Affirmed

1978 Triple Crown Winner Profile

Sire: Exclusive Native
Dam: Won't Tell You

Owner: Harbor View Farm
Breeder: Harbor View Farm
Trainer: Laz Barrera
Primary Jockey: Steve Cauthen

Race record: 29 starts, 22 wins, 5 seconds, 1 third
Earnings: $2,393,818

Has there are been a more ferocious and unwavering fighter than Affirmed, winner of the 1978 Triple Crown? On nine occasions during his Hall of Fame career, the Harbor View Farm homebred was involved in driving finishes decided by less than a length. Remarkably, he won them all.

Known for his rivalry with fellow Hall of Famer Alydar, Affirmed faced his talented adversary half a dozen times as a juvenile. With championship honors on the line, they clashed in such storied prizes as the Youthful, Great American, Hopeful (G1), Futurity (G1), Champagne (G1), and Laurel Futurity (G1), with Affirmed’s tenacity winning the day in all but the Youthful and Champagne.

Clearly Affirmed held the edge as a 2-year-old, slim as it might have been. All told, the Florida-bred chestnut compiled a 7-for-9 record under the care of Lazaro Barrera, achieving most of his success while guided by 17-year-old jockey Steve Cauthen. Counting victories in the Sanford (G2) and Juvenile Championship alongside his triumphs over Alydar, Affirmed was an easy choice for division honors.

But his toughest battles were still to come. Though Affirmed kicked off his 3-year-old season with four straight victories, including clear scores in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Hollywood Derby (G1), the Triple Crown would be a different ballgame. Alydar had also gone undefeated during the spring, winning three Grade 1 stakes, and was favored at 6-5 to edge Affirmed in the Run for the Roses.

Bettors clearly underestimated Affirmed, who used his superior tactical speed to record a comfortable 1 1/2-length victory over his late-running rival. But in the Preakness two weeks later, Affirmed had to dig deep to withstand Alydar’s challenge, prevailing by only a neck in the quick time of 1:54 2/5.

Thus the stage was set for an epic showdown in the Belmont Stakes, with a sweep of the Triple Crown on the line. For the final mile of the 1 1/2-mile classic, Affirmed and Alydar were never more than a length apart, and down the stretch they raced head and head while pulling well clear of their overmatched pursuers. Affirmed, racing in tight quarters along the rail, could have folded under the pressure. Instead, he battled back and won by a head in 2:26 4/5.

The second half of Affirmed’s sophomore season was defined largely by disappointment; though he won the Jim Dandy (G3), he was disqualified from a victory over Alydar in the Travers (G1) and later finished behind fellow Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew in the Marlboro Cup H. (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).

Despite these setbacks, Affirmed was voted Horse of the Year, and he bounced back strongly as a 4-year-old. Following a couple of early defeats, Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay took over the mount and guided Affirmed to seven consecutive victories, including six Grade 1 wins. Most significantly, Affirmed edged 3-year-old sensation Spectacular Bid in a thrilling renewal of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, securing a second straight Horse of the Year title.

Affirmed retired with earnings of $2,393,818, becoming the first horse to surpass the $2 million mark. At stud, Affirmed was a reasonable if not rousing success, counting two-time turf champion Flawlessly and Canadian Triple Crown winner Peteski among his best foals.

Affirmed tenacity finally betrayed him in 2001, when the aging star succumbed to laminitis at the age of 26. But his refuse-to-lose victory in the Belmont Stakes—one of the most heart-pounding races ever run—will ensure Affirmed lives on forever in memory.