Triple Crown winner: Citation
Twelve horses have won the American Triple Crown – composed of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes – which was patterned after the English Triple Crown that dates to 1809. When Sir Barton won the three races in 1919, it was not considered a Triple Crown feat. The three races were not acknowledged as being tied together as the Triple Crown until the 1930s. The Thoroughbred Racing Associations commissioned Cartier to craft a Triple Crown trophy – with three sides representing the three jewels – in 1950, and the trophy retroactively was awarded to the eight previous winners of the three races. In 1973, Secretariat was the first horse to be awarded the trophy after he accomplished the sweep.
CITATION - 1948
B. c., 1945, by Bull Lea—Hydroplane II, by Hyperion
Owner-breeder: Calumet Farm (Ky.)
Trainers: Ben A. Jones and Jimmy Jones
Jockey: Eddie Arcaro
Race record: 45 starts ages 2-3, 5-6, 32 wins, 10 seconds, 2 thirds, $1,085,760.
At 2: Won Belmont Futurity, Pimlico Futurity, Elementary.
At 3: Won Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Gold Cup, American Derby, Pimlico Special, Jersey, Flamingo, Stars and Stripes H., Sysonby Mile, Tanforan H., Derby Trial, Chesapeake, Everglades H., Seminole H.
At 5: Won Golden Gate Mile H.
At 6: Won Hollywood Gold Cup, American H., Century H.
Simply put, Citation was one of the best racehorses America ever has produced, and his 3-year-old campaign is unparalleled in accomplishment and scope. At the conclusion of his sophomore season, he had lost just twice in 29 career starts and he had won at distances from six furlongs to two miles in seven states.
In the Kentucky Derby, he came off the pace to defeat stablemate Coaltown by 3 1/2 lengths. In the Preakness, Citation set the pace and won by 5 1/2 lengths, and in the Belmont, he won by eight lengths over Better Self.
A diagnosis of osselets followed his brilliant campaign, and his 4-year-old season was lost entirely. When he returned at 5, he had lost a step but still was able to win the Golden Gate Mile in a world-record 1:33.60. He stayed in training at 6, chasing the $1 million earnings milestone, which was realized in his final start, when he won the Hollywood Gold Cup. He was the first horse to reach that mark.
Citation was a poor sire, though he got the champion Silver Spoon and the Preakness winner Fabius. He died Aug. 8, 1970.