Two down, one to go; and no Triple Crown in sight. Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby at 23-1, then skipped the Preakness. Napoleon Solo seized the Preakness at Laurel Park. Both colts now meet at Saratoga on June 6 in a Belmont that lacks a Triple Crown narrative but compensates with the deepest classic field in years.
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Cherie DeVaux became the first woman ever to train a Kentucky Derby winner. Closed from last place to deny favorite Renegade at the wire.
Read recap →First Preakness ever at Laurel Park (Pimlico under $250M renovation). Summers and Lopez each won the Preakness for the first time. Ran down favorite Iron Honor in the stretch.
Read recap →6 days out. Derby winner Golden Tempo (5-2) meets Preakness winner Napoleon Solo (7-2). Run at Saratoga for the third straight year while Belmont Park is rebuilt. Shortened to 1 1/4 miles; same as the Derby.
Read preview →A Triple Crown requires the same horse to win all three legs in the same year. The 2026 series broke down on the second leg:
This is the first guaranteed absence of a Triple Crown since 2018, when Justify completed the most recent sweep. Skipping the Preakness has become increasingly common; only six Derby winners since 2010 have run all three legs.
When a horse arrives at the Belmont with a chance to sweep the series, public money piles onto the favorite and compresses payouts across the entire card. With no Triple Crown bid in 2026, expect:
| Year | Horse | Trainer | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Justify | Bob Baffert | Most recent winner. Undefeated. |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | Bob Baffert | Ended a 37-year Triple Crown drought. |
| 1978 | Affirmed | Laz Barrera | Famous duels with Alydar. |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew | Billy Turner | Only undefeated Triple Crown winner at the time. |
| 1973 | Secretariat | Lucien Laurin | Belmont won by 31 lengths in 2:24; record stands. |
Only 13 horses have completed the Triple Crown since the term was coined in 1930.
FanDuel (with TVG integration) is the top all-around choice for both pari-mutuel and fixed-odds Triple Crown wagering. DraftKings and bet365 round out our top three.
A Triple Crown requires the same horse to win all three legs in the same year. Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness, which was won by Napoleon Solo. Because Golden Tempo did not contest the Preakness, he cannot complete the Triple Crown; and because Napoleon Solo did not win the Derby, he cannot win one either. This is the first guaranteed absence of a Triple Crown since 2018, when Justify last completed the sweep.
Only 13 horses have ever won the Triple Crown in the modern era (since 1919). Bob Baffert is the only trainer to have done it twice; with American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018). Eddie Arcaro is the only jockey to win the Triple Crown twice, aboard Whirlaway (1941) and Citation (1948).
The combined purses for the three 2026 races total $9 million: Kentucky Derby ($5M), Preakness Stakes ($2M), Belmont Stakes ($2M). The Triple Crown bonus that some years has been awarded for a sweep is currently not on offer in 2026.
The 2027 Triple Crown series begins with the 153rd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1, 2027, followed by the Preakness Stakes (returning to a rebuilt Pimlico) and the Belmont Stakes (returning to Belmont Park at the traditional 1 1/2-mile distance).
Yes. Triple Crown futures markets open at most Kentucky sportsbooks in late winter; typically January or February; and remain available through Derby week. Note that "Triple Crown winner" futures expire after the Preakness once a sweep becomes impossible (as in 2026, after Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness).