Affirmed - 1978 Belmont Stakes

[@Jeanemilr-hn7tj]

Cent fois, Le même sentiment, Ne sachant toujours pas, Qui va '' L' emporter ''. Plus qu'un ' duel' ', Une, ' référence' ', Bravo CHAMPIONS

[@Steven-mk4gg]

Man, on so many other years. Affirmed was magnificent, and Alydar was the Triple Crown Champion who would have been, but never was.

[@MrWestmarket39]

That homestretch still sends chills down my spine

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

Best contested race of all time. Great call by Anderson, his last Belmont. He died way too young, only 47, in 1979.

[@georgeblackwell9806]

In 1978 I bet on Alydar 3 straight times and he was in every one of the triple crown races right up to the end. even in 2021 I still watch these 1978 races and they still take my breath away. To me this was the best triple crown races ever. And down the stretch they come, I get goosebumps to this day.

[@blueshark3098]

Check out the 1962 Travers between Jaipur and Ridan. It is also available on youtube.

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

@@blueshark3098 It is truly a freak race. I put this one above it because of what was at stake.

[@zeuschowie7473]

My mother died in 1979 too only 40 years old...I loved going to Belmont as a child

[@DogBoxDeluxe]

Best Triple Crown Series ever!!! Affirmed and Alydar….

[@gotch09]

After almost 40 years, this race still makes my hair stand on end.

[@madelaynevanoni7763]

+Jayne Mansfield me too

[@rosamundbowles2608]

Not like Secretariat in 1973.

[@gotch09]

@@rosamundbowles2608 Well, that's on you, isn't it.

[@epipd5712]

I love these kind of races. Keep you on the edge of your seat till the end.whewwwwwwwwww.

[@nickybraddy]

One of the greatest races in history.

[@howl_with_the_wolves2861]

It's #1

[@Kram6298]

This one and Secretariat's run in '73 were two of the most stirring races I've ever seen.

[@fiddleronthecube7835]

I watched it live in 1978. I was pulling for Affirmed to win. I really thought Alydar was going to win with 1/16 of a mile to go. This is still the greatest horse race of all time. Affirmed became my favorite horse of all time on that day. Buckpasser and Swaps were my favorites before Affirmed. In my opinion Affirmed was the hardest horse to pass if he was in front. The will to win was extraordinary in this horse.

[@johnhebert3986]

I had the privilege of 1st being at Churchill Downs, with my Father, to see Affirmed beat Alydar in the Kentucky Derby. We were lucky enough to have seats, right on the finish line. We missed the Preakness, but watched it live on TV. With Affirmed now having a chance to win the triple crown, we weren't going to miss the Belmont, so we drove down to the track early that morning, to try and find, and hold some decent seats. That was and all day battle, but well worth the fight, to witness those 2 horses lock horns, and battle all the way to the wire. Cauthen, made the difference IMO. I liked Alydar, in all 3 races. But Affirmed turned out to be a bit better, then a lot of race fans thought.

[@franklincolletta]

Look at the people jumping up and down in the infield as the horses cross the wire. Terrific race.

[@stevencooke6451]

Have to again compliment the flawless delivery of Chick Anderson. My favourite announcer of all time. Tom Durkin I'll place at #2.

[@chonch65]

Would have loved to hear Durkin's version. Chick just didn't deliver the excitement to match the dramatic events unfolding before him. I see the race caller as an entertainer...after all, we can see the running order of the horses and read the split times.

[@hamburg1306]

Claude Ciancio Chic Anderson was also track announcer for NYRA in 1978 until his untimely passing in 1979. Marshall Cassidy was the back up track announcer and succeeded Anderson. Durkin didn’t come into the picture until much later. Anderson was an all time great announcer.

[@flatonia]

This race set up.perfect for Affirmed. No other _speed_ in the race and opening fractions of 25s....50s. It looks a lot like the JCGP of 1979 when Spectacular Bid just couldn't pass Affirmed. Alydar showed tons of heart in this Belmont.

