Affirmed

This article is about the racehorse. For the concept in law and other fields, see Affirmation.
Affirmed

Affirmed at Spendthrift Farm in 1981
Sire Exclusive Native
Grandsire Raise a Native
Dam Won't Tell You
Damsire Crafty Admiral
Sex Stallion
Foaled February 21, 1975
Died January 12, 2001
Country United States
Color Chestnut
Breeder Harbor View Farm
Owner Harbor View Farm. Colors: Flamingo, white bars on black sleeves, black cap
Trainer Laz Barrera
Record 29: 22–5–1
Earnings $2,887,999
Major wins

Youthful Stakes (1977)
Hollywood Juvenile Championship (1977)
Sanford Stakes (1977)
Hopeful Stakes (1977)
Futurity Stakes (1977)
Laurel Futurity (1977)
San Felipe Stakes (1978)
Santa Anita Derby (1978)
Hollywood Derby (1978)
Jim Dandy Stakes (1978)
Strub Stakes (1979)
Santa Anita Handicap (1979)
Californian Stakes (1979)
Hollywood Gold Cup (1979)
Woodward Stakes (1979)
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1979)

Triple Crown race wins:
Kentucky Derby (1978)
Preakness Stakes (1978)
Belmont Stakes (1978)
Awards
11th U.S. Triple Crown Champion (1978)
American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (1977)
American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse (1978)
American Champion Older Male Horse (1979)
American Horse of the Year (1978, 1979)
Honors
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1980)
#12 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park
Affirmed Stakes at Calder Race Course
Affirmed Street in Napa, California

Affirmed (February 21, 1975 – January 12, 2001) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the eleventh of twelve winners of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. Affirmed was also known for his famous rivalry with Alydar, whom he met ten times, including in all three Triple Crown races. Affirmed was the last horse to win the Triple Crown for a 37-year period which was ended in 2015 by American Pharoah.

Background

Affirmed was a chestnut horse bred in Florida by Louis E. Wolfson's Harbor View Farm. The derivation of the name "Affirmed" has been the subject of speculation, in part because the conviction of Wolfson, for securities law violations had been affirmed on appeal in 1969 resulting in his imprisonment.[1] He was sired by the Harbor View stallion Exclusive Native, a high-class racehorse and breeding stallion, whose other progeny included the Kentucky Derby winning filly Genuine Risk.

Racing record

1977: two-year-old season

As a two-year-old, Affirmed won seven of his nine starts with two placings for earnings of $343,477 under regular rider Steve Cauthen, then a teenager. Notably, six of those starts were against his rival, Calumet Farm's Alydar, with Affirmed winning four and Alydar winning two.

With his 4-2 margin in the series, Affirmed was named the 1977 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.[2]

1978: three-year-old season

The Triple Crown

Alydar was made the 6-5 favorite for Kentucky Derby, with Affirmed the second choice at 9-5. Undefeated, Sensitive Prince was the third favorite at 9-2. At the start of the Kentucky Derby, Sensitive Prince took the early lead as Affirmed ran in third through the early stages, while Alydar stayed far back. Affirmed made a strong move for the lead on the far turn, put away a challenge by Wood Memorial winner Believe It, and held off Alydar's fast-closing charge to win by 1½ lengths. Affirmed now had a 5-2 edge in the series.

In the Preakness Stakes, Affirmed set the pace. Alydar made his big move on the far turn, at the same point in the race where Affirmed made his winning move in the Derby. Affirmed held a short lead entering the stretch and held it to defeat Alydar by a neck.

Alydar's partisans assumed that the 1½ mile distance of the Belmont, two furlongs longer than the Derby and 5/16 of a mile longer than the Preakness Stakes, would favor Alydar with his finishing style and staying pedigree, and he would deny Affirmed the Triple Crown. Trainer Veitch removed Alydar's blinkers for the Belmont, saying that if Alydar got a better look at Affirmed, maybe he would get by him.

In the Belmont, Affirmed led and set a very slow pace, going the first quarter mile in 25 seconds and the half in 50 seconds. Alydar's jockey, Jorge Velasquez, put Alydar close to the pace, and moved alongside Affirmed with more than seven furlongs to go. For more than six furlongs (half the distance of the race), the colts raced neck and neck, pulling away from the rest of the field. Alydar got his nose in front at mid-stretch, but just as Affirmed appeared to tire, Cauthen went to a left-handed whip, something he had never done before in his eight rides on Affirmed. Affirmed won by a nose to become racing's 11th (and last winner for 37 years until American Pharoah won in 2015), Triple Crown winner. After the third slowest start in Belmont Stakes history, they raced the fastest last mile in Belmont Stakes history, 3/4 in 1:14, the mile in 1:37 2/5 and finished in 2:26 4/5. It was, at the time, the third fastest Belmont ever, behind Secretariat and Gallant Man.

His Triple Crown win has two records. The shortest and longest gaps between the previous and next Triple Crown winners. First, it was just fifty-two weeks after Seattle Slew's win on June 11, 1977. His win is also has the longest gap until the next Triple Crown winner, when American Pharoah's win on June 6, 2015 occurring 1,930 weeks or almost 37 years later.

After the Triple Crown

Affirmed returned to racing in early August in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. He nearly became an upset loser to the front-running Sensitive Prince but closed in the last 100 yards in a race that Laz Barrera considered one of Affirmed's finest efforts.

Alydar and Affirmed met once more, in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Affirmed, piloted by Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay substituting for the injured Cauthen, cut off Alydar entering the far turn, causing his rival to check suddenly. Affirmed finished first but was disqualified and placed second. The horses never met again, and the final winning tally stood at Affirmed 7, Alydar 3.

