Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing

For other uses, see Grand Slam (disambiguation).

The Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing is an informal name for winning four major Thoroughbred horse races in one season in the United States. The term has been applied to two configurations of races, both of which include the races of the Triple Crown—the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes—and either the Travers Stakes or the Breeders' Cup Classic as the final race.

American Pharoah has been the only winner of a Breeder's Cup Classic Grand Slam

The Travers Stakes Grand Slam is the older version, having been possible since 1875. These four races are sometimes also called the Superfecta or Quadruple Crown.^[1][2] The Breeders' Cup Classic Grand Slam has been possible since 1984.

Both configurations have been successful once. Whirlaway won the Triple Crown and Travers Stakes in 1941, and American Pharoah won the Triple Crown and Breeder's Cup Classic in 2015.

The Grand Slam moniker is typically only available to three-year-old horses, as the Triple Crown and Travers Stakes are limited to that age. The Breeders' Cup Classic, however, has no age limits, so a Triple Crown winner could win the Classic in subsequent years, although that feat has yet to be attempted. It is unlikely to happen because Triple Crown winners are typically in high demand for stud service.

Quintuple Crown is the suggested name for winning all five races in the same season, a feat yet to be accomplished.

Grand Slam races

Grand Slam races

Race	Date	Current Track	Location	Distance	Background	Trophy
Kentucky Derby "The Run for the Roses"	First Saturday in May	Churchill Downs	Louisville, Kentucky	1+1⁄4 miles (2,000 m)	Inaugurated in 1875, the race was originally 1+1⁄2 miles (2,400 m) until 1896 when it was shortened to its current distance. It is the only one of the four races to have been continuously run from its inception. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg) and fillies 121 pounds (55 kg). The field has been limited to 20 horses since 1975.	The Kentucky Derby Trophy
Preakness Stakes "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans"	Third Saturday in May	Pimlico Race Course	Baltimore, Maryland	1+3⁄16 miles (1,900 m)	Inaugurated in 1873 and continuously run since 1894, it is the shortest of the four races. Pimlico was the home of the race from 1873 to 1889 and again from 1908 until the present. The Preakness was not run from 1891 to 1893. Weights are the same as for the Derby. Field is limited to 14 horses.	The Woodlawn Vase
Belmont Stakes "The Test of the Champion"	Third Saturday following the Preakness (first or second Saturday in June)	Belmont Park	Elmont, New York	1+1⁄2 miles (2,400 m)	Inaugurated in 1867, though not held in 1911 and 1912 due to anti-gambling legislation in New York. Race was held at various New York tracks until 1905 when Belmont Park became the permanent location. Distance varied from 1+5⁄8 to 1+1⁄8 miles until set at 1+1⁄2 miles in 1926. Weight assignments are the same as the other two races. Field is limited to 16 horses.	The August Belmont Trophy
Travers Stakes "Mid-summer Derby"	Last Saturday in August	Saratoga Race Course	Saratoga Springs, New York	1+1⁄4 miles (2,000 m)	Inaugurated in 1864, though not held in 1896, 1898, 1899, or 1900 due to financial difficulties, and 1911 and 1912 due to anti-gambling legislation in New York. Distance varied from 1+1⁄8 to 1+3⁄4 miles until set at 1+1⁄4 miles in 1904.	The Man o' War Cup
Breeders' Cup Classic	Last Saturday in October or the first Saturday in November	Different location each year		1+1⁄4 miles (2,000 m)	Inaugurated in 1984, it is the same length as the Kentucky Derby. The race is held at various different tracks, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California has hosted the most with nine. The Breeders' Cup Classic differs from the other races in the Grand Slam, as it allows 3 year olds and up to participate. The field is limited to 14 horses.	The Breeders' Cup Trophy

Grand Slam winners

Year	Races	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Breeder	Colors
1941	Kentucky Derby Preakness Stakes Belmont Stakes Travers Stakes	Whirlaway	Eddie Arcaro	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	Calumet Farm
2015	Kentucky Derby Preakness Stakes Belmont Stakes Breeders' Cup Classic	American Pharoah	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert	Ahmed Zayat	Ahmed Zayat

Travers Stakes Grand Slam

Whirlaway won the Travers Stakes Grand Slam in 1941, and is the only horse to accomplish the feat.

