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And down the stretch they came
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|  | | Secretariat is considered to be the greatest Triple Crown winner. |
Before saying goodbye to the Triple Crown last spring, ABC's Wide World of sports brought you to the three most fabled horse races for the past 23 years. One of the many highlights came in June of 1978, when Affirmed crossed the finish line to edge out Alydar for the third time in two months to win the Triple Crown. Affirmed's historic feat made him just the 11th and last Triple Crown winner in history. From Spectacular Bid's Triple Crown attempt in 1979 right up through Fusaichi Pegasus' powerful run at last year's Kentucky Derby, ABC Sports witnessed some of the greatest moments the sport has ever known.
Johnson: Past, present and future
Secretariat remains No. 1 in racing
The Jockeys
Jockey Ron Turcotte rode Riva Ridge to victory in the 1972 Kentucky
Derby and back-to-back Belmont Stakes. His repeat Derby win in 1973
aboard Secretariat made him the first jockey with back-to-back victories
at Churchill Downs. He went on to ride Secretariat to victory in both the
'73 Preakness and the '73 Belmont -- a Triple Crown win for Turcotte. In an exclusive column to ABC Sports Online, he reflected on the 1973 Belmont stakes. With a career total of 3033 wins to his credit, Turcotte retired in 1978 following a tumble from his horse at Belmont.
Chris Antley: An all-time great | May 1999 Q&A | TC hunting
The best there ever was: Willie Shoemaker
Where Are They Now?: Julie Krone
Triple Crown Memories
Who better to look back at each leg of the Triple Crown than ABC's Jim McKay, who has been a fixture around the paddocks for decades. He shed tears at the Kentucky Derby, which he calls a national occasion. He reflected on the Preakness, a home race for him, and how he witnessed Citation win at the Pimlico in the first race he attended in 1948. And he recounted his favorite races at the Belmont, including Secretariat's Triple Crown win in 1973.
Classics: '87 Derby | '89 Preakness | '99 Belmont | 2000 Derby
MORE TRIPLE CROWN COVERAGE
Seattle Slew exploded from humble beginnings
Affirmed/Alydar was racing's greatest rivalry
Citation was born to run
Man o' War came close to perfection
ESPN.com horse racing coverage
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 Secretariat wins the 1973 Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths. (Courtesy: Belmont Park)
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Fusaichi Pegasus barrels down the stretch to win the Kentucky Derby. (Courtesy: ABC Sports)
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Unbridled wins. This show provided a vivid "thrill of victory" quote -- "I love you, Mrs. Genter."
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
The Wide World of Sports classic introduction from 1978.
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RealVideo: | 28.8 | 56.6 | ISDN
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