Triple Crown Winners In Order By Year

August 2024 · 7 minute read

Triple Crown winners in order by year include Justify, American Pharoah, Affirmed, and others. Sir Barton was the first horse to achieve it in 1919.

To emphasize, Triple Crown can be won by winning three races that begin in Kentucky Derby followed by Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. 

There are quite a few horses who have successfully won all three races. In 2023, there were no horses that were eligible to win the Triple Crown. 

Looking back, there are only 13 horses who have successfully achieved this incredible feat. This year, three different horses won the treble races. 

To illustrate further, Mage won Kentucky Derby, National Treasure won the Preakness Stakes and Archangelo won the Belmont Stakes in 2023.

List of Triple Crown Winners

Triple Crown Winners by year are listed below:

Justify2018
American Pharoah2015
Affirmed1978
Seattle Slew1977
Secretariat1973
Citation1948
Assault1946
Count Fleet1943
Whirlaway1941
War Admiral1937
Omaha1935
Gallant Fox1930
Sir Barton1919

Justify - 2018

Justify is the triple crown winner of 2018. Justify was ridden by jockey Mike Smith and trained by Bob Baffert. Its breeder is John D. Gunther. 

It is the second horse of the 2000s era to win the accolade. It is also the only horse to win the treble race with an undefeated record besides Seattle Slew. 

American Pharoah - 2015

American Pharoah is the first horse to win the triple crown after the 1900s. It was ridden by jockey Victor Espinoza, trained by Bob Baffert, and preceded by Ahmed Zayat. 

Pharoah was inducted into the American Racing Hall of Fame in 2021. He was also awarded Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 2015. As per the triple winner history, Pharoah has the second fastest record of finishing the race. 

Affirmed - 1978

Ridden by Steve Cauthen and trained by Laz Barrera, Affirmed won the triple crown in 1978. Harbor View Farm owned the thoroughbred.

In the course of his career, he won 14 Grade One Stakes races. At the age of three, Affirmed was named "Horse of the Year" after winning the crown. 

Seattle Slew - 1977

Seattle Slew is the triple crown winner from 1977, his jockey was Ron Trucottle, trained by Lucien Laurin, and grew up in Mickey and Karen L. Taylor Tayhill's stable. 

Slew is the tenth triple crown-winning horse who has an undefeated record alongside Justify before his crown win. 

Secretariat - 1973

Secretariat joined the 3-peat list in 1973. His rider was Ron Turcotte, trainer Lucien Maurin and was bred and raised in the Meadow Stable. 

Secretariat is the 9th winner and the first triple crown winner after 25 years. His race at Belmont Stakes was won by 74.4 meters or 31 lengths. 

Citation - 1948

At only two years of age, Citation won the triple crown championship. His rider was Eddie Arcaro, trained by Horace A "Jimmy" Jones, and raised at the Calumet Farm. 

Citation has a record of winning 16 consecutive races and in history, he has won the US $1 million. The champion horse retired after Hollywood Gold Cup and his offspring is Hall of Famer Silver Spoon. 

Assault - 1946

Assault is the seventh winner of the coveted triple crown. This Texas-bred horse's rider was Warren Mehrtens and trained by Max Hirsch. 

In the course of his career, he overcame multiple physical trouble, he was also raised in a cattle farm called King's Ranch. Thus, Assault is the only horse to ever win Triple Crown for Texas. 

Count Fleet - 1943

Count Fleet won the treble race in 1943. He was ridden by Johnny Longden, trained by Don Cameron, and bred on the farm of Fannie Hertz. 

Fleet became the triple champion at the age of two. The thoroughbred was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1961. 

Whirlaway - 1941

Whirlaway is the first 40s horse to win the triple crown. He was ridden by Eddie Arcaro, and trained by the hall of fame trainer Ben A. Jones in Calumet Farm. 

This thoroughbred racehorse won Travers Stakes and triple crown in the same year. Whirlaway is the only horse to win all four races till now. 

War Admiral - 1937

War Admiral is one of the most powerful horses and rivals of Seabiscuit that won the 1937 Treble championship. This match with Seabiscuit in 37' was named "Match Race of the Century."

Admiral's descendant is American Pharoah and Justify. In the course of his career, he has lost 5 races and won over 20 races. He is also inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside his rival Seabiscuit. 

Omaha - 1935

Omaha is the third winner of the three-race series. The iconic racing horse was ridden and trained by Willie Smokey Saunders.

This stud's other classic wins include the Arlington race and Dwyer Stakes in 1935. After 35',  Omaha was shifted to Aqueduct racecourse where he was not able to perform according to his past accomplishments. 

Gallant Fox - 1930

Gallant Fox is the second treble winner in racing history. His rider was Earl Sande, trained by Jim Fitzsimmons and then owned by Belair Stud. 

Fox was a white blaze horse, the triple crown was coined after Gallant won the treble and New York Times published the news stating his glory. 

Sir Barton - 1919

Sir Barton is the first horse to win all three races, he won with his Jockey Johnny Loftus, his trainer H. Guy Bedwell, and Owkner J. K. L Ross. 

Barton grew up on the farm of John E. Madden he was one of the most grouchy horses who often hated his rider. Barton has a street named after him in Lexington Kentucky. 

Last Horse To Win The Triple Crown

Justify ridden by jockey Mike Smith is the last Triple Crown winner horse, with the triumph in 2018. Bob Baffert trained the thoroughbred.

Bred and raised by John D. Gunther, Justify is the first horse since Appollo to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old. 

Justify retired after winning the triple crown and he became the only horse to never be defeated in his entire career. This chestnut stallion grew up on the farm at Versailles, Kentucky.

Throughout his career, Jockey has made earnings of $3,798,000. In 2018, the horse was also sent to Santa Anita to be trained by the Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. 

He is a large horse, that weighed from 575 kg to 630 kg in his match in 2018. This stallion had impressive speed despite his weight, often regarded as similar to the racehorse Easy Goer. 

Justify Career Wins

Has Any Horse Won The Triple Crown Twice?

Any horse has not won the triple crown twice so far. Considering the 3 races take place within a month, winning the crown even once is an insurmountable task.

However, there are three Hall of Fame trainers who have successfully trained more than one horse to win the Triple Crown.

These three trainers are as follows;

Jim Fitzsimmons

Fitzsimmons holds the consecutive record of training Gallant Fox (1930) and Omaha (1935) for the duration of five years. Initially, he started his career as a thoroughbred jockey. 

Fitzsimmons has a total of 2, 275 career wins. He has won seven major horse racing titles over multiple years. In his honor, National Turf Writers Association created an award called the "Mr. Fitz Award."

Ben A. Jones

Ben A. Jones is a successful trainer who won triple championships with Whirlaway (1941) and Citation (1948). His son Horace A. Jones was mostly credited as a trainer for Citation but both of them collaborated to prepare the horse.

Jones has multiple career wins and his accomplishments are second to none. In Kentucky Derby, he came 1st six-time with six different horses. 

Bob Baffert

Arrogate will be much missed by everyone at Juddmonte, but he leaves us with many wonderful memories and we will never forget the ride. Here is a tribute to him... pic.twitter.com/169Nw1NxlE

— Juddmonte (@JuddmonteFarms) June 3, 2020

Baffert trained champion horses American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018). Baffert won triple consecutively with only three years of duration. 

This 70-year-old trainer has 3, 046 career wins including major trophies. However, he is surrounded by controversy as most of the horses in his care often pass away or fail to pass the doping test after races. 

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