(In both above photos: Alydar left, Affirmed right. 1978 Belmont Stakes.)
Affirmed. He's the only Triple Crown winner that comes with a standby "Triple Crown Loser." But the name Affirmed cannot be mentioned without immediate association to another great colt--Alydar. Alydar is the only horse in the history of the Triple Crown to finish second in all three races. Not even to mention being second to the same horse. Affirmed and Alydar had one of the most compelling rivalries in the history of the "sport of kings" in 1977 and 1978. They raced each other ten times. With the exception of Alydar's first race, no horse would ever finish better than third in any race that had both Affirmed and Alydar on the card. Nine times they were first and second. Seven times Affirmed won. Three times Alydar. Affirmed actually crossed the line first in their last meeting, the 1978 Travers Stakes, but was disqualified after obvious interference with Alydar on the far turn. Alydar fell far back, but showed an immense amount of heart when he fough back to be second, and then placed first after Affirmed's DQ. No matter, the race proved nothing. Then again, what needed to be proven? Affirmed had finished first in all three Triple Crown races, only the eleventh horse to do so in 103 years. Alydar got a little closer to him each time--a length and a quarter in the Kentucky Derby. A neck in the Preakness Stakes. A desperate nose in the Belmont Stakes after the two ran neck and neck for a mile before the finish.
If you were to ask me today to describe Alydar in one sentence, this is what I might say:
Alydar was a great horse with the terrible misfortune of being born in 1975, the same year as Affirmed. Had he been born any other year, we very well may have had twelve Triple Crown Winners. Okay, fine, that was two sentences. If you asked me which was the better horse, a part of me will always want to say Alydar, because I have a tendency to side with the underdog. But I think Affirmed proved more than once that he was the stronger horse, even if he was smaller. Alydar had a strong following that refused to believe Affirmed was the better horse, but most of those opinions were put to rest in the 1978 Belmont Stakes. But Alydar got his revenge. The two horses ended up at the same breeding farm in adjacent stalls. It was here that Alydar finally got to be superior to Affirmed. Alydar produced, among many greats, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner of 1987, Alysheba (was fourth in the Belmont, Bet Twice the winner) and 1989 Kentucky Derrby and Preakness Stakes runner up and Belmont Stakes winner, Easy Goer. Of course Easy Goer is remembered for being unlucky to have been defeated by Sunday Silence in three of the most important races of his life. This is a different story for me. Here, I really think Easy Goer was the better horse, and that he had more adversity to overcome than Sunday Silence. Not to take anything away from Sunday Silence. After winning the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, being second in the Belmont Stakes and winning The Breeder's Cup Classic (all in the presence of Easy Goer) he deserved every ounce of credit he got. I do find it very ironic that Alydar's son would have a similar situation to his own. But, on the bright side, between the two previously mentioned sons, Alydar produced winners of all three Triple Crown races. Affirmed produced no Triple Crown race winners.
Both horses were euthanized, Alydar in 1990 and Affirmed in 2001 due to injuries. Affirmed fractured and dislocated his ankle. Alydar shattered his cannon bone after allegedly "kicking his stall wall." He underwent successful surgery, but while in recovery, turned to the sound of a mare in the pasture and broke his femur. He was put down. There was much suspicion and controversy over Alydar's death, and many believe that he was killed in an insurance scam by Calumet Farm. Calumet filed bankruptcy shortly after his death.
It's strange the effect that Alydar had on Affirmed's story, but I guess it's fitting. Alydar was a fighter in the strongest sense of the word. Most horses would give up after losing time after time, especially to the same horse. Alydar and Affirmed both left everything on the track each time they raced each other, and they both had alot of heart and guts. The name Affirmed can't be mentioned without alluding to the great Alydar. Without Alydar, there is no Affirmed. Everything great that he did loses its significance if you take Alydar out of the picture.
PS, I strongly encourage you to watch the 1978 Belmont Stakes. You can Youtube it. I've seen alot of great horse races, but that is by far the most incredible thing I've ever witnessed. It's one of the best horse races that's ever been run.
(Affirmed, top. Alydar, bottom.)
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