Each week, members of the national media vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown trail in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll.
With a superstar young jockey, dueling rivals, and electrifying finishes, the 1978 Triple Crown stands out among the other 12 on the strength of the sheer thrills and chills that Affirmed and Alydar brought each time they met on the racetrack.
BloodHorse news editor Byron King presents his final Derby Dozen for 2026, with a look at his leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 2.
Editor’s note: This feature has been updated to reflect Donna Barton Brothers’ announcement that she would retire from NBC Sports, where she has covered Triple Crown races for the past 26 years, following the 2026 Preakness Stakes.
Donna Barton Brothers did not set out to follow the path blazed by her mother, Patti, by becoming a jockey. And yet she rode from 1987-98 and ranked as the second-leading money earner of all time among women when she retired.
