Throughout the world, various countries have their own versions of this series – with each trio of races differing in challenges.
Saturday saw the running the of the Gr1 SA Classic, the second leg of South Africa’s SASCOC Triple Crown. Should Louis The King (Black Minnaloushe) go on to win the Gr1 SA Derby, he will become the second Triple Crown winner to have emerged in 2014 – Bal A Bali (Put It Back) having won the Brazilian version. (Saturday’s Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Gentildonna had previously swept the Japanese Fillies Triple Crown in 2012).
But how many Triple Crown winners have made their mark at stud? And is this series for 3yos only a legitimate way of discovering future champion sires?
The British Triple Crown, which consists of the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and St Leger, was won for the first time in 1853 by West Australian.
The latter, while not a particularly successful or dominant sire, left behind two successful sire sons in Australian and Solon and West Australian is the male line ancestor of legendary US Champion Man O’War, as well as unbeaten Hurry On – both of whom became champion sires.
Since West Australian, 14 other colts have won the British Triple Crown. Of these, Ormonde, Nijinsky II, Gainsborough, Galtee More, Diamond Jubilee and Flying Fox were all hugely successful sires, while Bahram, Isinglass and Rock Sand all enjoyed some success at stud.
Most recent of the British Triple Crown winners was Nijinsky II – successful in 1970. The son of Northern Dancer was arguably an even greater sire – siring 155 stakes winners. His sons included three Epsom Derby winners, as well as ill-fated Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand. Nijinsky II’s successful sire sons included Caerleon, Niniski, Green Dancer and Royal Academy, and his male line descendants include the likes of Black Caviar and champion local sire Silvano.
Britain also has a Triple Crown for fillies – 1000 Guineas, Oaks, and St Leger. A number of past winners of this series have enjoyed an enduring influence at stud.
The most recent winner of the Fillies Triple Crown was Oh So Sharp, successful in 1985. The daughter of Kris produced 6 stakes performers including the G1 winner Rosefinch (Prix Saint-Alary) and she is also the second dam of St Leger winner Shantou.
Prior to that, the Fillies Triple Crown was won by Meld (subsequently the dam of Epsom Derby winner Charlottown) as well as the outstanding, breed shaping mares Pretty Polly and Sceptre. Pretty Polly’s descendants include the likes of Brigadier Gerard, Nearctic and Great Nephew, whilst Sceptre’s descendants number such as champion sires St Germans and Buchan.
In North America, the Triple Crown (comprising the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes) has been won by War Admiral, Count Fleet and Seattle Slew – all of whom became champion sires.
War Admiral, who also topped the US Broodmare Sires list twice, plays a prominent role in modern pedigrees through his maternal grandson Buckpasser, while Count Fleet’s stakes winners included Horse Of The Year Counterpoint, Kentucky Derby winner Count Turf, and champion filly Kiss Me Kate.
Count Fleet, leading broodmare sire in the US in 1963, is also the broodmare sire of five times Horse Of The Year Kelso (Your Host).
However, Seattle Slew proved the best stallion to win the Triple Crown – and is the only US Triple Crown winner to leave behind a flourishing male line. Sire of over 100 hundred stakes winners (and champion broodmare sire in the USA), Seattle Slew’s champions included breed shaping Horse Of The Year A P Indy, whose successful sire sons include Pulpit (sire of top US sire Tapit), Bernardini, Malibu Moon, Jupot, Flatter and Indygo Shiner.
Other highly successful sires to win the US Triple Crown include breed shaping broodmare sire Secretariat (damsire of Storm Cat, A P Indy, Gone West et al), and Affirmed, whilst Alydar runner to Affirmed in all three legs of the 1978 series was Champion Sire in North America in 1990.
However, the greatest stallion to compete in the US Triple Crown was Northern Dancer, winner of the first two legs in 1964, before running third in the Belmont Stakes. Arguably the greatest sire of all time, Northern Dancer’s name is found in the majority of today’s top thoroughbreds, and it is increasingly hard to find a top racehorse whose pedigree does not feature Northern Dancer in it.
Dominant champion sire in Japan, Sunday Silence, emulated Northern Dancer in winning both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, only to lose the Belmont Stakes. Champion Sire on 14 occasions, Sunday Silence himself sired a Triple Crown winner (and outstanding sire) in Deep Impact.
The only horse ever to win Germany’s Triple Crown (German 2000 Guineas, Deutsches Derby, Deutsches St Leger) was Konigsstuhl. The latter, successful in 1976, was Champion Sire twice in Germany, and his offspring include the outstanding sire Monsun – whose offspring include such international champions as Manduro (Prince of Wales Stakes), Shirocco (Breeders Cup Turf), Stacelita (Champion), Fiorente (Melbourne Cup) and Novellist (King George).
South America has also produced its share of outstanding Triple Crown winners. Argentina’s Triple Crown consists of the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos/Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas, Gran Premio Jockey Club and Gran Premio Nacional.
In 1966, the Argentine Triple Crown was won by the magnificent chestnut Forli. The latter won nine of his ten races, and is regarded as one of the greatest horses ever bred in South America. Retired to stud at Claiborne Farm, Forli (Aristophanes) became a hugely successful sire with his progeny include triple Horse Of The Year Forego, champion Thatch and other G1 winners Intrepid Hero (Hollywood Derby), Asteroid Field (Matriarch Stakes), Formidable (Middle Park Stakes) and Forceten (Swaps Stakes).
Forli, sire of highly successful former South African sires Folmar and Home Guard, is also the broodmare sire of outstanding sire and broodmare sire Nureyev, and is thus found in the pedigrees of world leading sires Kingmambo and Zabeel, to name but a few.
