Triple Crown Near Misses

Updated August 28, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Fifty-two 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
2012 I'll Have Another won won scratched from race
2014 California Chrome won won 4th
Triple Crown Winners The Triple Crown The Triple Crown Challenge (1987-93)
The Triple Crown
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