For the most part, the great American-based fillies and mares of the last few decades were stars who beat the boys in Triple Crown races or major Grade 1 stakes on dirt.
For the past 75-plus years, the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup have been proving grounds for a long list of Thoroughbred racing’s greatest champions.
Some horses, though, have transcended the sport’s most famous stages.
With the 2026 U.S. Triple Crown season completed, the focus of the horse racing world shifts from Saratoga Race Course to across the pond for one of the most prestigious events on the annual calendar. The five-day Royal Ascot meet begins Tuesday, June 16, at gorgeous Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, England.