Man O'War won the Preakness, Belmont, and Travers but did not race in the 1920 Kentucky Derby.

The Travers Stakes Grand Slam consists of the four oldest races for three-year-olds in the United States. The Travers was first run in 1864, followed by the Belmont in 1867, Preakness in 1873, and Derby in 1875. According to international classifications, the Travers is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds, behind only the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.^[3] Racing historian Edward Hotaling first designated these four races as the Grand Slam.^[4]

Four horses that won the Triple Crown have attempted to complete the Grand Slam. Whirlaway accomplished the feat in 1941, while Gallant Fox (1930), Affirmed (1978) and American Pharoah (2015) came up short in their attempts. Due to the lack of success in winning the fourth race, the Travers Stakes has been nicknamed the "Graveyard of Champions."^[5]

Ten horses have won two legs of the Triple Crown and the Travers Stakes. Fifteen horses have entered all four races and won two or more. Three horses, Duke of Magenta, Grenada, and Man o' War did not enter the Kentucky Derby but won the three other races.

Nine Triple Crown winners did not enter the Travers Stakes. Secretariat withdrew before the race due to illness.^[6]

Multiple race winners

Year	Kentucky Derby	Preakness Stakes	Belmont Stakes	Travers Stakes
1867	no race held	no race held	Ruthless*	Ruthless*
1870	no race held	no race held	Kingfisher*	Kingfisher*
1871	no race held	no race held	Harry Bassett*	Harry Bassett*
1872	no race held	no race held	Joe Daniels*	Joe Daniels*
1877	Baden-Baden*	Cloverbrook*	Cloverbrook*	Baden-Baden*
1878	Day Star	Duke of Magenta*	Duke of Magenta*	Duke of Magenta*
1880	Fonso	Grenada*	Grenada*	Grenada*
1881	Hindoo*	Saunterer*	Saunterer*	Hindoo*
1888	Macbeth II	Refund	Sir Dixon*	Sir Dixon*
1892	Azra*	no race held	Patron	Azra*
1894	Chant	Assignee	Henry of Navarre*	Henry of Navarre*
1895	Halma	Belmar*	Belmar*	Liza
1917	Omar Khayyam*	Kalitan	Hourless	Omar Khayyam*
1919	Sir Barton*	Sir Barton*	Sir Barton*	Hannibal
1920	Paul Jones	Man o' War*	Man o' War*	Man o' War*
1922	Morvich	Pillory*	Pillory*	Little Chief
1923	Zev*	Vigil II	Zev*	Wilderness
1930	Gallant Fox*	Gallant Fox*	Gallant Fox*	Jim Dandy
1931	Twenty Grand*	Mate	Twenty Grand*	Twenty Grand*
1932	Burgoo King*	Burgoo King*	Faireno	War Hero
1935	Omaha*	Omaha*	Omaha*	Gold Foam
1936	Bold Venture*	Bold Venture*	Granville*	Granville*
1937	War Admiral*	War Admiral*	War Admiral*	Burning Star
1939	Johnstown*	Challedon	Johnstown*	Eight Thirty
1940	Gallahadion	Bimelech*	Bimelech*	Fenelon
1941	Whirlaway†	Whirlaway†	Whirlaway†	Whirlaway†
1942	Shut Out*	Alsab	Shut Out*	Shut Out*
1943	Count Fleet*	Count Fleet*	Count Fleet*	Eurasian
1944	Pensive*	Pensive*	Bounding Home	By Jimmini
1946	Assault*	Assault*	Assault*	Natchez
1948	Citation*	Citation*	Citation*	Ace Admiral
1949	Ponder	Capot*	Capot*	Arise
1950	Middleground*	Hill Prince	Middleground*	Lights Up
1952	Hill Gail	Blue Man	One Count*	One Count*
1953	Dark Star	Native Dancer*	Native Dancer*	Native Dancer*
1955	Swaps	Nashua*	Nashua*	Thinking Cap
1956	Needles*	Fabius	Needles*	Oh Johnny