[@paulcarpool2288]

What are you talking about? It was a 1 mile prolonged speed duel!! These are 2 tremendous race horses.... Period!!

[@HankThrasher]

This was well before my time, I'm just hoping we see another historic race like this on Saturday!

[@ballen..]

The greatest rivalry in the history of thoroughbred racing.

[@stevencooke6451]

Wonderful when all the expectation and hype before the race proved to be even less than the actual event. I was cheering for Affirmed as a kid, in part because he had been a slight underdog in the Derby, and I was a fan of the young Steve Cauthen. It's too bad their final meeting was the tainted Travers Stakes in August.

[@Caroni100]

"It's been said racing encompasses hours of agony and moments of glory. But moments like the 1978 Triple Crown inspire the pursuit of greatness" Steve Cauthen (May 1st, 1960 - ) Hall of Fame jockey Best regards from Venezuela. "Se ha dicho que las carreras abarcan horas de agonía y momentos de gloria. Pero momentos como la Triple Corona de 1978 inspiran la búsqueda de la grandeza" Steve Cauthen (1ro. Mayo 1960 - ) Jinete del Salón de la Fama Saludos desde Venezuela.

[@johnblack8036]

I thought this was the race Alydar would finally prove his superiority. It just didn't happen. He just couldn't get past that damn horse. Before that Kentucky Derby, you would have bet the house on Alydar. He looked so dominant in his prep races that I thought Affirmed had no chance in hell. His closing speed was ridiculous. He definitely had the pedigree to run all day. He ran 1:47 flat in both the Flamingo Stakes and Florida Derby and then wins the Blue Grass by 13 lengths on a track that was running slow. To this day, I still don't see how he lost all three of those Triple Crown races. I just will never get it. I know Affirmed was great, but Alydar was awesome. Racing is a team sport. It's not just the horse. I think Steve Cauthen was the difference.

[@stevencooke6451]

Your prediction for 1978 proved wrong, but your logic held eleven years later when Easy Goer finally overcame Sunday Silence.

[@Steve-ff3xx]

I don't believe Steve Cauthen was the difference. Affirmed ran the same way with Lafitte Pincay on board. This is vintage Affirmed. He loved to grab the lead and then he just waited for the other horse to try to pass. When Alydar pulled alongside, Affirmed had a tendency to tip his right ear towards Alydar. It was almost as if he was saying "not on my watch". Affirmed just loved to go toe-to-toe and grind it out against other horses. That was his M.O. If styles make races, Affirmed's style was well-suited to countering Alydar. It was a great rivalry. On the matter of speed, Affirmed was no slouch either. His 1:58.4 10F at Hollywood Park was impressive, especially when you consider he was carrying 132 pounds.

[@fagerflies]

Alydar was a great horse as you described, but Affirmed was not just a little better he was significantly better. It looked like he would catch him only because Affirmed like to wait on horses to beat them. If that were not the case, Alydar would have won one just on luck. Affirmed was a better horse at 3 then Alydar, and in fact, after the two year old year, Alydar was never again to finish in front of Affirmed.

[@marcosponce960]

John Black yes alydar always ran wide and outside on the last turn affirmed was great but alydar needed a diff jockey

[@skg069]

Heart. Alydar was a great, great horse with a lot of heart but Affirmed had the heart of a champion. He would simply not give up his lead, no matter what.

[@stephenclabaugh2651]

Steve Cauthon wins a race he could’ve easily lost by using a left hand whip. Had he not done that chances are he loses.great split second decision by him.This is what separates the hall of fame jockeys from the rest. The race itself is what dreams are made of

[@gotch09]

Slew and Affirmed are 2 of my favorites. And both way underrated. Affirmed was hell bent for leather that Alydar wasn't going to win. Affirmed made it personal, he didn't just want to win, he wanted to knock out Alydar.

