In the
United States, the
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, commonly known as the "Triple Crown", is a title awarded to a three-year-old
Thoroughbred horse who wins the
Kentucky Derby,
Preakness Stakes, and
Belmont Stakes. The three races were inaugurated in different years, the last being the Kentucky Derby in 1875. These races are now run annually in May and early June of each year. The
Triple Crown Trophy, commissioned in 1950 but awarded to all previous winners as well as those after 1950, is awarded to a Triple Crown winner. The first winner of all three Triple Crown races was
Sir Barton in 1919. Some
journalists began using the term
Triple Crown to refer to the three races as early as 1923, but it was not until
Gallant Fox won the three events in 1930 that Charles Hatton of the
Daily Racing Form put the term into common use.