American Triple Crown Inherits Roots From English Triple Crown

By Author: Lee Lane-Edgar
Total Articles: 365
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The American Triple Crown’s roots go far back into the English continent’s 1853 win by West Australian of the three races, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, the Epsom Derby, and the St. Leger Stakes. It’s the first ever three consecutive races by a thoroughbred that paved way for the term English Triple Crown coined for the triad.
2,000 Guineas Stakes
A flat race and one of Britain’s Classic races out of five, the 2,000 Guineas is open to fillies and colts three years old and run at a distance of a mile. Coined as the first leg of the Triple Crown of United Kingdom, the 2,000 Guineas was inaugurated in 1809 and won by Tom Perren’s Wizard. As the name goes the race offered 2000 guineas to the winning horse and 1000 guineas to winning filly. The Triple Crown’s first leg is preceded by Craven Stakes along with Greenham Stakes that act as the prep races for the big event. However, Since the Epsom Derby forms the secondary phase of the championship, some go on to regard the 2,000 Guineas as a prep race.
The race was last won by Frankel in 2011 that will also be opting for American races as well this year. ...
... 2,000 Guineas is raced annually towards the end of April or early May.
Epsom Derby
The English Derby internationally acclaimed as The Derby or Epsom Derby is the first Derby race ever run and originated from the land of England in the year 1780. The race was inspired from the Oaks Stakes and was named for the 12th Earl of Derby.
The race open to three year olds, originally was run at a mile for four consecutive years, the distance was increased to a mile and a half and is run at the same length till today, run annually in the month of June. The first race was won over by Diomed owned by Sir Charles Bunbury.
The Kentucky Derby, Irish Derby and also the Australian Derby are races inspired from and designed on the lines of the Epsom Derby and are raced nearly at the same time of the year. All the races follow a great celebratory procedure with exceptional traditional procedures and practices; with the races comes along a fair like season with entertaining acts from professionals before or after the races, drinks and meals to follow.
The race was last won by Pour Mo in 2011 but the track record stays with Workforce timing the mile and a half at 2:31.33.
St. Leger Stakes
The final leg of the English Derby is the St. Leger Stakes and is run at a distance of a mile and six furlongs 132 yards. The race scheduled in September each year allows a good layoff period for the Triple Crown contenders as the second leg is conducted as early as mid-year, in June.
St. Leger is the oldest Triple Crown leg raced first in 1776. However it was not until 1800 that the race received a proper recognition. The first Triple Crown was constructed when West Australian won the three races in a row making it a historic feat to accomplish as the distances of the race were considerably testing in nature.
The Triple Crown has eluded the English thoroughbreds for more than four decades now, the last win being in 1970 by Nijinsky.
TheTriple Crown saga with its legendary race horses has transcended to great horizons of racing since the 18th century and is regarded as the most highly esteemed races in all cultures, American evolving to be the greatest.