25 Greatest American Thoroughbreds: Part 1 of 6

By bsd987, Section Other Sports
Posted on Tue Jul 29 2008 at 11:44 PM EST
More on: Horse Racing, Kentucky Derby, Belmont, Preakness, Triple Crown, Breeders' Cup, Thoroughbred Racing (all tags)

Eleven. Currently, that's the most important number in American horse racing. There have been eleven Triple Crown winners spread out over 59 years.

However, since the dawn of television, which for arguments sake was 1952, there have only been three horses that could claim all three legs.

For any American who could not get to Louisville, Ky., Baltimore, or Elmont, N.Y., the first time he or she saw a champion horse was in 1952 when CBS affiliate WHAS covered the Kentucky Derby and the signal was broadcast across the country. Hill Gail won the race as the favorite, but an injury kept him out of the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. He never won another major stakes in his career.

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