TRIPLE CROWN

I forgot to blog about this amazing sporting event

last month . . . the Triple Crown.

The Triple Crown is a series of 3 horse races

for 3 year old thoroughbreds.

There are 3 races, and a horse has to win all 3

to win the Triple Crown.

In the '70s, there were 3 winners.

Secretariat...1973

Seattle Slew...1977

Affirmed...1978

The races are:

Kentucky Derby 

1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs

Louisville, Kentucky

Preakness Stakes  

1 3/16 miles at Pimlico Race Course

 Baltimore, Maryland

Belmont Stakes 

1 1/2 miles (longest) at Belmont Park

Nassau County, New York

The Kentucky Derby is the first Saturday in May.

There are 2 weeks between each race.

I've always loved to watch them, because

our family has raced horses since the 1970's.

It's not too hard to win 2 of the races.

In 2004, Smarty Jones won the first 2 races,

and almost won the third.

The reason he was so important was a boy

in my class, Jake Pegram, his grandpa was the owner!!!

Well, it had been 37 years since we had had

a Triple Crown winner.

I was lucky to see 3 in the 70s!

Well, American Pharoah won!