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[Triple Crown Is Turfs Precious Gem: otation Was Last Of Six Winners Calumet and Belair Each Captured Two; Few Horses Even Make All Three Races The most precious gems are usually those which are hardest to come by. -Racings most elusive gems are the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, comprising the most prized jewel of all, the Triple Crown. To illustrate just how rare is the feat of one horse capturing all three components of the Triple Crown, let it be noted that in the 80 years of its existence, only eight three-year-olds have turned the trick. In England, too, the Triple Crown is*he peak of success for a three-year-old thoroughbred. Since this series of races was inaugurated with the introduction of the Two Thousand Guineas in 1809, only 14 horses have accounted for all three of Britains sophomore classics. The other two races in English Triple Crown are the Epsom Derby and the St. Leger Stakes. Eleven Years Before Second Feat Citation, Calumet Farms great champion, was the last horse to achieve the great honor in the United States, winning the Derby, Preakness and Belmont of 1948. The American Triple Crown was established in 1875, when the Kentucky Derby was. inaugurated to go with two other races at that time already esconced as turf classics, the Belmont, and Preakness. Not until 1919, however, a span of 44 years— ► did a horse capture all three races. That was Commander JrK. L. Ross Sir Barton. There was a lapse of another 11 years before the trick was turned again. The . late William Woodward, Sr., sent his great . Gallant Fox to the races in 1930 and the • "Fox of Belair" came back with the Triple J Crown and a host of other stakes triumphs. ; Woodward also was the owner of the third Triple Crown victor, Omaha, a son of Gal- ■ lant Fox, in 1935. • J Then followed Samuel D. Riddles War • Admiral in 1937; Calumet Farms Whirl- away in 1941, Mrs. John D. Hertz Count J Fleet in 1943, King Ranchs Assault in 1946 j and Calumets Citation in 1948. Every year the owners of dozens of prom- j ising three-year-olds nominate their horses for all three Triple Crown events, but the : odds against any one of them accomplish- "] ing the feat are prohibitive. : For the 1955 runnings of these classics, ■ there were 78 sophomores nominated. Of these, only a fraction will get the post .1 Saturday for the first leg of the Triple . Crown, and the ranks of these eligibles will J diminish more with the coming of the 1 Preakness and the Belmont. Capturing even two of these .three American classics is a feat of great note. Since 1875, only 18 three-year-olds have won two of the Triple Crown races, although it should be noted that in some instances, notably in the case of Man o War, they were not nominated for all three events. The Thoroughbred Racing Associations, Inc., now presents a triangular shaped trophy to owners of Triple Crown winners. In 1954, the trophy rwas awarded to Mrs. Gene Markey, owner of Calumet Farm, in recognition of Whirlaways triumphs in 1941. In recent years, the closest a horse has Continued on Page Twenty~Eight Triple Crown Is Considered Racings Most Precious Gem Continued from Page Thirteen come to winning the diadem was the diminishing head that separated Dark Star from Native Dancer in the 1953 Derby. The Dancer, of course, went on to triumph in the Preakness and Belmont. Since Gallant Fox won the crown in 1930, there has never been a lapse of more than five years between Triple Crown winners, with one exception. Seven years have now passed since Citation accomplished the feat. Maybe the law of averages will catch up this, season.
