Triple Crown by the Numbers

The Belmont Stakes was first run in 1867, the Preakness Stakes in 1873, and the Kentucky Derby in 1875, but it would be decades before the Triple Crown would become the Holy Grail of American thoroughbred racing. Here's a look at some of the numbers that have been recorded in the 99 years since Sir Barton won the first Triple Crown. 

Money

$2 million: Kentucky Derby total purse in 2018

$1.5 million: Preakness Stakes total purse in 2018

$1.5 million: Belmont Stakes purse in 2018

Triple Crown History

2015: The year of the most recent Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah

1919: The year of the first Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton

12: Horses who have won the Triple Crown

23: Horses who've missed out on the Triple Crown after winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes

Records

1:59: Secretariat's record-setting time at the 1973 Kentucky Derby
 
2:15.2: Slowest winning time in Derby history, run by Stone Street in 1908

1:53: Secretariat's record-setting time at the 1973 Preakness

2:17.5: Slowest winning time in Preakness history, run by Buddhist in 1889

2:24: Secretariat's record-setting time at the 1973 Belmont

2:34: Slowest winning time in Belmont history, run by High Echelon in 1970

6:16: Total time it took Secretariat to win the 1973 Triple Crown

18: Age in years of Steve Cauthen when he became the youngest jockey ever to win the Triple Crown, riding Affirmed in 1978

43: Age in years of Victor Espinoza when he became the oldest jockey ever to win the Triple Crown, riding American Pharoah in 2015

37: Length in years of the longest Triple Crown drought, from Affirmed's win in 1978 to American Pharoah's win in 2015

2: The most Triple Crown wins by a single jockey, a record held by Eddie Arcaro for his 1941 and 1948 wins with Whirlaway and Citation 

The Basics

3: Age of horses in Triple Crown races

10: Length of the Derby, in furlongs

9.5: Length of the Preakness, in furlongs

12: Length of the Belmont, in furlongs

1/8: Length of a furlong, in miles

660: Length of a furlong, in feet

121: Weight carried by fillies in Triple Crown races, in pounds

126: Weight carried by Geldings and Colts in Triple Crown races, in pounds

Odds

91.45-1: Longest odds ever to win the Derby, by Donerail in 1913

23-1: Longest odds ever to win the Preakness, by Master Derby in 1975

70-1: Longest odds ever to win the Belmont, by Sarava in 2002