1957	Iron Liege	Bold Ruler	Gallant Man*	Gallant Man*
1958	Tim Tam*	Tim Tam*	Cavan	Piano Jim
1959	Tommy Lee	Royal Orbit	Sword Dancer*	Sword Dancer*
1961	Carry Back*	Carry Back	Sherluck	Beau Prince
1962	Decidedly	Greek Money	Jaipur*	Jaipur*
1963	Chateaugay*	Candy Sports	Chateaugay*	Crewman
1964	Northern Dancer*	Northern Dancer*	Quadrangle*	Quadrangle*
1965	Lucky Debonair	Tom Rolfe	Hail To All*	Hail To All*
1966	Kauai King*	Kauai King*	Amberoid	Buckpasser
1967	Proud Clarion	Damascus*	Damascus*	Damascus*
1968	Forward Pass*	Forward Pass*	Stage Door Johnny	Chompion
1969	Majestic Prince*	Majestic Prince*	Arts and Letters*	Arts and Letters*
1971	Canonero II*	Canonero II*	Pass Catcher	Bold Reason
1972	Riva Ridge*	Bee Bee Bee	Riva Ridge*	Key To The Mint
1973	Secretariat*[A]	Secretariat*[A]	Secretariat*[A]	Annihilate 'Em
1974	Cannonade	Little Current*	Little Current*	Holding Pattern
1976	Bold Forbes*	Elocutionist	Bold Forbes*	Honest Pleasure
1977	Seattle Slew*	Seattle Slew*	Seattle Slew*	Jatski
1978	Affirmed*	Affirmed*	Affirmed*	Alydar
1979	Spectacular Bid*	Spectacular Bid*	Coastal	General Assembly
1980	Genuine Risk	Codex	Temperence Hill*	Temperence Hill*
1981	Pleasant Colony*	Pleasant Colony*	Summing	Willow Hour
1984	Swale*	Gate Dancer	Swale*	Carr de Naskra
1987	Alysheba*	Alysheba*	Bet Twice	Java Gold
1988	Winning Colors	Risen Star*	Risen Star*	Forty Niner
1989	Sunday Silence*	Sunday Silence*	Easy Goer*[B]	Easy Goer*[B]
1991	Strike the Gold	Hansel*	Hansel*	Corporate Report
1993	Sea Hero*	Prairie Bayou	Colonial Affair	Sea Hero*
1994	Go for Gin	Tabasco Cat*	Tabasco Cat*	Holly Bull
1995	Thunder Gulch*	Timber Country	Thunder Gulch*	Thunder Gulch*
1997	Silver Charm*	Silver Charm*	Touch Gold	Deputy Commander
1998	Real Quiet*	Real Quiet*	Victory Gallop	Coronado's Quest
1999	Charismatic*	Charismatic*	Lemon Drop Kid*	Lemon Drop Kid*
2001	Monarchos	Point Given*	Point Given*	Point Given*
2002	War Emblem*	War Emblem*	Sarava	Medaglia d'Oro
2003	Funny Cide*[C]	Funny Cide*[C]	Empire Maker	Ten Most Wanted
2004	Smarty Jones*	Smarty Jones*	Birdstone*	Birdstone*
2005	Giacomo	Afleet Alex*	Afleet Alex*	Flower Alley
2006	Barbaro	Bernardini*	Jazil	Bernardini*
2007	Street Sense*	Curlin	Rags to Riches	Street Sense*
2008	Big Brown*	Big Brown*	Da' Tara	Colonel John
2009	Mine That Bird	Rachel Alexandra	Summer Bird*	Summer Bird*
2012	I'll Have Another*	I'll Have Another*	Union Rags	Alpha & Golden Ticket
2014	California Chrome*	California Chrome*	Tonalist	V.E. Day
2015	American Pharoah*	American Pharoah*	American Pharoah*	Keen Ice
2018	Justify*	Justify*	Justify*	Catholic Boy
2021	Mandaloun	Rombauer	Essential Quality*	Essential Quality*
2023	Mage	National Treasure	Arcangelo*	Arcangelo*

Notes

Gold: † Winner of the Grand Slam

Tan: Year one horse won three legs of the Grand Slam races

* Multiple Grand Slam race winner

List of horses that entered all four races, won multiple, though withdrew for various reasons:

1. Secretariat missed the Travers due to illness.
2. Easy Goer finished second to Sunday Silence in the Derby, Preakness, and Breeders' Cup Classic. Sunday Silence did not compete in the Travers.
3. Funny Cide missed the Travers due to illness.

