Triple Crown Near Misses

For those of you are are thinking that I'll Have Another's Belmont victory is a sure thing, here is a list of those in column A who were once in the same spot as he is: winners of both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.

Who can forget the heartbreak of the Smarty Jones year or 1997 and 1998 when both years the Triple Crown was a near miss. I clearly remember the Phipps colors on Easy Goer as he stole the three-peat from Sunday Silence in 1989.

The point here is that it's not a given that I'll Have Another will have another. But what is a given is that every single horse and rider on that track will be trying to make sure he doesn't.

And you know what they say? Nobody remembers who finishes second....

Triple Crown Near Misses
Year Derby/Preakness winner Belmont Finish Belmont winner
2008 Big Brown 9th Da' Tara
2004 Smarty Jones 2nd Birdstone
2003 Funny Cide 3rd Empire Maker
2002 War Emblem 8th Sarava
1999 Charismatic 3rd Lemon Drop Kid
1998 Real Quiet 2nd Victory Gallop
1997 Silver Charm 2nd Touch Gold
1989 Sunday Silence 2nd Easy Goer
1987 Alysheba 4th Bet Twice
1981 Pleasant Colony 3rd Summing
1979 Spectacular Bid 3rd Coastal
1971 Canonero II 4th Pass Catcher
1969 Majestic Prince 2nd Arts and Letters
1968 Forward Pass* 2nd Stage Door Johnny
1966 Kauai King 4th Amberoid
1964 Northern Dancer 3rd Quadrangle
1961 Carry Back 7th Sherluck
1958 Tim Tam 2nd Cavan
1944 Pensive 2nd Bounding Home
1936 Bold Venture Did Not Start Granville
1932 Burgoo King Did Not Start Fairen