Triple Crown: American Pharoah wins Belmont Stakes

In a break from NFL coverage, we bring you the history that was set today. For the first time since Affirmed completed the Triple Crown in 1978, we have a horse who has won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes in the same year. Congratulations to American Pharoah, a three-year-old colt who accomplished the amazing feat.

American Pharoah is the third horse in four years, and 13th since 1978, to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown, with none before him able to claim the spot in history. American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby by a length, pulling away right at the end of the race. He then dominated the Preakness, winning by seven lengths in a wire-to-wire win. Now, he has his place as the horse to finally break the streak.

American Pharoah, the race's favorite at 3/5, faced seven other horses in the Belmont, all seven of whom did not compete in both of the previous two events. Madefromlucky (12/1) enetered the Belmont having raced neither the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness; Tale of Verve (15/1) raced in the Preakness, but not the Derby; the other five horses (Mubtaahji (10/1), Frammento (30/1), Frosted (5/1), Keen Ice (20/1), and Materiality(6/1)) raced the Derby then skipped the Preakness.

American Pharoah becomes the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown, ending the 37 year drought. He again won wire-to-wire, pulling away for a 5-1/2 length win. The Belmont win was the first for jockey Victor Espinoza and the second for trainer Bob Baffert. This was Baffert's fourth time coming into the Belmont with a horse poised for the Triple Crown, having done it in 2002, 1998, and 1997, only to see his horse fall short. This time, things are different however as American Pharoah joins the Triple Crown club.

Frosted finished second, followed by Keen Ice and Mubtaahji.

The full list of Triple Crown winners is:

Sir Barton - 1919
Gallant Fox - 1930
Omaha - 1935
War Admiral - 1937
Wirlaway - 1941
Count Fleet - 1943
Assault - 1946
Citation - 1948
Secretariat - 1973
Seattle Slew - 1977
Affirmed - 1978
American Pharoah - 2015