Triple Crown schedule 2024: Dates, order for Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont horse races, past winners..

Spacing between the Triple Crown thoroughbred races has been a contentious topic for years, and at least one of the three racetracks involved appears open to change.

The Triple Crown traditionally is contested over a five-week window – the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, the Preakness two weeks later at Pimlico and the Belmont Stakes three weeks after the Preakness in New York.

The First race for the 2024 Triple Crown begins with the Kentucky Derby, the race’s 150th running which takes place on the first Saturday on May 4.

Will this be the year of the Triple Crown? Only 13 horses have earned the prestigious title in American horse racing by sweeping the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes all in the same season.

The last time Triple Crown rarity Champion was occurred in 2018 feat achieved by JUSTIFY.

Online Coverage is also available to stream live on Peacock, NBCSports.com and on the NBC Sports app.

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission disqualified Bob Baffert’s Medina Spirit from the Kentucky Derby due to a failed post-race drug test. Churchill Downs now recognizes 2nd-place finisher Mandaloun, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, as the winner.

When is the 2024 Kentucky Derby

The First race for the 2024 Triple Crown officially gets underway at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, As The 150th running of America's most famous race "Run for the Roses" serves as the first leg of the Triple Crown and will take place on Saturday, May 4.

MORE: Everything You Need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

MORE: Mage 15-1, wins the 2023 Kentucky Derby..

When is the 2024 Preakness Stakes

The 2024 Preakness Stakes is held Third Saturday of May, this year it will take place Saturday, May 18, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

The 2nd race of 2024 Triple Crown will be the 149th running of one of the signature horse racing events of the year and the second leg of the famed Triple Crown of horse racing.

More: Preakness Stakes 2023: Time, post positions, horses, how to watch, live stream, TV channel, Odds.

MORE: Baffert's National Treasure wins the 2023 Preakness Stakes. .

When is the 2024 Belmont Stakes

For the first time, Final Horse racing’s Triple Crown race will not thunder down the stretches of Belmont Park but will instead grace the tracks of Saratoga Race Course.

The 156th Belmont Stakes the final jewel of the Triple Crown schedule. The Oldest & Longest leg race of the Triple Crown will be held on JUNE 9, at Saratoga Race Course, NY.

More: 2024 Belmont Stakes post time, odds: Live stream, TV channel, how to watch race at Belmont Park.

More: Arcangelo's win 2023 Belmont Stake, first for female trainer in 155-year history

What is the Triple Crown, history?

As noted by the Kentucky Derby website, the Triple Crown is a series of three major horse races that take place in May and early June for 3-year-old horses. The first of the three races is the Kentucky Derby, followed by the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes. Only 13 horses in the history of the sport have won the Triple Crown, something that is considered by many to be the hardest feat to accomplish in all of sports.

The term was in use among horse racing circles dating back to at least 1923. It became more commonly used in 1930, when Gallant Fox became just the second horse ever to win each of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes — races that began in 1875, 1873 and 1867, respectively.

Who was the last Triple Crown winner?

The most recent Triple Crown winner was Justify, trained by Baffert and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, in 2018. His win came just three years after another Baffert horse, American Pharoah, won the Triple Crown.

Horse Racing Triple Crown 2022 winners:

Early Voting wins the 148th running of 2022 Preakness Stakes. (May 21)

Rich Strike, long-shot winner of the 147th running of Kentucky Derby 2022. (May 7)

Mo Donegal hold-off Nest to Win 2022 Belmont Stakes in New York. (June 11)

Where are the triple crown races, lengths, distances:

Kentucky Derby: Churchill Downs (1 1/4 miles)

Preakness Stakes: Pimlico Race Course (1 3/16 miles)

Belmont Stakes: Belmont Park* (1 1/2 miles)

* Belmont Stakes in 2024 will be held at Saratoga Race Course

The three Triple Crown races are held at Churchill Downs in Louisville (Kentucky Derby); Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore (Preakness Stakes); and, in a typical year, Belmont Park in Elmont, New York (Belmont Stakes).

However, the 2024 Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, due to construction at Belmont Park.

How many horses have won the Triple Crown? Full List of 13 winners:

Winning the Triple Crown is very hard to do. There have been just 13 Triple Crown winners in horse racing history, with the first one coming over 100 years ago.

Sir Barton was the first to claim the Triple Crown title all the way back in 1919, while Justify was the most recent to do so in 2018.

Here's a full look at the 13 Triple Crown winners:

Sir Barton (1919)

Gallant Fox (1930)

Omaha (1935)

War Admiral (1937)

Whirlaway (1941)

Count Fleet (1943)

Assault (1946)

Citation (1948)

Secretariat (1973)

Seattle Slew (1977)

Affirmed (1978)

American Pharoah (2015)

Justify (2018)

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