Yes, but this is the first time in a few years that there’s even a chance for a triple crown winner, right? Or not? I don’t follow it closely, but I am hoping for a new Winner.
Just last year there was a Derby, Preakness winner in California Chrome. He of course, like many in the situation over the years, lost the Belmont, and thus the Triple Crown.
The following horses won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness but did not win the Belmont:
1932 Burgoo King Did not start (unknown reason)
1936 Bold Venture Did not start (injury)
1944 Pensive 2nd to Bounding Home
1958 Tim Tam 2nd to Cavan
1961 Carry Back 7th to Sherluck
1964 Northern Dancer 3rd to Quadrangle
1966 Kauai King 4th to Amberoid
1968 Forward Pass 2nd to Stage Door Johnny
1969 Majestic Prince 2nd to Arts and Letters
1971 Canonero II 4th to Pass Catcher
1979 Spectacular Bid 3rd to Coastal
1981 Pleasant Colony 3rd to Summing
1987 Alysheba 4th to Bet Twice
1989 Sunday Silence 2nd to Easy Goer
1997 Silver Charm 2nd to Touch Gold
1998 Real Quiet 2nd to Victory Gallop
1999 Charismatic 3rd to Lemon Drop Kid
2002 War Emblem 8th to Sarava
2003 Funny Cide 3rd to Empire Maker
2004 Smarty Jones 2nd to Birdstone
2008 Big Brown DNF to Da’ Tara
2012 I’ll Have Another Did not start (injury)
2014 California Chrome 4th to Tonalist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Thoroughbred_Racing#Near_Misses
They will be fresh and rested.
It's not as if those horses deserved a bye in the first 2 legs of the TC.
The owners simply chose to sit there horses out in an effort to play spoiler in the Belmont.
So here we are again. American Pharoah becomes the 35th horse to win the Derby and the Preakness. Congratulations.
Of the prior 34, only 11 have gone on to win the Belmont Stakes, the mile-and-a-half test of champions, and thus win the Triple Crown. American Pharoah will be the third horse in four years in this position. thirteen before him have tried since Affirmed last won the Triple Crown in 1978.
He ran an impressive race, won by 7 lengths, and has great long strides. But there will be a lot of fresh horses at Belmont Park waiting to take him down. California Chrome couldn’t manage it last year, with the same jockey.
Can Pharoah do it? We’ll see in three weeks.