I thoroughbred racing in United States winning Triple Crown is the ultimate goal on every horse trainer. Triple Crown Champion has to win 3 Grade 1 rated races meant only for 3-year-old runners.

First and the most prestige race to compete is the Kentucky Derby. It is always in the first Saturday of May in Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky. Kentucky Derby or the "Run for the Roses" was inaugurated 1875 and open for 3 year old colts and fillies bred in United States. The distance to run in the Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles in the dirt. Today the purse money to share is $2 million dollars. Yearly about 155.000 people arrive to Churchill Downs to experience one of the biggest days in horse racing.

Second stop for the Triple Crown is Preakness Stakes which is always two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. Preakness is run in Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Preakness Stakes has longer history than Kentucky Derby, first Preakness was run in 1873, two years before the first Kentucky Derby. Preakness is the shortest distance in Triple Crown, 1 3/16 mile long and carries 1 million dollar purse today. Preakness winner will get a blanket black-eyed susans on his neck opposing to roses in Kentucky. Black-Eyed Susan is the state flower of Maryland.

Horses will have five weeks to rest and get ready for the last leg of the Triple Crown called Belmont Stakes. Belmont Stakes is run today in Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is often called the "Test of the Champions" because of the long distance, 1 1/2 miles. First Belmont Stakes was already held at Jerome Park in the Bronx 1867 an it has moved around in New York and even the distance has varied. Today Belmont Stakes carries a One Million Dollar purse. The winner of the Belmont Stakes will receive the blanket of carnations.

Today if a horse will win a Triple Crown will it receive a $5 million bonus from Triple Crown Productions. Previous sponsor VISA withdrew its sponsorship after New York Racing Association decided to sell the rights to broadcast Belmont Stakes to ESPN.

In over 125 years of history of Triple Crown in US only 11 horses have won, latest was Affirmed in 1978 and first recorded Triple Crown Champion was Sir Barton in 1919.

Other countries also have their own Triple Crown Series for the thoroughbreds and the standardbred pacers and trotters both have their own Triple Crown races held every year.

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