Triple Crown Contenders 2015

Whether you are a horse racing enthusiast or not, most are aware of what is known as the Triple Crown. For those of you who don’t, it’s a 3-race event for three-year-old thoroughbreds. It consists of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. It all starts with the Derby, which is run on the first Saturday in May. Then comes the Preakness on the third Saturday in May and the Belmont three weeks later (ends up being first or second Saturday in June).

• Triple Crown 2015 Winner
• Triple Crown Contenders 2015 Results
• Triple Crown Contenders 2020
• Triple Crown Contenders
• Triple Crown Contenders 2015 Breeders Cup
• Triple Crown Contenders 2015 Stanley Cup

Wales clinch Triple Crown with victory over ill-disciplined England. Six Nations 2021. Scotland bring invention and maturity to emerge as genuine contenders. Stories, videos, results, entries, points, and earnings for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.

Triple Crown 2015 Winner

Winning one of the three legs is considered quite an accomplishment. However, the goal is of course to win all three events. A horse that is able to do so, is said to have won the Triple Crown.

The Kentucky Derby was the last to be inaugurated way back in 1875. It wasn’t until 1919 that a horse (Sir Barton) was able to win all three races. It wasn’t until 11 years later (1930) that another 3-year-old thoroughbred (Gallant Fox) was able to do it again. Six more horses would conquer the feat by 1948.

There was then a 25-year gap until the great Secretariat etched his name into the history books. Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978) shortly followed and remains the only time that it’s been done in consecutive years.

Affirmed became quite a popular horse in the leading decades, as the search for the next winner continued on for quite some time. Some even wondered if there would ever be another horse that won all three legs. That was put to rest in 2015 when American Pharoah snapped the 37-year drought.

During the long break between Affirmed and American Pharoah, there were quite a few heartbreaking moments when horses that had won the first two legs, failed to deliver at the Belmont. I’ve recapped a number of those below. In total there have been 35 horses who went into the final leg with a chance to make history. Of those contenders, 23 of them for one reason or another came up short.

Recent Contenders That Failed to Win Horse Racing’s Triple Crown

California Chrome (2014)

Many believed that this was going to be the horse that snapped the drought. California Chrome put on a dominating performance at the Kentucky Derby and backed it up with another great showing at the Preakness. Unfortunately, California Chrome was stepped on by another horse out of the gate. Despite the setback, he still managed to finish 4th. After the race, it was later found out that he actually tore some tissue in his right front heel. California Chrome has since gone on to become the all-time leader in earnings won for North American horse racing.

I’ll Have Another (2012)

I’ll Have Another became the third to be scratched prior to the race. Sighting a slow-healing tendon injury, trainer Doug O’Neill and owner J. Paul Reddam announced I’ll Have Another’s retirement from racing the Friday before the 2012 Belmont.

Big Brown (2008)

Big Brown was a monster 3-10 favorite heading into the 2008 Belmont. He started the race well, running in third place just behind eventual winner Da’Tara, but was pushed outside and fell back awkwardly before jockey Kent Desormeaux pulled the horse up in the homestretch, later saying that something was wrong. Big Brown is the only Triple Crown hopeful to date that did not finish the leg and, while no physical ailment was ever found to explain the poor performance, there is evidence to suggest that his right hind shoe was dislodged and may have caused the incident.

Smarty Jones (2004)

In 2004, we all thought Smarty Jones was going to get it done. 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.

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 bid.

War Emblem (2002)

War Emblem was our first real challenger of the new millennium. This horse was giving Bob Baffert yet another shot at the title. 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 the ultimate price for 3-year-olds.

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.

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.

Silver Charm (1997)

Silver Charm looked the part of a champion. 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 overtook him to win by less than a length.

Triple Crown Contenders 2015 Results

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 winning by eight lengths.

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. The race was won by 14 lengths by Bet Twice.

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.

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.

Triple Crown History: Results of Horses Who Had a Chance to Win

Triple Crown Contenders 2020

The 2015 Preakness Stakes, (run as the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes due to sponsorship^[1]), was the 140th running of the Preakness Stakes, promoted as the 'middle jewel'^[2] of thoroughbred horse racing's traditional Triple Crown, held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes. The race was held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 16, 2015, and was televised on NBC.

The event carried a $1,500,000 purse.^[2] The winner was American Pharoah, who won by seven lengths with jockey Victor Espinoza aboard.^[3] The win by American Pharoah set up an attempt for the Triple Crown for the second time in two years. The Maryland Jockey Club reported a track record total attendance of 131,680, the second highest attendance for American thoroughbred racing events in North America during 2015.^[4]

Pre-race[edit]

TrainerBob Baffert confirmed on May 3 that the 2015 Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah came out of the Derby in good health and would be running the Preakness Stakes.^[5] The connections of the other top three finishers, Firing Line and Dortmund, announced they would challenge in the event.^[6]

Two contenders that did not appear in the Kentucky Derby were announced as probable entrants in late April: Grade IIILexington Stakes winner Divining Rod (owned by Lael Stable, trained by Arnaud Delacour, bred by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jackson, ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux) and Listed Stakes Federico Tesio Stakes winner at Pimlico Bodhisattva (owned and trained by Jose Corrales, ridden by jockey Trevor McCarthy).^[6]

A week prior to the Preakness, other contenders were announced. These included fifth-placed Kentucky Derby competitor Danzig Moon and the also-eligible Tale of Verve who did not start in the Derby.^[7]

The draw for the race was held on May 13 and eight horses were entered.^[8] This was the smallest field in 15 years.^[9]American Pharoah drew the pole position and was installed as the morning line favorite.^[10] All entries carried 126 pounds.^[1][11]