[@sammygaudino8906]

idk if slew is underrated... he's prop the 2nd best horse ever.

[@gotch09]

@@sammygaudino8906 No matter what horse you're talking about somebody has to interject with "SECRETARIAT THIS, SECRETARIAT THAT'.

[@sammygaudino8906]

@@gotch09 we'll he is by far the best...but i think slew is prop the 2nd best

[@gotch09]

@@sammygaudino8906 Thats my point. Go to a Secretariat site to rant & rave about him.

[@sammygaudino8906]

@@gotch09 I'm just saying you said seattle slew is underrated..but he's prop the 2nd best horse ever...how is that underrated.

[@bionicsjw]

Secretariat may be the best horse but this was the greatest, in my opinion, rivalry in horse racing.

[@Steven-mk4gg]

Hands down the best. Imo as well.

[@mikeprevost8650]

Affirmed's combined winning margins in the 3 Triple Crown races was less than 2 lengths.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

I saw this live at age eleven and couldn't believe it.

[@peace-now]

Reminds me of this race (called the Race of the Century) 1986 Cox Plate (Bonecrusher vs Our Waverley Star)

[@bcarney56]

been a long, this race happened the day before I graduated from high school...

[@williamdunphy352]

1/4-25 1/2-50 3/4-1:14 Mile-1:37.2 1 Mile & 1/4-2:01.3 Finish-2:26.4

[@Ethan-dn1wc]

I know people are gonna always go to Chic Anderson's iconic 1973 Belmont call and will always be the one that people know him by, but this in my opinion was by far more impressive. Affirmed and Alydar were pretty much racing tight the entire race to the point where it would be difficult to discern(even with binoculars) what was happening, yet he called every tiny lead change that occurred and then somehow managed to discern that Affirmed barely got a nose in front at the wire to win. Most announcers would have called that race too close to call and left it up to the stewards to figure it out.

[@judithdemers9352]

CONGRATULATIONS LAS

[@elindquist80]

Wow. No idea it was this close.

[@barryshulman7807]

steve cauthen retired veteran who started in all the racetracks in New England states and went to Europe and is a great hall of fame jockey Barry shulman.

[@RyanM1972]

American Pharoah could end this decades long drought.

[@teddyis2fast4u]

Ryan Mullen American Pharoah will win the Triple Crown guaranteed!! unless you have another big fix like Big Brown

[@jetshull]

Teddy Horsfield just 1 fix.......the mob might call that race day............today you lose.....click.

[@jarl5444]

Ryan Mullen did it

[@bryantrinh7482]

this race looked almost exactly like dortmund and firing line at the robert lewis stakes

[@echoman292]

Amazing Race

[@garysimms6412]

As much as I loved Alydar, I tip my hat to Affirmed.. they both were dominant in that crop of 3 year olds.. we might not ever see two as evenly matched..

[@thomasseeger3685]

Gary Simms You could argue the likes of Sunday Silence and Easy Goer (Alydar’s son). I think that Secretariat and Sham were more evenly matched than their results show.

[@KEEDOGComebackTour]

if we are just talking triple crown season you could throw Real Quiet and Victory Gallop in there. Those two just didn't have any history before or after the triple crown but just for those three races it was a great rivalry.

[@davemattia]

Alydar was a hugely successful stallion who produced a lot of stakes and still pops up in the pedigrees of top horses. Affirmed (who lived 10 years longer than Alydar) was a decent stallion who is remembered most for producing turf horses.

