Greatest Triple Crown Winners of All Time
The Rarest Achievement in Sports
Since 1875, only 13 horses have won the Triple Crown — the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes in a single year. That's a success rate of less than 1% among all thoroughbreds who attempt the series. Here we rank the greatest Triple Crown winners based on margins of victory, track records, and lasting impact on the sport.
All-Time Triple Crown Rankings
| Rank | Horse | Year | Combined Margin | Legacy Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Secretariat | 1973 | 53+ lengths | 10/10 |
| 2 | Seattle Slew | 1977 | 12 lengths | 9.5/10 |
| 3 | Citation | 1948 | 16 lengths | 9.2/10 |
| 4 | American Pharoah | 2015 | 13 lengths | 9.0/10 |
| 5 | Justify | 2018 | 5 lengths | 8.7/10 |
| 6 | Count Fleet | 1943 | 33 lengths | 8.5/10 |
Secretariat (1973) — The Greatest Racehorse Ever
Secretariat's 1973 Triple Crown remains the most dominant performance in horse racing history. His 31-length victory at the Belmont Stakes — completed in a world-record 2:24.00 for 1.5 miles — is the single greatest individual performance in any sport. That record still stands over 50 years later.
Kentucky Derby: Won by 2.5 lengths in 1:59.40 — a record that stood for 49 years. He ran each quarter-mile faster than the one before, an unprecedented feat known as "running negative splits."
Preakness: Won by 2.5 lengths. Official time was 1:55.00, though many clockers recorded 1:53.40 — which would also be a track record. The timer controversy persists to this day.
Belmont: The famous 31-length demolition. Announcer Chic Anderson's call — "Secretariat is widening now! He is moving like a tremendous machine!" — remains the most iconic moment in racing history. His heart was found to be 2.5 times the size of a normal horse's heart at autopsy.
Seattle Slew (1977) — The Undefeated Champion
Seattle Slew is the only Triple Crown winner to retire undefeated at the time of his Triple Crown. Purchased for just $17,500 as a yearling — the cheapest Triple Crown winner ever — Slew proved that greatness cannot be predicted by pedigree alone.
Career record: 14-9-2-1 overall. Won his first 12 starts before his first loss. His combination of early speed and late stamina made him nearly impossible to beat when healthy.
American Pharoah (2015) — Breaking the 37-Year Drought
After 37 years and 13 near-misses, American Pharoah finally ended the longest Triple Crown drought in history. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Victor Espinoza, Pharoah won the Belmont by 5.5 lengths to become the 12th Triple Crown winner.
He went on to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, becoming the first horse to complete the "Grand Slam" of American racing — all three Triple Crown races plus the Breeders' Cup Classic in the same year.
Justify (2018) — The Apollo Curse Breaker
Justify accomplished something no horse had done since Apollo in 1882 — winning the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old. He broke the "Apollo Curse" and went on to complete the Triple Crown in just his sixth career start, the fewest of any Triple Crown winner.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | Secretariat | Seattle Slew | American Pharoah | Justify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derby Margin | 2.5 lengths | 1.75 lengths | 1 length | 2.5 lengths |
| Preakness Margin | 2.5 lengths | 1.5 lengths | 7 lengths | 0.5 lengths |
| Belmont Margin | 31 lengths | 4 lengths | 5.5 lengths | 1.75 lengths |
| Career Starts | 21 | 17 | 11 | 6 |
| Purchase Price | $190,000 | $17,500 | $300,000 | $500,000 |
The Legacy of Triple Crown Racing
The Triple Crown remains horse racing's ultimate test — three races over five weeks, at three different distances, against the best three-year-old thoroughbreds in the world. Each winner joins an exclusive club that includes some of the most extraordinary athletes — human or equine — in sports history.
With the rise of prediction markets, fans can now bet on potential Triple Crown contenders months in advance. Visit predict.horse to explore current markets on the 2026 Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.
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Horse Racing Books Racing Biographies Horse Racing DVDsFrequently Asked Questions
How many Triple Crown winners are there?
There have been 13 Triple Crown winners in history, from Sir Barton (1919) to Justify (2018). The most recent winner is Justify, trained by Bob Baffert.
What is the Triple Crown in horse racing?
The Triple Crown consists of three races for three-year-old thoroughbreds: the Kentucky Derby (1.25 miles), the Preakness Stakes (1.1875 miles), and the Belmont Stakes (1.5 miles), all run within a five-week span.
Who was the fastest Triple Crown winner?
Secretariat holds the fastest times in both the Kentucky Derby (1:59.40) and the Belmont Stakes (2:24.00). Both records still stand as of 2026.
Can you bet on the Triple Crown?
Yes, you can bet on individual Triple Crown races through licensed sportsbooks and parimutuel wagering at racetracks. Prediction markets like predict.horse also offer futures on potential Triple Crown winners.
Why is the Triple Crown so hard to win?
The three races span five weeks at increasing distances, requiring speed, stamina, and durability. Horses peak at different distances, and the grueling schedule means fatigue compounds with each race.
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