This Week in Horse History - May 31st Through June 6th

June 1st, 1946 - The Thoroughbred racehorse Assault won the Belmont Stakes, completing his sweep of the Triple Crown and making him the seventh horse in history to do so. Assault had been born on a Texas ranch known for its Quarter Horses, where he pierced his right front hoof with a…

This Week in Horse History - May 24th Through May 30th

May 27, 1823 - A match race was held pitting the racehorse American Eclipse against any horse owned by Colonel William R. Johnson. American Eclipse, being from North America, would race against a Southern horse in the match race of four heats. It was attended by more than 60,000 people and offered a purse of $20,000 to the winner.…

This Week in Horse History - May 17th Through May 23rd

May 17, 1875 - The Kentucky Derby was first run. The Derby is held on the first Saturday each May, and is the first race of the Triple Crown. The Derby is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The winner is traditionally awarded with a blanket of red roses.

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This Week in Horse History - May 10th Through May 16th

May 12, 1909 - The Preakness Stakes was held at Pimlico Racecourse in Maryland after being run in New York sixteen times. The Preakness Stakes is the second leg of the Triple Crown, a prestigious series of three races for three-year old Thoroughbreds. In celebration of the return of the Preakness Stakes to Pimlico…

This Week in Horse History - May 3rd Through May 9th

May 3, 1952 - The Kentucky Derby first received nation-wide television coverage. The Derby is held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The first Kentucky Derby was held on May 17, 1875. The field for that race consisted of fifteen horses, though today the field has been increased…