Winning The Triple Crown

WINNING THE TRIPLE CROWN in horse racing is one of the most difficult accomplishments in sports. Since the early 1900s only 11 horses have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes in the same year to claim this honor.

One horse did it in 1919, three accomplished it in the 1930s, and four more won the Triple Crown in the ’40s. Then it took 25 years until Secretariat won in 1973. And five years later (after Seattle Slew won the Crown in 1977), Affirmed became the 11th winner of all three races by edging out Alydar in one of the most memorable Belmont races of all time.

With the Kentucky and Preakness already under his belt, Affirmed entered the New York race knowing Alydar would again pose a major threat. That proved to be the case as Alydar took to the front early. But a lot can happen at the 1.5-mile Belmont Stakes. Teenage sensation Steve Cauthen rode Affirmed perfectly, staying near Alydar until the stretch run. That’s when these two great horses locked in a back-and-forth battle to the finish line. As 65,000 fans rose to their feet in a huge cacophony of cheering, Affirmed rode into history as he beat Alydar by a nose.

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POINT Horse racing has been called the sport of kings. The pageantry, style, and tradition of this sport are hard to match. And winning the Triple Crown stands as the crowning achievement.

The Bible mentions horses on numerous occasions. One of the most notable times comes in Revelation, where it says that Jesus Christ will return to earth riding a white horse. Not only that, but our Savior will be leading an army of heavenly horse riders to conquer Satan. Jesus may have come to earth the first time as a tiny baby to die for our sins. But he’ll return the second time as a conquering warrior on a magnificent steed.

GOAL! Look in the Bible for passages about horses. Notice how many times these animals show up at key moments. Think about Jesus riding out of the sky on a white horse. Praise him that he’s victorious in the end!