When Secretariat won the Triple Crown, it hadn’t been won since Citation in 1948 — 25 years. (Interestingly, my dad was at Churchill Downs for Citation’s Derby and we were at Belmont for Secretariat’s epic win there.)
Subsequently, there were the back to back Triple Crowns of Seattle Slew and Affirmed in 1977 and 1978 — just 4 and 5 years after Secretariat.
And then...crickets. Until American Pharoah, three years ago. A 37-year gap.
There have only been 12 Triple Crown winners. Interestingly, three of tehm have names starting with S (Sir Barton, Secretariat, Seattle Slew), three with A (Assault, Affirmed, American Pharoah), two with W (War Admiral and Whirlaway), two with C. (Count Fleet and Citation.) The other two are Gallant Man and Omaha.
If you want to win the Triple Crown, give your horse a name that starts with A or S.
I think Barbaro would have won the TC if not injured in the Preakness.
Also, War Emblem. He won the Derby and Preakness easily. For the Belmont, I was at Caesar’s Palace in Vegas to watch him run. I bet $200 on him... still at 2:1. When the gate opened, he fell to his knees. Literally. It’s amazing that the jockey didn’t fall off. When he recovered, he was 10-15 lengths behind.
He ran his heart out from there, and ALMOST pulled it off. Without the bad start, I think he wins easily.
There were a few bad breaks that extended the years between TC winners.