Affirmed-Alydar best TC Clash

Affirmed won the first of the triple races by 1-1/2 lengths, but the Preakness and the Belmont were a neck and a nose affair. Secretariat, Count Fleet swept their races.

Many of you can remember the battles between Affirmed and Alydar for the 1978 Triple Crown championship. Alydar's determined challenges and Affirmed's tremendous heart for winning were the standard. Both chestnuts also became noteworthy sires, with Affirmed again the biggest winner.

With the passing of "Baby Huey" Seattle Slew in 2002, America was left without a living Triple Crown champion, a first in the nation's long history of thoroughbred racing. Slew tripled in 1977. His progeny line shows up in hundreds of graded stakes winners.

Secretariat may have been the most popular of our triple champs. He won it all in 1973. Every magazine cover of top news circulation in the country featured Secretariat's image in '73. In 1988, his son, Risen Star, nearly duplicated the triple feat, winning both the Derby and the Preakness.

Citation was called the best he ever rode by his jockey, Eddie Arcaro, who rode two triplers to the winner's circle. Did you know, Arcaro is the only jock to ever do that? Citation was perfect looking, and his 32 wins from 45 posts, with just one unplaced run, make his 1948 title all the more impressive. Arcaro wasn't his original jockey. Al Snider had the ride first. He was lost in an apparent boating accident in Florida. His body was never recovered.

The 1946 Triple Crown champion never looked like a champion. He crippled his right front foot on a surveyor's stake, yet flew like the wind in races. When he walked, he limped. National treasurer Max Hirsch trained Assault, at first believing the colt would do little.

Shows you how individual horses can be.

Count Fleet was an outstanding champion. In today's hype and in historical context, he infrequently comes into conversation. A mistake. He was the son of a Kentucky Derby champion, Reigh Count, and the sire of another, Count Turf, as well as winning it himself. A very strong sire, during 1951, Count Fleet progency produced five $100,000 winners. He tripled in 1941, winning the Belmont by 25 lengths. His regular rider, Johnny Longden, said Count Fleet was the best ever. Longden not only rode the Fleet to a Kentucky Derby championship, he trained the 1969 Derby champ, Majestic Prince, who also won the Preakness that year.

Secretariat, Citation, or Count Fleet? Assault? Who was the best of the triplers? Perhaps you favor Slew, or one of the earlier giants of racing, Sir Barton, the first? Or Gallant Fox, the second and sire of the third, Omaha? Or Man o' War's War Admiral, or the erratic Whirlaway?

And who is your pick to do it this year?