4 wins: Kentucky - Preakness - Belmont - Travers

1 time, most recently Whirlaway in 1941

3 wins: Kentucky - Belmont - Travers

4 times, most recently Thunder Gulch in 1995

3 wins: Preakness - Belmont - Travers

7 times, most recently Point Given in 2001

3 wins: Kentucky - Preakness - Belmont

13 times, most recently Justify in 2018

Breeders' Cup Classic Grand Slam

American Pharoah won the Breeders' Cup Classic Grand Slam in 2015 and was the first and currently only horse to accomplish the feat.

The Classic was first run in 1984, when the Breeders' Cup was inaugurated as a series of year-end championships.^[7] Unlike the Triple Crown races and the Travers Stakes, the Classic is not restricted to any age group and the Breeders' Cup has been hosted by several different tracks throughout its history.

For the first 32 runnings of the Classic, the Grand Slam was not in contention. In 2015, American Pharoah won the Triple Crown for the first time since 1978, making him the first horse eligible to compete for this configuration of the Grand Slam. Before the final race, sportswriter Bob Ehalt of ESPN declared American Pharoah was competing for the "Grand Slam," coining the second configuration of the term which quickly became popular.^[8][9] Pharoah won the Breeders' Cup Classic on October 31, 2015, and is the only horse to win this version of the Grand Slam.^[10]

This version of the Grand Slam differs from the Travers version because the Classic has no age restriction. Whereas the Triple Crown races and the Travers Stakes only adjust weight based on the horses' sex, the Classic also adjusts each horses' weight based on their age, a rule known as Weight for Age. Since the Breeders' Cup Classic was first run in 1984, most of the winners have been older than three-year-olds.^[11] Overall, fewer than half of the Classic winners of any age had entered any of the Triple Crown races when they were three-year-olds.^[11]

Sunday Silence came the closest to a Breeders Cup Classic Grand Slam in 1989 prior to American Pharoah's 2015 achievement.

Only six horses have won at least one Triple Crown race and the Classic in the same three-year-old season, including Pharoah. Sunday Silence won the Derby, Preakness, and Classic, but was second in the Belmont.^[12] Four horses, Unbridled in 1990, A. P. Indy in 1992, Curlin in 2007, and Authentic in 2020, have won the Classic and one Triple Crown race.^[13][14][15]

Justify is the only horse to win the Triple Crown and not compete in the Breeders' Cup Classic. His owners and trainer planned to run him in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Classic, but an injury was discovered in July and Justify was retired from racing.^[16]

Three horses have won at least one Triple Crown race as a three-year-old and the Breeders' Cup Classic as a four-year-old. Alysheba won two legs of the Triple Crown in 1987 and the Classic in 1988.^[17] Two other horses have won one Triple Crown race and the Classic as a four-year-old: Ferdinand, winning the 1986 Derby and 1987 Classic, and Drosselmeyer, winning the 2010 Belmont and 2011 Classic.

In 1989, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer had a fierce rivalry, with both finishing in the top 2 each race. Sunday Silence beat Easy Goer by two-and-a-half lengths in the Derby, a nose in the Preakness, and a neck in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Easy Goer won the Belmont by eight lengths.^[18]

