The Triple Crown races in American thoroughbred horse racing consist of three prestigious races for three-year-old horses:
- Kentucky Derby : Held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, usually on the first Saturday in May. It is 1¼ miles long and is famously known as "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports." The Kentucky Derby began in 1875
- Preakness Stakes : The second race, held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, typically on the third Saturday in May. It is the shortest of the three races at 1 3/16 miles and started in 1873
- Belmont Stakes : The final leg, held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, usually on the first Saturday in June. It is the longest race at 1½ miles and dates back to 1867
Winning all three races in the same season is a rare and highly celebrated achievement known as winning the Triple Crown. Only 13 horses have accomplished this feat since 1919, including famous winners like Secretariat, American Pharoah, and Justify
. The races are held sequentially over about five weeks in late spring, testing the speed, stamina, and versatility of the competing horses
