Category: Horses

Affirmed had the distinction of being the eleventh horse to win the Triple Crown Trophy – awarded for winning the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes – in 1978 and was the last horse to do so for 37 years. He was also named American Horse of the Year in 1978 and 1979, American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse in 1977, American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse in 1978 and American Champion Older Horse in 1979.

 

Bred and owned by Louis and Patrice Wolfson, in the name of Harbor View Farm, Florida and trained by Laz Barrera, Affirmed is remembered for his rivalry with Alydar. In total, the pair met ten times during their two-year-old and three-year-old campaigns, including in all three Triple Crown races. In 1977, Affirmed won seven of his nine races, including victories over Alydar in the Hopeful Stakes, the Belmont Futurity and the Laurel Futurity. On his other two starts, Affirmed finished second to Alydar in the Great American Stakes and the Champagne Stakes.

 

In 1978, Affirmed won his first eight starts, including victories over Alydar in all three Triple Crown races by ever decreasing margins. He won the Kentucky Derby by 1½ lengths, the Preakness Stakes by a neck and the Belmont Stakes by a head. Steve Cauthen who, as an 18-year-old, rode Affirmed in all three races, later said, “He was basically the best horse I ever rode, the most intelligent. He was just a horse of tremendous courage. He loved to race. He was a great horse to ride.”

 

Later that season, Alydar earned scant consolation when awarded the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on the disqualification of Affirmed who, in the absence of the injured Cauthen, was ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr. Pincay said afterwards, “It was a mistake on my part. My horse opened up so fast I thought I was clear. I regret it. “

 

When he was retired to stud in 1979, Affirmed had won 22 of his 29 races, including 14 stakes races, and over $2.3 million in prize money. He was humanely euthanised, as a 26-year-old, in 2001, after becoming increasing infirm. His co-owner, Patrice Wolfson, said at the time, “Affirmed will forever stand with those who exemplify the word ‘champion’ in thoroughbred racing. We cannot begin to imagine how much we will miss him.”

Shergar is remembered for winning the 1981 Derby by 10 lengths – still the widest winning margin in the history of the Epsom Classic – and his later abduction, probably by Irish Republican terrorists, whose bungled ransom attempt led to his brutal death.

 

An attractive bay colt, with a distinctive white blaze and four white socks, Shergar first rose to prominence when winning the Guardian Classic Trial at Sandown by 10 lengths on his seasonal reappearance in April, 1981. Advising Shergar for the Derby, Observer racing correspondent Richard Baerlain wrote, “Now is the time to bet like men.” His confidence wasn’t misplaced, either; following a 12-length win in the Chester Vase, Shergar was sent off 10/11 favourite for the Derby and never gave his supporters an anxious moment.

 

Ridden by 19-year-old Walter Swinburn – nicknamed “The Choirboy” because of his angelic looks – Shergar swept into the lead shortly after Tattenham Corner and soon spreadeagled the field. BBC radio commentator Peter Bromley exclaimed, “Two furlongs out, the Derby is a procession. There’s only one horse in it – you need a telescope to see the rest.” Shergar crossed the line 10 lengths ahead of Glint Of Gold, who’d won his last two starts, including the Italian Derby, with Swinburn looking over his shoulder for non-existent dangers.

 

Further success followed, with victories in the Irish Sweeps Derby at the Curragh and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. At the end of his three-year-old campaign, Shergar had won six of his eight races and over £430,000 in prize money. He was retired to Ballmany Stud in Co. Kildare but, less than two years later, on a foggy evening in February, 1983, he was abducted by a gang of at least half a dozen masked, armed men and never seen again. His remains have never been found and his kidnappers have never been officially identified.

In 1948, Citation became the eighth horse to win the American Triple Crown and, in a 45-race career between 1947 and 1951, became the first horse in history to win over $1 million in prize money. Bred and owned by Warren Wright Snr., under the name Calumet Farm, Citation was by Bull Lea, leading sire in North America five times between 1947 and 1953, out of Hydroplane, a mare by Hyperion, leading sire in Great Britain six times between 1940 and 1954.

 

Trained by Horace A. “Jimmy” Jones, Citation won eight of his nine races as a juvenile and was named American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse in 1947. Citation also won 19 of his 20 races in 1948. His sole defeat that year came in the Chesapeake Trial Stakes, run over 6 furlongs at Havre de Grace Race Track in Maryland. Sent off at odds of 1/4, on a muddy track, he was beaten by Saggy, a “baggy-legged auction colt” who never won another race. Eddie Arcano – having his first ride on Citation after the tragic drowning of his previous jockey, Al Snider – said afterwards, “I could have caught him, but I wasn’t about to burn up that horse for an $8300 pot with all those $100,000 races laying ahead of us.”

 

In any event, Citation went on to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes – by an aggregate of 17 lengths – as part of a 16-race winning streak that would last until January 1950. In fact, prior to the Kentucky Derby, Jimmy Jones stepped aside to allow his father, Ben, to be named as the official trainer of Citation and, afterwards, jockey Eddie Arcano donated a share of his prize money to the widow of Al Snider.

 

Citation was named American Horse of the Year in 1948 but, having developed arthritis in the fetlock of his near front leg, didn’t race again for 13 months. On his return, at Santa Anita, he won an allowance race to extend his winning streak to 16 consecutive races. When the proprietor of Calumet Farm, Warren Wright, died in December 1950, he specified that Citation remain in training long enough to earn over $1 million in prize money. So he did, winning the Hollywood Gold Cup in July 1951 to take his career earnings to $1,085,760.