Triple Crown 2015: American Pharoah Belongs Amongst Legends in Racing History

The horse that all horses will always be measured against is Secretariat. The 1973 Triple Crown winner didn't just win the Belmont Stakes by a whopping 31 lengths, leading wire to wire, but he also set records at each of the Triple Crown races. 

American Pharoah isn't Secretariat. But he might just be the next best thing. 

American Pharoah didn't just win the Belmont Stakes on Saturday to win the first Triple Crown since Affirmed last accomplished the feat in 1978. He also absolutely dominated the field, leading wire to wire, much like he did at the Preakness. To say that the horse broke the 37-year drought in style would be a bit of an understatement. 

Trainer Bob Baffert knew he had a unique horse all along, per WSJ Sports on Twitter:

And Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated knew he witnessed something special:

Part of what makes Pharoah's triumph so impressive is the simple fact that horse racing is a much different sport than it was in the 1970s, namely because so many trainers choose to run their horses at just one of the Triple Crown events. And even if they run them at more than one, they rarely run them at back-to-back races. 

That means most Triple Crown contenders are running against far fresher horses, which especially can come into play at the Belmont, where the longer track is a nightmare for a horse showing any signs of fatigue. 

American Pharoah didn't show any fatigue. 

Yes, there will be those that will point out after toppling an impressive field of contenders at the Kentucky Derby, Pharoah's competition at the next two races wasn't nearly so stiff. 

And of course, all roads lead back to Secretariat. Once the honeymoon dies down in the wake of American Pharoah's victory, his place in history will be debated and discussed endlessly. One thing will always keep this great horse in the shadow of another, per ESPN Stats & Information:

But context is important, too. Pharoah's victory at the Kentucky Derby, in hindsight, continues to look extremely impressive. The horse dominated Preakness and Belmont fields that were full of fresh horses. It took 37 years for a horse to do what Pharoah did, for heaven's sake. 

Secretariat's resume for "best horse ever" is ridiculous. Heck, Secretariat broke a 25-year drought. American Pharoah isn't Secretariat. 

But in the running for second-best, well, American Pharoah at least has to be mentioned alongside the other greats of the sport.