In this article, Centreforum.org talk about the three classical equestrian competitions of the USA, the victory that brings the famous horse Triple Crown Trophy. It was awarded 11 times in history. This happened for the first time in 1919, and the last time in 2018. So where does a horse need to win to earn the Triple Crown title?
The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the largest horse race in the United States. Today it is no longer just a horse competition, but a real holiday for America.
Horse races are held at the Churchill Downs Racetrack, which is located in Louisville, Kentucky. The official opening of the hippodrome took place in 1875. At the same time, the first Kentucky Derby took place, and 10,000 people came to see it. At that time, people arrived at the races by train or horse and buggy, with many probably using equipment similar to what’s available at The Saddle Hub online, so you can bet the parking lot looked a lot different then compared to now.
The Kentucky Derby traditionally takes place on the first Saturday in May. The prize fund of the competition totals $2,000,000. This is not the largest amount of prize money, but winning the races is extremely prestigious.
In the derby, purebred three-year-old stallions compete, covering a distance of 1.25 miles. In this case, the winner instantly becomes a real star.
On June 5, 1907, jockey James Lee won all six races, setting a record that has not yet been broken.
The Kentucky Derby has accumulated many traditions over its rich history. These include the University Band’s rendition of My Old Kentucky Home, the baking of a special pie recipe, and the ceremony honoring the winning horse with a blanket of 554 scarlet roses. These flowers are a symbol of the competition.
These races are incredibly popular all over the world. 150,000 viewers watch them every year at the racetrack, and millions of equestrian sports fans watch what is happening on TV (you can find more on TV broadcasting on Telecomasia.net). Many celebrities can be found at the Churchill Downs racetrack. Even Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, who is a longtime horse racing fan, attended the Kentucky Derby.
Preakness Stakes
This race takes place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, on the third Saturday in May. The venue is the Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland. The horses cover 1.1875 miles. The prize fund is $1,500,000. The Preakness Stakes was first held in 1873.
The race was named after the name of the Preakness stallion, who won the Diners’ Club Stakes prize (at that time it was the main trophy of the racetrack).
Preakness Stakes is also known as Black-Eyed Susan. The competition owes such an unusual name to the award that goes to the winner. A wreath made of flowers called Black-Eyed Susans is worn around the neck of the winning horse. They grow up in Maryland.
One of the most interesting horse racing traditions is the painting of the weather vane, installed on the club building, in the colors of the jockey jacket of the winning horse and its suit.
If the stallion succeeds in winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, the eyes of horse racing fans and journalists are immediately focused on it. Everyone is wondering if the animal will succeed in winning the race, which is the last frontier on the way to the Triple Crown Trophy.
Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes is the latest jewel in the Triple Crown. This is a 1.5-mile race that takes place on the first Saturday in June, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes. The venue is the Belmont Park Racetrack in Elmont, New York. Competitions have been held since 1867.
These races are extremely popular with the audience. So, in 2004, 21.9 million people watched the Belmont Stakes on TV. In the same year, a record for the attendance of the hippodrome was set with 120,139 people coming. Bettors also love these races and are actively betting on the winner. You can find the rating of the best bookmakers for betting on Belmont Stakes and other competitions on Meta.reviews.
This race is called the Test of Champions due to its length. The fact is that most three-year-old horses are not used to such distances, and therefore they need endurance and a desire to win to succeed. At the same time, the jockey must correctly calculate the speed, otherwise, there is a great risk of overworking the animal and simply not getting to the finish line.
Another name for these races is the Run for Carnations. The thing is that the victorious horse receives a blanket of white carnations. Well, the owner of the horse is awarded a silver cup.