
The Triple Crown Trophy is a silver trophy awarded to the winner of the
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, commonly known as the Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The three r ...
. The Triple Crown trophy has come to represent the pinnacle achievement in horseracing. Commissioned in 1950 by the Thoroughbred Racing Association, artisans at the world-famous
Cartier Jewelry Company were charged with creating not just a trophy, but a true work of art. The result was a three-sided vase, each face equally representing the three jewels of the crown, intending to capture the spirit of horseracing's most sought after, and rarest, honor. The three sides are engraved with specific information from each of the three races; the
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...
, the
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...
and the
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...
. Upon completion of the first trophy it was awarded to the 1948 Triple Crown Winner
Citation
A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose o ...
. Each year thereafter, retroactive trophies were presented to the first eight winners of the Triple Crown in reverse order until all of the previous winners or their heirs were awarded.
[ Triple Crown Challenge website, http://www.thetriplecrownchallenge.com/Default.aspx?page=63.]
Today the Triple Crown Trophy is a permanent trophy awarded to the winner with information pertaining to each race engraved on corresponding sides. When not on tour during the live running of the royal trio of races, the trophy is on public display at the
Kentucky Derby Museum
The Kentucky Derby Museum is an American Thoroughbred horse racing museum located on the grounds of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Dedicated to preserving the history of the Kentucky Derby, it first opened its doors to the public in th ...
in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...
.
In addition to the Triple Crown Trophy, winners of the Kentucky Derby are given the
Kentucky Derby Trophy
The Kentucky Derby Trophy is a set of four trophies that are awarded to the winning connections of America's most famous race: the grade one $3,100,000 Kentucky Derby. The owner receives a gold trophy while the trainer, the jockey and the breeder w ...
, a solid gold trophy worth in excess of $90,000; winners of the Preakness Stakes are presented the
Woodlawn Vase
The Woodlawn Vase is an American trophy given annually to the winning owner of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
Overview of the trophy
After the Preakness Stakes is run each year on the third Saturday of May, t ...
in a national TV ceremony and given a solid silver replica worth in excess of $30,000 for permanent possession; winners of the Belmont Stakes are presented the
August Belmont Trophy
The August Belmont Trophy is awarded annually to the winning owner of the Belmont Stakes now run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The silver bowl, created by Paulding Farnham in 1896–97, was awarded to the 1896 Belmont Stakes winner upon it ...
and given a silver tray for their permanent possession. Only five colts have been awarded all four trophies in the same year: Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharaoh (2015), and Justify (2018).
Triple Crown Trophy winners
See also
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August Belmont Trophy
The August Belmont Trophy is awarded annually to the winning owner of the Belmont Stakes now run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The silver bowl, created by Paulding Farnham in 1896–97, was awarded to the 1896 Belmont Stakes winner upon it ...
*
Kentucky Derby Trophy
The Kentucky Derby Trophy is a set of four trophies that are awarded to the winning connections of America's most famous race: the grade one $3,100,000 Kentucky Derby. The owner receives a gold trophy while the trainer, the jockey and the breeder w ...
*
Triple Crown Productions
*
Woodlawn Vase
The Woodlawn Vase is an American trophy given annually to the winning owner of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
Overview of the trophy
After the Preakness Stakes is run each year on the third Saturday of May, t ...
References
{{reflist
Horse racing awards
American horse racing trophies
Kentucky Derby
Preakness Stakes
Belmont Stakes
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
Churchill Downs
Pimlico Race Course
Belmont Park
Kentucky culture
Horse racing in Louisville, Kentucky
Horse racing in Baltimore
Horse racing in Hempstead, New York
1950 establishments in the United States
Awards established in 1950
Vase sports trophies
Silver objects