Winning three major races, Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, gives a horse the title of Triple Crown winner, the biggest honor in horse racing.
Since its inception, only 13 horses have won the Triple Crown. It’s challenging to ace all three races because they are tightly scheduled and highly competitive. The difficulty level is so high that once there was no Triple Crown winner for 25 years, and the last winner was in 2018.
Let’s explore each race and the likely winners of the race.
Kentucky Derby 2022
It’s one of the premier races and is famously known as “the most exciting two minutes in sports”. Each year thousands of fans visit the race track to witness this historic event. The race is scheduled for 7th May 2022 and has been held every year since 1875. Kentucky Derby is a Grade I Stakes race in which 20 three-year-old thoroughbreds partake from around the world.
There is a series of 35 races in which the top 4 horses get points to qualify for the race. At the end of the series, the top 20 in the standings earn their spot in the Kentucky Derby. The distance covered in the race is 1 ¼ mile or 10 furlongs. It’s so popular among fans that in 2021, 15 million people watched it on TV.
It will be the 148th edition of the race. The road to the Kentucky Derby is over, and here is a complete list of thoroughbreds that will compete in the race.
- Epicenter
- Messier
- Taiba
- Zandon
- Mo Donegal
- Smile Happy
- White Abarrio
- Charge It
- Tiz the Bomb
- Zozos
- Cyberknife
- Simplification
- Early Voting
- Morello
- Barber Road
- Slow Down Andy
- Crown Pride
- Summer Is Tomorrow
- Tawny Port
- In Due Time
Which horses can be a long shot for Kentucky Derby 2022?
After winning the Louisiana Stakes, Epicenter has emerged as a favorite to win this year’s Kentucky Derby. Other thoroughbreds also look in good form and have a chance of winning the race.
Cyberknife and Zozos both are running well and look strong enough. They can turn the tables on their day.
Preakness Stakes 2022
The Kentucky Derby leads to the Preakness Stakes, which usually takes place on the third Saturday of May. This year, the 147th edition of the race will be held on 21st May 2022 at Pimlico Race Course.
This race has produced some amazing races and shaped the legacies of many horses. It’s a 9 furlongs race for three-year-old thoroughbreds.
The live Preakness stakes updates and info is easily accessible. The final lineup of the race will take shape after the Kentucky Derby.
Here are some of the Preakness Stakes facts that could be of your interest.
- The event was named after a horse who won the first-ever race in 1873 at the Pimlico. Since then, it has taken place at the same venue.
- The Preakness Stakes is also referred to as “Race of the Black-Eyed Susans” because of the decorations of the event and a ring of Viking daisies, which is awarded to the winner.
- Like the Kentucky Derby, this race also lasts for only a few minutes, on an average of 2½ minutes.
- Secretariat set the fastest track record of 1:53:00 in 1973, while the largest margin victory was made by Smarty Jones in 2004, with 11 lengths.
This year’s Preakness Stakes might be the last one on the historical Pimlico Race Course, as the track will be going under major renovations. The work can be delayed a year or two, but the renovation is approved.
Furthermore, Infield fest is back this year. After waiting for two long years, finally, Infield fest is taking place before the race, and the snippets of performances will be televised on race day.
The artist lineup is as follows: DJ and performer Marshmello, the dynamic duo of The Chainsmokers, Rapper Moneybagg Yo, and DJ Frank Walker.
Belmont Stakes 2022
Belmont Stakes is the missing jewel of the Triple Crown. It’s the last piece in this masterpiece racing league. The Preakness Stakes will take place on 11th June 2022 in New York. The winners and contenders of the previous races help in guessing the winner of this prestigious race.
It’s the last and most demanding race as it’s run on the dirt track at Belmont Park, measuring 1½ mile. This race is also known as the “test of the champion” because it involves a physical test of a horse, calculated pacing, and timing of the jockey. It’s the best place where the combined work of a jockey and the horse comes out.
The lineup for the race depends on the outcomes of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, but that does not confirm the winner.
Here are some fun facts regarding the Belmont Stakes.
- Gate no. 1 has resulted in the most number of winners, followed by gate no. 3 and 5, which have produced 13 winners each.
- The winner of the race is presented with the ring of 500 white carnations, which takes 10 hours to prepare.
- The fastest track record is with Secretariat, who finished the race in just 2:24 in 1973 by an impressive 31 lengths.
- A legendary horse, Man O’ War won the race in 1926, and his three successors have also won the Belmont Stakes – American Flag in 1925, Crusader in 1926, and the Triple Crown winner War Admiral in 1937.
How to win big at any of these races?
Traditionally, there has been straight wagering, win, place, and show. However, bettors have come up with new ways to win big. It includes:
Exacta: in this wager, you need to predict the first two horses in the correct order.
Trifecta: in this bet, you predict the first three horses in the correct order.
Superfecta: This is more interesting; in this bet, you need to predict the first four horses in the right order.
Super high five: it’s one level up; in this bet, you predict the first five horses in the correct order.
The odds are based on a pari-mutuel system. It means your potential payout depends on the pool of the money divided by the number of bets placed. The odds keep on fluctuating as the race day comes closer and even more before a few moments.
Photo by Julia Joppien on Unsplash