[@marcosponce960]

Running on the outside how much farther did alydar run

[@fagerflies]

virtually not at all. The turns are banked and so gentle due to the size of the oval, that anything he might have lost, he got back being able to lay on Affirmed with the rail opposite Affirmed's other side. Alydar would not have caught Affirmed had they gone around another lap. Alydar was simply unlucky to come in the same crop as Affirmed

[@marcosponce960]

fagerflies but then again affirmed won by virtually not at all ,,,12inches

[@fagerflies]

Marcos that's the point.. every time Alydar came to him from the Derby to the Belmont, the same thing happened. Affirmed waited until he was challenged and then pulled ahead. If they were that close in ability Alydar would have nosed him out at least once just by sheer luck. Affirmed knew where the finish was..this is why he never finished in front of him again after their two year old year. This is the nature of competitive horses.. and there were a lot of people like you that assumed wrongly Alydar would "get him" next time since it was so close and yet regardless of the distance, the same things happened. This was not luck but a lot of people wasted money betting on Alydar in those races thinking just like you, that he was about to catch him. They lost their bets due to not understanding what it was Affirmed was doing on the track. Again I saw Alydar race in person twice, once at Arlington Park and he just devastated the field by 12 lengths.. he was a great horse, but Affirmed was just better and as a four year old Affirmed was even a better horse. He showed Spectacular Bid his ass in the mile and a half Jockey Club and Spectacular Bid is one of the best horses ever to race. You measure greatness most of the time by virtue of the competition and Alydar did indeed show how good Affirmed was.. His trainer, Veitch, thought just like you.. I'll get him next time" he never finished in front of him again

[@marcosponce960]

fagerflies too close to call you forgot to mention affirmed 4yo and the Bid 3yo

[@fagerflies]

I agree with that to a point.. it surely was an issue the year before with Affirmed and Seattle Slew, but The Bid was a questionable runner when he was in a dogfight

[@wolfsrule100]

I really wish we would have another triple crown winner

[@bryanjones7257]

Woaaah nelly!

[@russellalvarez1930]

I was there and saw it.

[@marcusxmac9687]

For such a huge race and tremendous rivalry that announcer was dreadful

[@bryanjones7257]

Am completely with Hayne Mansfield

[@rosamundbowles2608]

Not like Secretariat in 1973. Why is the video such poor quality?

[@madelaynevanoni7763]

It has been 37 years since there has been a triple crown winner and American Pharoah wins it

[@d.b.1858]

Affirmed just played Alydar. He enjoyed the game.

[@enrique9603]

Fixed To The Tee,Alydars Jockey Had Lots Of Horse,Passive Riding

[@cherylsprague9344]

Seabiscuit, and Secretariat where the best horses out there.I do think ride on curlin is going to win tomorrow.

[@patschauer8558]

Native Dancer was the best racehorse ever. Won 21 of 22 races, easily won Preakness and Belmont, and finished second by a nose in the Derby after the worst racing luck in history caused him to have to take up to avoid a horse breaking down in the backstretch. Without that, he'd have won by 5 or 10 lengths, he was that much better.

[@williamdunphy352]

Race Call: Chic Anderson

[@huskersne2201]

last triple crown winner 1978. alydar gave him all he could handle

[@peace-now]

California Chrome 2014.

[@huskersne2201]

chrome is no alydar or affirmed pal

[@MizARAZI]

huskers ne Oh good grief.. Let someone enjoy rooting for a horse they want to win the TC maybe.. He didnt but still, there were those before Affirmed won that was rooting for them.. What if they were told what u just said to this person. He wasnt sayin he was on their level, but was excited to see there may be another TC winner. Which by the way would be nice to have another in my lifetime! Some people are just so stuck up and snotty no wonder people are leaving the sport.

[@PAPAxBLITZ]

Chrome isn't even close after the fact lol. He barely won the P. Like really? So excited for AP he had the chance to take it. I would love to see it iny lifetime.

[@jetshull]

huskers ne woulda had more fans if they didn't name him AMERICAN pharaoh.

[@robroberts1473]

I was a kid and loved alydar I still think affirmed cheated he pulled on alydar's mane yup and no iam not bitter even after almost 40 years :-) lol

[@Polishwm]

Hate to disappoint all you Chrome fans,,,,but he lost!!!!! Choked cough cough