Race description[edit]

Immediately prior to post time, the skies opened up with a heavy downpour and thunder, changing the track conditions.^[12] The infield and grandstands were evacuated shortly before post time due to concerns about spectators being struck by lightning.^[13] The last time the Preakness had been run on a sloppy track was in 1983.^[14] American Pharoah was the only horse in the field to have previously won under such conditions, having won the Rebel Stakes on a sloppy track.^[15] He had the lead within the first quarter-mile and was challenged by Mr. Z early on, but held the lead on the inside throughout the race. He was challenged by Dortmund and then Divining Rod, but American Pharoah broke from the pack in the homestretch and won by seven lengths, as Tale of Verve made a strong rally to overtake Divining Rod to place. Firing Line slipped badly at the start and was eased in the stretch.^[1] Baffert commented on American Pharoah's race, 'when I saw those ears go up [on the backside of the track], I thought, ‘Oh, yeah. Oh yeah.’” The win by American Pharoah set up an attempt for the Triple Crown for the second time in two years.^[12]

Due to weather conditions, the winning time of 1:58.46 was the slowest time since Hill Prince won in 1950 with a time of 1:59.20, and well off the record, set by Secretariat in 1973, of 1:53.00.^[16] The intensity of the rain was described in a post-race interview by Firing Line's rider, Gary Stevens, who explained that he weighed in at 120 pounds with equipment prior to the race, but was 135 pounds afterwards—without his helmet—and needed to empty water out of his riding boots following his weigh-out. Stevens added that the conditions made little difference to the outcome, however, saying 'it would take a super horse to beat what might be a super horse in American Pharoah.'^[17]

The city of Baltimore had been in a state of tension due to the death of Freddie Gray and surrounding civil disorder, and the Preakness was the state's major one-day sporting event, viewed as critical in the healing process for the city. Concerns existed because the track was only three miles from the Mondawmin Mall, where there had been riots. Pimlico's former vice-president for communications, Mike Gathagan, stated to ESPN, 'I think sports, like ... the Preakness can help bring back normalcy...It could help start the healing process...'^[18] Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, in awarding the traditional Woodlawn Vase replica to American Pharoah's owner, Ahmed Zayat, stated, 'It's a great day for Baltimore, a great day for Maryland.'^[19] Comparing the 2015 Preakness to the post-9/11 home run of Mike Piazza, ESPN's Bob Ehalt wrote, 'for that reason alone, this could be the biggest and most important Preakness ever.'^[18]

The full chart[edit]

Triple Crown Contenders

• Winning owner and breeder: Zayat Stables, LLC
• Final time: 1:58.46^[1]
• Margins: 7 lengths, 1 length^[1]
• Track: Sloppy
• Attendance: 131,680

Payout[edit]

The 140th Preakness payout schedule^[1]

• $2 Exacta (1-5) $124.40
• $2 Trifecta (1-5-7) $985.00
• $1 Superfecta (1-5-7-2) $1,906.90

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Triple Crown Contenders 2015 Breeders Cup

1. ^ ^abcdefg'Pimlico Race 13 May 16, 2015'. Equibase. May 16, 2015. Archived from the original(PDF) on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
2. ^ ^ab'Press release', Pimlico Race Course Preakness web site, February 18, 2015.
3. ^Hoppert, Melissa (May 16, 2015). 'Preakness 2015: American Pharoah Wins Second Leg of Triple Crown'. The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
4. ^2015 Preakness Stakes Media Guide; page 97.
5. ^Fine, Larry (May 3, 2015). 'American Pharoah rules Derby, next stop Preakness'. Reuters. Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
6. ^ ^abMitchell, Ron (April 29, 2015). 'Tale of Verve Among 22 Entered for KY Derby'. Blood-Horse.com. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
7. ^Blood-Horse Staff (May 11, 2015). 'Preakness Stakes Hopefuls Remain On Target'. Blood-Horse.com. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
8. ^Mitchell, Ron (May 13, 2015). 'Mr. Z Bought by Calumet, Entered in Preakness'. Blood-Horse.com. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
9. ^Associated Press. 'American Pharoah Heads Small Field of 8 Horses in Preakness'. ABC News. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
10. ^LaMarra, Tom (May 13, 2015). 'American Pharoah Draws Post 1 for Preakness'. Blood-Horse. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
11. ^'Results - Horse Racing - Daily Racing Form'. Daily Racing Form. May 16, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
12. ^ ^abBossert, Jerry (May 16, 2015). 'Preakness Stakes: American Pharoah races to victory in driving rain to set up Triple Crown shot at Belmont'. The Daily News (New York). Retrieved May 16, 2015.
13. ^Payne, Marissa (May 16, 2015). 'Preakness infield evacuated due to lightning, but the race went on'. The Washington Post. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
14. ^'Live updates: Preakness Stakes 2015 – American Pharoah breezes to win, Triple Crown hopes alive'. AL.com. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
15. ^'2015 Preakness Stakes forecast: How does American Pharoah run on sloppy track? (VIDEO)'. NJ.com. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
16. ^Hegarty, Matt (June 19, 2012). 'Secretariat awarded Preakness record at 1:53 after review'. Daily Racing Form. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
17. ^'Stevens: It would take a super horse to beat a super horse'. NBC Sports. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
18. ^ ^abEhalt, Bob (May 16, 2015). 'Preakness has added importance for Baltimore'. ESPN. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
19. ^'American Pharoah team accepts Preakness trophy'. NBC Sports. Retrieved May 17, 2015.

Triple Crown Contenders 2015 Stanley Cup