American Pharoah Wins Horse Racing’s Triple Crown

The three year old horse, American Pharoah, led from start to finish to not only capture yesterday’s Belmont Stakes, but also became the first horse since Affirmed in 1978, to capture horse racing’s “Triple Crown.”

The “Triple Crown” consists of three races all within 5 weeks, first the Kentucky Derby then the Preakness Stakes two weeks later and then the Belmont Stakes three weeks hence.

“Pharoah’s,” victory ended a streak of 13 times that a horse had won the first two Triple Crown races only to fail in the Belmont Stakes since Affirmed won all three races in 1978.

The victory by American Pharoah also ended some frustrating streaks by two outstanding figures in the “Sport of Kings” (of course never forget the people with holes in their shoes, from betting on the “Sport of Kings”).

“Pharoah”‘s trainer Bob Baffert had failed three previous times after one of his horses had won the first two races of the Triple Crown.

Meanwhile its jockey Victor Espinoza had twice ridden horses that won the first two Triple Crown races that failed in the Belmont Stakes.