U.S. Thoroughbred racing is dominated by the Triple Crown races – the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes – and the 13 racehorses to sweep that trio of races etched their names in the horse racing’s history books as the series elevated them to legendary status.

Learn More About the 13 Triple Crown Winners

When trainer Bill Mott and owner Godolphin opted to bypass the Preakness Stakes with 2025 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Sovereignty, it guaranteed the sport would not have a 14^th Triple Crown winner this year joining Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault  (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2018).

Sovereignty winning the 2025 Kentucky Derby (Eclipse Sportswire)

However, Sovereignty and Preakness winner Journalism do have an opportunity to join another exclusive group among non-Triple Crown winners June 7 in the $2 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets at Saratoga Race Course. Only 11 3-year-olds other than the 13 Triple Crown winners have won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, so Sovereignty can make that 12. Preakness-Belmont Stakes winners have been more common with 18 of them – again, not counting the Triple Crown winners – and Journalism could add his name to that list.

It's worth noting, the Triple Crown as an accomplishment was first recognized as a feat/expression in U.S. racing in 1930 when Gallant Fox swept the three classics. The Triple Crown was not yet officially recognized in 1919 when Sir Barton won all three races. In fact, there is some dispute (it’s horse racing, so of course there is) about whether New York Times writer Bryan Field or legendary Daily Racing Form columnist Charlie Hatton was the originator of the phrase Triple Crown as it pertains to U.S. racing, although it had been in use for decades before then in England.

Sovereignty will attempt to join a select group as a Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner that includes five Hall of Famers and become the first non-Triple Crown winner to take both races since Thunder Gulch in 1995 (see chart below).

As for Journalism, the Curlin colt can join a group of 18 Preakness-Belmont Stakes winners that includes seven Hall of Fame racehorses (see chart at bottom). He would become the last non-Triple Crown winner to complete that double since Afleet Alex in 2005 – fitting since Journalism’s gutsy Preakness win was often compared with Afleet Alex’s determined win 20 years beforehand in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

There may not be a Triple Crown on the line in this year’s Belmont Stakes, but a win by either Sovereignty or Journalism would put them in the driver’s seat for the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male and provide a massive boost to either résumé.