Famous Racehorses

Triple Crown
 The Triple Crown is a set of three races: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. Only eleven super-horses have been able to win all three of these races, which are spaced out within a few weeks of each other. Among these are Secretariat, War Admiral, Sir Barton, Affirmed, and seven more. I have decided to cover each of these elite horses with several posts.

Sir Barton
 1919 Triple Crown winner
Sir Barton, the very first Triple Crown winner, raced in the years 1918-1920. In the beginning, he was fiery tempered horse that failed to place, but over time he began to be remembered as a great horse. In fact, his wins at Churchill Downs, Pimlico, and Belmont seemed almost effortless.

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Gallant Fox(aka, The Fox of Belair)
1930 Triple Crown winner
Gallant Fox was a chestnut stallion with a wall eye. Like many other Triple Crown winners, his first season was not so good, since he only won two races that year. However, despite that, the public liked him, and considered him a top contender for the next year's spring classics. 
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Omaha(aka, Belair Bullet)
1935 Triple Crown winner
When Gallant Fox's first son, Omaha, came to the racetrack, expectations were high. After all, it was reasonable to expect the second Triple Crown winner's son to be as successful as he was. Omaha is remembered as the only Triple Crown winner to be sired by a Triple Crown winner.
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War Admiral(aka, The Mighty Atom, The Admiral)
1937 Triple Crown winner
One of Man o' War's greatest sons, War Admiral, was born in 1934, fourteen years after Man o' War proved himself as a three-year-old in 1920. He was 15.3 hands high, and was so dark brown that most people thought he was black. Furthermore, he had inherited his sires fiery temper, and was always energetic. Nevertheless, he was loved by the public.
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Whirlaway(aka, The Flying Tail)
1941 Triple Crown winner
Whirlaway was a troublesome colt. He was not like Man o' War, with a fiery temper, but he always ran in zigzags. Even so, he was fast. Also, he was called The Flying Tail because of his long, bushy tail.
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Count Fleet
1943 Triple Crown winner
Count Fleet was the successful son of Reigh Count, a stallion who race in the late '20s. He was a difficult colt, and Mr. Hertz tried selling him multiple times, but his manager and jockey convinced him otherwise. Johnny Longden rode the fiery horse despite the fact that he would likely get hurt. Everything paid off in the end.
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Assault(aka, the Club Footed Comet)
1946 Triple Crown winner
As a weanling, Assault had injured his hoof permanently crippling himself. Because of this, no one expected him to ever succeed in racing. However, they were pleasantly surprised at how much talent and promise the young horse showed, and were even more surprised when he won the Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont.
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Citation(aka, Big Cy)

1948 Triple Crown winner

 In 1948, a three-year-old colt returned to the racetrack for his second season. This horse, Citation, was braver than most three-year-olds in his first few races, defeating horses older than him. Like most other Triple Crown winners, no one expected him to capture all three Triple Crown jewels. But he did it.

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Secretariat(aka, Big Red)

1973 Triple Crown winner

 Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner, is one of the greatest horses that has ever lived. He has shattered two world records, three track records, and won sixteen races of twenty-one starts. The world has not seen a more extraordinary horse since Secretariat. Neither has a horse been more loved by the public. His records still stand today, yet to be defeat by another amazing horse. Perhaps it will remain that way.

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Seattle Slew(aka, the People's Horse)
1977 Triple Crown winner
As a yearling, Seattle Slew was sold at the Keeneland Yearling Sales to the Taylors and the Hills. At first, he was the ungainly colt that always swayed to the right when running, but later he became the undefeated favorite. He is the first Triple crown winner to be ought at an auction(Sir Barton was sold privately and the others were raced by their breeders). Also, he was the first to go undefeated through the classics. 
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Affirmed
1978 Triple Crown winner
Affirmed is America's most recent Triple Crown winner. In 1978, he battled through the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont with his rival, Alydar. After his Triple Crown victory, he raced against Seattle Slew, making the two the only Triple Crown winners to race each other. He was named 1978's Horse of the Year, though many disputed that Seattle Slew should have been given the honor. 
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Other

Man o' War
 Man o' War is arguably one of the greatest racehorses to ever live, winning races left and right and breaking numerous records. In his 21 race career, he only lost once, to a horse named Upset. Even then, it was only by the distance of half a length. Man o' War is buried at the Kentucky Horse Park.
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Mine That Bird
 Mine That Bird is the underdog that won the Kentucky Derby in 2009. No one expected him to win, with his odds at 50-1, but did, becoming the second gelding to win the Derby since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.
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Zenyatta
 Zenyatta, a well-known female racehorse in the racing world, raced in the years 2007-2010, going undefeated in the first nineteen races of her career. She only lost one race, the last of her career, and retired after that.
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