiet led by four lengths with less than a quarter mile left in the Belmont, but out of nowhere came Victory Gallop to win by a nose.

Charismatic (1999) – Charismatic was a 31-1 longshot in the Kentucky Derby but when on to win that race by a neck and took the Preakness Stakes by a couple lengths. He, like the two horses before him, looked good in the home stretch of the Belmont, but he ended up third. He also tragically broke two bones in his leg in that stretch run.

War Emblem (2002) – War Emblem was our first challenger of the new millennium. This horse was giving Bob Baffert yet another shot at the Triple Crown. It wasn't even close in the Belmont however as he stumbled right out of the gate. His eighth place finish is the worst ever by a horse vying for the Triple Crown.

Funny Cide (2003) – The next year Funny Cide raced his way to stardom by upsetting the favored Empire Maker in the Derby. He then dominated the Preakness by nine lengths. But Empire Maker had sat out the Preakness to rest and came back at the Belmont to end Funny Cide's Triple Crown bid.

Smarty Jones (2004) – Four years ago, we just knew we had another Triple Crown winner with Smarty Jones. The funny thing is that his run is strikingly similar to that of Big Brown. Like Big Brown, he was the undefeated Derby favorite. He then, like Big Brown, went on to dominate the first two legs. At the Belmont, Smarty Jones had the lead in the stretch but could not hold off a late charge from 36-1 longshot Birdstone and had to settle for second. Hopefully, Big Brown won't share the same fate.

May 22nd, 2008