Horse racing enthusiasts in the States know quite well the term Triple Crown. Today the terminology is quite common throughout sports, and different leagues use it with different meanings.
Originally, though, these words were used to describe one of the most historical feats a horse – meaning a three-year-old thoroughbred – could put together: winning the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes and the Kentucky Derby, the most prestigious race in the nation.
This year, Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty did not run in the Preakness Stakes, which was won by Journalism, thus dashing hopes of a Triple Crown winner in 2025.
As for the Belmont Stakes, the final victory went to Sovereignty, who had been the joint favourite with Journalism in Louisville.
Since there is no Triple Crown winner for 2025, the hope is to start scouting the most likely horses to win next year, and do it beginning today.
The statistics and best online odds, offered by Oddschecker, are a great way to stay up-to-date on the major horse races and statistics.
Comparing and analysing this year’s numbers by Sovereignty and Journalism could help a bettor in guessing if horses with similar characteristics have what it takes to get a Triple in 2026 or, who knows, whether there is an unknown horse that can shock the world and triumph on the three biggest American stages.
Three Victories For A Place Carved In History
Winning the three most prestigious races in the United States’ landscape is obviously not that easy.
This is a feat possible only for the best of the best, horses whose training specifically targets these three draining competitions.
Let’s see the reasons behind these tracks’ prominence.
The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is always scheduled for the first week of May and is run in Churchill Downs, near Louisville.
The 2025 edition was on May 3rd. The race is the youngest among the three needed to complete the Crown, dating back “only” to 1875.
Nonetheless, it is the most important and is followed by horse enthusiasts all around the world.
The Saudis love it so much that they have already signed a contract to link their Saudi Derby to the American event, paving the way for Arabian owners to run on Kentucky soil, as part of their strategy that aims to make Saudi Arabia one of the premiere sports venues in the whole world.
The KY Derby is a race reserved to three-years-old thoroughbreds, the best racers around, and is run on a distance of a mile and a quarter.
Since the winner traditionally receives a lush blanket of 554 red roses, the race is also known as the Run for the Roses.
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is held around the midpoint of May at Pimlico Race Course, in Baltimore.
The event is slightly older than the Derby, dating back to 1873, and ranks second in attendance among North American equestrian events.
In 2026 the race will move to Laurel Park in Laurel, which is a city not far from Baltimore, while Pimlico undergoes some renovations.
This will be a variable to consider for horses and jockeys who want to put their hands on the Triple Crown.
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is usually the last leg, or jewel, of the Triple Crown, because it is held in June. In 2025, the race was run on June 7th, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Obviously, this is not the traditional location since Belmont Park is in Elmont, a good 3 hours drive away from Saratoga Race Course.
The decision to race elsewhere was taken before the 2024 edition, because of the ongoing reconstruction of the Taconic State Parkway near Belmont, which rendered arrivals impossible for the last couple of years. The organisation expects to be back to the usual location in 2026.
The first race in Belmont dates back to 1867, 8 years before the first Derby. This event is well-known throughout the States and was the most popular horse race in the nation for a lot of time.
The reason for its nickname, The Championship Track, depends on the fact that nearly every major American champion, in racing history, has competed on this racetrack, which is considered one of the fairest in the US.
Nowadays though, the Derby and Preakness attract more people.
