Sports > Other Sports > Horse Racing > Through The Years > Thoroughbred Racing > The Triple Crown

Triple Crown Near Misses

Forty-six horses have won two legs of the Triple Crown. Of those, sixteen won the Kentucky Derby (KD) and Preakness Stakes (PS) only to be beaten in the Belmont Stakes (BS). Two others, Burgoo King (1932) and Bold Venture (1936), won the Derby and Preakness, but were forced out of the Belmont with the same injury–a bowed tendon–that effectively ended their racing careers. In 1978, Alydar finished second to Affirmed in all three races, the only time that has happened. Note that the Preakness preceded the Kentucky Derby in 1922, '23 and '31; (*) indicates won on disqualification.

Year		KD	PS	BS
1877	Cloverbrook	DNS	won	won
1878	Duke of Magenta	DNS	won	won

1880	Grenada	DNS	won	won
1881	Saunterer	DNS	won	won

1895	Belmar	DNS	won	won

1920	Man o' War	DNS	won	won
1922	Pillory	DNS	won	won
1923	Zev	won	12th	won

1931	Twenty Grand	won	2nd	won
1932	Burgoo King	won	won	DNS
1936	Bold Venture	won	won	DNS
1939	Johnstown	won	5th	won

1940	Bimelech	2nd	won	won
1942	Shut Out	won	5th	won
1944	Pensive	won	won	2nd
1949	Capot	2nd	won	won

1950	Middleground	won	2nd	won
1953	Native Dancer	2nd	won	won
1955	Nashua	2nd	won	won
1956	Needles	won	2nd	won
1958	Tim Tam	won	won	2nd

1961	Carry Back	won	won	7th
1963	Chateaugay	won	2nd	won
1964	Northern Dancer	won	won	3rd
1966	Kauai King	won	won	4th
1967	Damascus	3rd	won	won
1968	Forward Pass	won*	won	2nd
1969	Majestic Prince	won	won	2nd

1971	Canonero II	won	won	4th
1972	Riva Ridge	won	4th	won
1974	Little Current	5th	won	won
1976	Bold Forbes	won	3rd	won
1979	Spectacular Bid	won	won	3rd

1981	Pleasant Colony	won	won	3rd
1984	Swale	won	7th	won
1987	Alysheba	won	won	4th
1988	Risen Star	3rd	won	won
1989	Sunday Silence	won	won	2nd

1991	Hansel	10th	won	won
1994	Tabasco Cat	6th	won	won
1995	Thunder Gulch	won	3rd	won
1997	Silver Charm	won	won	2nd
1998	Real Quiet	won	won	2nd
1999	Charismatic	won	won	3rd

2001	Point Given	5th	won	won
2002	War Emblem	won	won	8th
2003	Funny Cide	won	won	3rd
2004	Smarty Jones	won	won	2nd
2005	Afleet Alex	3rd	won	won
2008	Big Brown	won	won	9th