The 13 horses to sweep the Triple Crown etched their names in horse racing's history books as the accomplishment elevated them to legendary status but a look at the list of horses to win two of the classics also reveals some of the sport's greats.
With Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Sovereignty pointing to the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism being strongly considered for the year's final classic, there's a strong possibility the field for the $2 million Belmont June 7 at Saratoga Race Course will feature a pair of horses aiming for that considerable accomplishment.
When trainer Bill Mott and owner Godolphin opted to bypass the Preakness with 2025 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Sovereignty, it guaranteed the sport would not have a 14th Triple Crown winner this year joining Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2018).
But the dual classic club also is impressive. Only 11 3-year-olds other than the 13 Triple Crown winners have won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, so Sovereignty can make that 12. Preakness-Belmont winners have been more common with 18 of them—again, not counting the Triple Crown winners—and Journalism could add his name to that list.
It's worth noting, the Triple Crown as an accomplishment was first recognized as a feat/expression in U.S. racing in 1930 when Gallant Fox swept the three classics. The Triple Crown was not yet officially recognized in 1919 when Sir Barton won all three races. In fact, there is some dispute (it's horse racing, so of course there is) about whether New York Times writer Bryan Field or legendary Daily Racing Form columnist Charlie Hatton was the originator of the phrase Triple Crown as it pertains to U.S. racing, although it had been in use for decades before then in England.
Sovereignty will attempt to join a select group as a Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner that includes five Hall of Famers and become the first non-Triple Crown winner to take both races since Thunder Gulch in 1995 (see chart below). Those Hall of Famers are noted with an asterisk on the list below.
Kentucky Derby-Belmont Stakes Double
(Non-Triple Crown winners)
*Zev (1923)
*Twenty Grand (1931)
*Johnstown (1939)
Shut Out (1942)
Middleground (1950)
*Needles (1956)
Chateaugay (1963)
*Riva Ridge (1972)
Bold Forbes (1976)
Swale (1984)
Thunder Gulch (1995)
As for Journalism, the Curlin colt can join a group of 18 Preakness-Belmont Stakes winners that includes seven Hall of Fame racehorses (see chart at bottom). He would become the first non-Triple Crown winner to complete that double since Afleet Alex in 2005—fitting since Journalism's gutsy Preakness win was often compared with Afleet Alex's determined win 20 years beforehand in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Hall of Famers are noted with an asterisk on the list below.
Preakness-Belmont Stakes Double
(Non-Triple Crown winners)
Cloverbrook (1877)
*Duke Of Magenta (1878)
Grenada (1880)
Saunterer (1881)
Belmar (1895)
*Man o' War (1920)
Pillory (1922)
*Bimelech (1940)
Capot (1949)
*Native Dancer (1953)
*Nashua (1955)
*Damascus (1967)
Little Current (1974)
Risen Star (1988)
Hansel (1991)
Tabasco Cat (1994)
*Point Given (2001)
Afleet Alex (2005)
There may not be a Triple Crown on the line in this year's Belmont, but a win by either Sovereignty or Journalism would put them in the driver's seat for the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male and provide a massive boost to either resume.
