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American horse racing fans will never miss the annual Triple Crown Thoroughbred Racing because it covers the three most famous races in the world—Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
More than this, the world-famous horse racing event showcases the toughest and fastest thoroughbreds. Each year features a distinct set of prizewinners, and fans of the 2021 Triple Crown are thrilled to celebrate the names of the heroes who triumphed this year.
Essential Quality
The Triple Crown title wasn't awarded this year since no horse has surmounted all three races. However, few have shown outstanding performance throughout this season, and Essential Quality is on top of the listing.Essential Quality has already made a name in racing as he championed Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Breeders' Futurity, Southwest Stakes, and Bluegrass Stakes.
He is a three-year-old colt ridden by Luis Saez and handled by Brad Cox. He already has a long list of outstanding victories in his young career.
Essential Quality has the race odds of 2-1 for the Kentucky Derby that took place on May 1. He clashed with Rock Your World many times at the beginning of the race, with no chance to secure an early position. Nevertheless, he placed 4th in the said race.
In the Belmont Stakes, Essential Quality won by 14 lengths against Hot Rod Charlie in a thrilling stretch, earning trainer Brad Cox his first Triple Crown victory. Essential Quality also finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby and was the betting favourite.
Hot Rod Charlie
Hot Rod Charlie scored his first career race on the main track on October 2, 2020, when he claimed a one-mile maiden special weight race by a neck.Hot Rod Charlie came in third in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park on January 30. He scored two points on his way to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve with that win.
He placed third in the Kentucky Derby, and in his latest achievement at Belmont, Hot Rod Charlie sprinted out to a big lead, clocking in at 22.78 seconds for the fastest opening quarter-mile in Belmont history. Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie battled it out in the final stretch, while Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer placed third.
He was behind Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion Essential Quality as the second betting favourite in the race. This puts him ahead of Preakness winner Rombauer in the standings.
Rombauer
Rombauer is a bay colt bred at Machmer Hall in Paris, Kentucky, on April 17, 2018. It was John and Dianne Fradkin who trained him.Rombauer's past performances in El Camino Real Derby and Blue Grass Stakes granted him enough points to qualify on the 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby. However, his breeders chose to skip it and proceed to the Preakness Stakes instead.
Rombauer surged from behind to win the Preakness Stakes, Triple Crown's second jewel, by 3 1/2 lengths, storming past duelling leaders Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit in mid-stretch.
Rombauer, the Preakness winner, has a chance to win for the second time in a row, but he isn't favoured in the eight-horse lineup. Nonetheless, he placed third in the final gem of the Triple Crown.
Known Agenda
St. Elias Stables, run by Vincent Viola, raised a chestnut colt named Known Agenda. With a decisive victory in the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n Dale Farms at Xalapa at Gulfstream Park on March 27, Known Agenda proved himself as a strong contender on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.He was one of the leading candidates in the Kentucky Derby, but he finished a frustrating ninth to overall victor Medina Spirit due to a terrible run.
Known Agenda had his next attempt in the Belmont Stakes on June 5, hoping to recoup his terrible Derby performance. The good thing is that he finished fourth, 13+14 lengths behind victor Essential Quality in the Belmont.
Bourbonic
After his impressive win in the $750,000 Wood Memorial S. (G2) in Aqueduct on April 3, Calumet Farm homebred Bourbonic acquired 100 points on the 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby.With 100 qualifying points, Bourbonic finished 6th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard but could not repeat his Wood Memorial success at Churchill Downs and placed 13th in the race.
In the Belmont Stakes, he finished fifth in a field of eight thoroughbreds. Many have observed that Bourbonic surges late in a race. It could be his most significant disadvantage in achieving success, but his team believes that he can improve with maturity as time passes by.