At least two wins

Year	Kentucky Derby	Preakness Stakes	Belmont Stakes	Breeders' Cup Classic
1987	Alysheba *#	Alysheba *#	Bet Twice	Ferdinand #
1989	Sunday Silence*	Sunday Silence*	Easy Goer[a]	Sunday Silence*
1990	Unbridled*	Summer Squall	Go And Go	Unbridled*
1992	Lil E. Tee	Pine Bluff	A.P. Indy[b]	A.P. Indy[b]
1994	Go for Gin	Tabasco Cat*	Tabasco Cat*	Concern
2002	War Emblem*	War Emblem*	Sarava	Volponi
2003	Funny Cide*	Funny Cide*	Empire Maker	Pleasantly Perfect
2005	Giacomo	Afleet Alex[c]	Afleet Alex[c]	Saint Liam
2007	Street Sense	Curlin*	Rags to Riches	Curlin*
2014	California Chrome*	California Chrome*	Tonalist	Bayern
2015	American Pharoah†	American Pharoah†	American Pharoah†	American Pharoah†
2018	Justify[d]	Justify[d]	Justify[d]	Accelerate

Notes

† Winner of the Grand Slam

* Entered all four races & won multiple

# Won the Breeders' Cup Classic in four-year-old season after winning one or more Triple Crown races in three-year-old season

1. Easy Goer finished second to Sunday Silence in the other three races
2. A.P. Indy scratched the morning of the 1992 Kentucky Derby due to a bone bruise; he was the second favorite on the morning-line odds. He missed the Preakness as well due to the injury.
3. Afleet Alex raced in all three of the Triple Crown legs and was expected to race in the Breeders' Cup Classic until an injury was discovered.
4. Justify was retired from racing in July 2018 after an injury was discovered. The owners and trainer had planned to run him in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Quintuple Crown

Racing historian Peter Lee has suggested winning all five races should be named the Quintuple Crown.^[19] While no horse has won all five races, several have competed in all five and won multiple since the Breeders' Cup Classic began in 1984. These include:

• Alyseheba, who in 1987 competed in all five races but only won the Derby and Preakness as a three-year-old. In 1988, Alyseheba entered the Breeders' Cup Classic again and won as a four-year-old.^[20]
• Tabasco Cat won the Preakness and Belmont.^[21]
• Easy Goer won the Belmont and Travers in 1989 but placed second in the Derby, Preakness, and Classic. The three losses were all close second-place finishes to rival Sunday Silence, who did not compete in the Travers.^[18]
• American Pharoah won the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic in 2015 but finished a close second in the Travers Stakes.^[22]

Note: Funny Cide competed in the 2003 Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic but withdrew from the Travers due to illness. He won the Derby and Preakness.^[23]

See also

• American thoroughbred racing top attended events
• Grand Slam of Grass
• Grand Slam (horse)
• Superfecta (betting)

References

1. "2016 Travers Stakes at Saratoga: August 27". www.saratogaracetrack.com. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
2. Tiz the Law Tries for Second Leg of 'Quadruple Crown' in Runhappy Travers
3. The World's Top 100 G1 Races for 3yo's and upwards
4. Whirlway and Alsab
5. "Keen Ice Springs Travers Upset on 'Pharoah'". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
6. "The Unbeatable Horse". cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
7. Bieler, Des (October 31, 2015). "Watch American Pharoah win horse racing's first-ever Grand Slam at Breeders' Cup". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
8. Ehalt, Bob (September 2, 2015). "A new target for American Pharoah". ESPN. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
9. Lintner, Jonathan (June 9, 2015). "Odds open for Pharoah's 'Grand Slam' attempt". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
10. American Pharoah Wins Breeders Cup
11. "Breeders' Cup Stats". stats.breederscup.com. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
12. "Sunday Silence". Equibase. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
13. "Unbridled". Equibase. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
14. "A.P. Indy". Equibase. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
15. "Curlin". Equibase. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
16. "Triple Crown Winner Justify Retired From Racing". BloodHorse. 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
17. "Alysheba". Equibase. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
18. Raucci, Joseph. "1989 Easy Goer and Sunday Silence Showdown at the Breeder's Cup". saratogatodaynewspaper.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
19. Triple Crown with an asterisk?
20. Crist, Steven (1988-11-06). "Horse Racing; Alysheba Takes Classic by Half-Length". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
21. "Classic Winner Tabasco Cat Dies in Japan". www.bloodhorse.com. 8 March 2004. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
22. Drape, Joe (2015-08-29). "Keen Ice Defeats American Pharoah at Travers Stakes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
23. "Travers loses Funny Cide". Tampa Bay Times. 23 Aug 2003. Retrieved 2023-05-08.