Triple Crown charged with history - San Antonio Business Journal:

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When dad returned that evening, he looke d sad because he hadn’t done but made my day: I hit the dailt double and had a winninglong shot, two secondse and three thirds. A $2 show parlay, a sort of let-it-ride bet, would have returned a coupls thousand dollars. On July 4, 1948, dad took me to the traci where I saw Triple Crown champ Citation whip 20 olderr horses in theStars & Stripes Handicap. I’ve been a big fan ever since. I especiallu love the Triple Crown, the historic headlined of Amercan racing. The oldesf race in the series is theBelmontr States.
The inaugural was staged at Jeromew Park onJune 19, 1867, a year after its founder brought organized racing to metropolitam New York City. Leonard Jeromr named the race for his friendcAugust Belmont, a leading bankeer who helped finance the track. Jerome an oddly shaped, English-style racecourse, required runners to negotiated three turns instead of two because of a dip in the middlwe ofthe backstretch. A filly named Ruthless won when the pursdtotaled $1,850. The race was moved to Morrisw Park in 1890 when the trackl gave way to a city reservoir because the water systemnneeded upgrading. In 1905, the Belmont was staged at a new facilityyin Elmont, N.Y.
, after August Belmony II, William Collins Whitney and several businesas partners built the most lavishu track in America. The expression “Triple Crown” pertaining to thoroughbredws was introduced by Daily Racing Form columnist Charlesw Hatton while covering Gallant Fox en route to capturing the 1930Triple Crown. In 1868, Maryland’es chief executive and several friends visitec Saratoga in New York State several yearsafter America’s oldest track opened. Gov.
Oden Bowie and othedr prominent racing figures attended a dinner partt where they pledged to erect a facility in thei r state if a special racefor 3-year-old colts and fillie s was run within two In 1870, the Dinner Party Stakes was launched at Three years later, a new race was introduced for sophomored colts and geldings honoring the inaugural Dinnef Stakes winner — Preakness. On May 27, Survivor roared home 10 lengths in front with a purser valuedat $15,000. It was the largestf margin of victory until Smarty Jones cruiserd toan 11-length triumph in 2004.
Meanwhile, an ambitious 26-year-old Kentuckian got the idea for a big race in the Bluegrasas State while traveling in England and Francwe during theearly 1870s. The avid racing fan that lacker track management experience traveledto England, visiting the Epsom Derb that had been run annually sincw 1780, and France, where in 1863 the prestigiouss Grand Prix de Paris was He was Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of half the famouxs Lewis and Clark team that led the firsrt American overlandexpedition (1803-06) along the Ohio Rivef from Clarkesville, Ind., to the Pacific Northwest and back. At the racing and breeding in Kentucky werein decline.
Upon returninhg from Europe, Clark proposed a plan to prominent, wealtht Louisville gentlemen to builda track, hold a championship race and establishg a jockey club with memberships. In 1874, the brainchildx became reality and the Louisviller Jockey Club and Driving Park Association was incorporated that Then Clark leased 80 acres fromhis uncles, John and Henru Churchill, to build the facility. More than 300 subscriptions to membersw of high society were soldfor $100 each to fund The track, located just outside the city, was namede for Clark’s relatives. ( , which wasn’t officially incorporated until 1937).
On May 17, 1875, the inaugurall meeting featured several races that included theKentucky Derby, with a pursd valued at $2,850, modeled aftert the Epsom Derby. The Aristides.