Affirmed then prepared to meet another major rival: 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. The 1978 Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap marked the first time in racing history that two Triple Crown winners ever met in a race. Seattle Slew was a speed horse and got the first quarter mile in 24 seconds under jockey Angel Cordero, who never allowed Affirmed to get close. Seattle Slew won by three lengths in 1:45 4/5 for the one-turn mile and 1/8. The two horses met once more, in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. This time, Affirmed was to be aided by his stablemate Life's Hope, who was entered in the race to extend Seattle Slew in the early stages. However, Affirmed's saddle slipped during the race, leaving his jockey with almost no control. He tired to finish unplaced as Exceller and jockey Willie Shoemaker defeated Seattle Slew by a nose.

As a three-year-old, Affirmed won 8 of 11 starts with 2 seconds and 1 unplaced run, for earnings of $901,541. He was named Horse of the Year despite the losses to Alydar, Seattle Slew, and Exceller, and was also named the American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse.

1979: four-year-old season

As a four-year-old in 1979, Affirmed started the season with a third place in the Malibu Stakes and a second in the San Fernando Stakes. He had a five race losing sequence prior to starting in the Charles H. Strub Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Laz Barrera replaced Cauthen with Pincay and Affirmed didn't lose again and would dominate the handicaps the rest of the year.

Affirmed won the Strub Stakes, and then ran in the Santa Anita Handicap against Exceller, who had defeated Seattle Slew in 1978. Affirmed won easily, setting the stakes record in California's most important stakes race which still stands as of 2008. Affirmed then went to Hollywood Park, where he won the Californian Stakes, carrying 132 pounds, he then won the Hollywood Gold Cup in a three horse finish, from Sirlad and Text, setting an all time earnings record and running the 1¼ miles in a fast 1:58 2/5. Affirmed picked up the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park, and then faced one more all-time great horse, three-year-old Spectacular Bid, in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, also at Belmont. Spectacular Bid, like Alydar, preferred to run off the pace, and once again, Affirmed was allowed to set a slow pace, going the first half mile in 49 seconds. Spectacular Bid issued challenges at Affirmed, but Affirmed won. Spectacular Bid was undefeated during the rest of his racing career.

Affirmed was named Horse of the Year and the American Champion Older Male Horse of 1979, having won 7 of 9 starts with 1 second and 1 third as a four-year-old and earning $1,148,800. In his career, Affirmed earned a then record $2,393,818 (the first Thoroughbred in North America to win over $2 million) with 22 wins, 5 seconds and 1 third from 29 starts.

His trainer, Laz Barrera, once said: "Affirmed is greater than Secretariat, or any Triple Crown winner, because only Affirmed had to face Alydar."

Stud record

Affirmed was syndicated at a then-record $14.4 million. At stud Affirmed sired over 80 stakes winners, 9 champions with earnings in excess of $44,000,000 (through 2004) including:

Though Affirmed never raced on the turf (grass) he was a noted sire of turf runners, most notably multiple Grade I winners Flawlessly and The Tin Man. As a broodmare sire, his daughters have notably produced Honey Ryder (G1W on turf) and Pleasantly Perfect (G1W on dirt & synthetic, notable wins include Breeders Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup).

In 2001, Affirmed was euthanized after falling seriously ill with laminitis, a circulatory hoof disease. The same disease has also led to the death of fellow Triple Crown winner Secretariat and Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. He was buried whole—the ultimate honor for a race horse—at Jonabell Farm, wearing the flamingo pink colors of his original owners, Harbor View Farm.[4][5]

Rivalry with Alydar

Date Track Race Distance Affirmed finish Alydar finish Margin
6/15/1977 Belmont Park Youthful States 5 1/5 furlongs 1 5 5 lengths (to Alydar)
7/6/1977 Belmont Park Great American Stakes 5 1/2 2 1 3 1/2
8/27/1977 Saratoga Hopeful Stakes 6 1/2 1 2 1/2
9/10/1977 Belmont Park Belmont Futurity 7 1 2 nose
10/15/1977 Belmont Park Champagne Stakes 1 mile 2 1 1 1/4
10/29/1977 Laurel Park Laurel Futurity 1 1/16 miles 1 2 neck
5/6/1978 Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby 1 1/4 1 2 1 1/2
5/20/1978 Pimlico Preakness Stakes 1 3/16 1 2 neck
6/10/1978 Belmont Park Belmont Stakes 1 1/2 1 2 head
8/19/1978 Saratoga Travers Stakes 1 1/4 2* 1* 1 3/4*

Final: Affirmed 7, Alydar 3

*In their final meeting Affirmed drifted in forcing Alydar to be taken up on the backstretch. While Affirmed finished ahead of Alydar, the stewards decided to disqualify Affirmed from first to second, giving Alydar the final win.

Honors

In the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Affirmed was ranked #12.[6]

His career has been honored with his election to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Affirmed, chestnut stallion, 1975[7]
Sire
Exclusive Native
1965
Raise a Native
1961
Native Dancer Polynesian
Geisha
Raise You Case Ace
Lady Glory
Exclusive
1953
Shut Out Equipoise
Goose Egg
Good Example Pilate
Parade Girl
Dam
Won't Tell You
1962
Crafty Admiral
1948
Fighting Fox Sir Gallahad
Marguerite
Admiral's Lady War Admiral
Boola Brook
Scarlet Ribbon
1957
Volcanic Ambrose Light
Hot Supper
Native Valor Mahmoud
Native Gal (family: 23-b)[8]

See also

References

External links

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