Almost Triple Crown Winners

The saga continues of the almost Triple Crown winning horses. Forty-six horses have won two legs of the Triple Crown. Of those, sixteen won the Kentucky Derby (KD) at Churchill Downs and Preakness Stakes (PS) at Pimlico only to be beaten in the Belmont Stakes (BS) at Belmont Park.

Two others, Burgoo King (1932) and Bold Venture (1936), won the Derby and Preakness, but were forced out of the Belmont with the same injury–a bowed tendon–that effectively ended their racing careers. As a side note – Bold Ventures jockey Ira Hanford attended the Kentucky Derby in 2006 with Kentucky Derby Tours where he was honored in the Gallop to Glory exhibit in Lousiville.

In 1978, Alydar finished second to Affirmed in all three races, which is the only time that has happened. Another side note – the Preakness preceded the Kentucky Derby in 1922, ’23 and ’31; (*) indicates won on a disqualification.

Year (decades divided) KD PS BS

1877 Cloverbrook DNS won won
1878 Duke of Magenta DNS won won

1880 Grenada DNS won won
1881 Saunterer DNS won won

1895 Belmar DNS won won

1920 Man o’ War DNS won won
1922 Pillory DNS won won
1923 Zev won 12th won

1931 Twenty Grand won 2nd won
1932 Burgoo King won won DNS
1936 Bold Venture won won DNS
1939 Johnstown won 5th won

1940 Bimelech 2nd won won
1942 Shut Out won 5th won
1944 Pensive won won 2nd
1949 Capot 2nd won won

1950 Middleground won 2nd won
1953 Native Dancer 2nd won won
1955 Nashua 2nd won won
1956 Needles won 2nd won
1958 Tim Tam won won 2nd

1961 Carry Back won won 7th
1963 Chateaugay won 2nd won
1964 Northern Dancer won won 3rd
1966 Kauai King won won 4th
1967 Damascus 3rd won won
1968 Forward Pass won* won 2nd
1969 Majestic Prince won won 2nd

1971 Canonero II won won 4th
1972 Riva Ridge won 4th won
1974 Little Current 5th won won
1976 Bold Forbes won 3rd won
1979 Spectacular Bid won won 3rd

1981 Pleasant Colony won won 3rd
1984 Swale won 7th won
1987 Alysheba won won 4th
1988 Risen Star 3rd won won
1989 Sunday Silence won won 2nd

1991 Hansel 10th won won
1994 Tabasco Cat 6th won won
1995 Thunder Gulch won 3rd won
1997 Silver Charm won won 2nd
1998 Real Quiet won won 2nd
1999 Charismatic won won 3rd

2001 Point Given 5th won won
2002 War Emblem won won 8th
2003 Funny Cide won won 3rd
2004 Smarty Jones won won 2nd
2005 Afleet Alex 3rd won won
2008 Big Brown won won 9th

Clairenmike

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