Although trainer D.Wayne Lukas leads American Thoroughbred racing's three Triple Crown races in total wins with 13, and James Rowe, Sr., Sam Hildeth, and James "Sunny" Fitzsimmons have more career victories in the Belmont Stakes alone than does W.C. "Woody" Stephens, Stephens remains the single trainer with five consecutive victories in any of the Triple Crown events.
The Belmont Stakes, the longest and most gruelling of the Triple Crown events at 1-1/2 miles (since 1926), has also yielded the most dominant run by a single jockey. James McLaughlin rode six of the ten victors in the 1880s, earning two three-peats in that decade.
Stephens' Belmont Stakes Winners
Stephens, working for five different owners, conditioned winners of the Belmont Stakes for five consecutive years, and he did it in one decade, from 1982 through 1986.
Stephens' winning Thoroughbreds in the third jewel of the American Triple Crown included Danzig Connection, 1986; Creme Fraiche, 1985; Swale, 1984; Caveat, 1983; and Conquistador Cielo, 1982.
Oddly enough, those five straight victories are Stephens' only wins in the Belmont.
Lukas won the event three consecutive years with Tabasco Cat, 1994; Thunder Gulch, 1995; and Editor's Note, 1996; then again in 2000 with Commendable.
Other Belmont Trainers Win Streaks
David McDaniel and Frank McCabe scored in three straight seasons in the Belmont's early going, 1871 through 1873, and 1886 through 1888, respectively, all when the race was run under 1-1/2 miles.
McDaniel trained winners Harry Bassett (1871), Joe Daniels (1872), and Springbok (1873), and McCabe conditioned victors Inspector (1886), Hanover (1887), and Sir Dixon (1888).
R.W. Walden ran up a streak of three victories in four years with Duke of Magenta (1878), Grenada (1880), and Saunterer (1881). In 1898, Bowling Brook crossed the finish line first for Walden.
Rowe Sr Battled Hildreth
Rowe, Sr., Hildreth, and Fitzsimmons sparkled in the Belmont from Hildreth's first win in 1899 with Jean Bereaud to Fitzsimmons' final victory in 1955 with the great Nashua.
Rowe, Sr.'s wins included George Kinney, 1883; Panique, 1884; Commando, 1901; Delhi, 1904; Peter Pan, 1907; (unbeaten) Colin, 1908; Sweep, 1910; and Prince Eugene, 1913. (The race was not held in 1911 and 1912, which gave Rowe, Sr. a sweep of four wins in five runnings.)
Hildreth, embattled year after year with Rowe, Sr., achieved two repeats, scoring victories with Friar Rock (1916) and Hourless (1917), as well as with Zev (1923) and Mad Play (1924). The Belmont title also went to Hildreth in 1909 (Joe Madden) and in 1921 (Grey Lag).
Fitzsimmons Wins Two TC Titles
Additional Belmont wins for Fitzsimmons came with two Triple Crown champions: Gallant Fox, 1930, and Gallant Fox's son, Omaha, 1935. Gallant Fox and Omaha are the only father-son Triple Crown winners.
No other trainer achieved winning more than one Triple Crown championship, just as no jockey other than Eddie Arcaro won two Triple Crown titles (Whirlaway, 1941 and Citation, 1948).
Faireno (1932), Granville (1936), and Johnstown (1939) also triumphed in the Belmont for Fitzsimmons.
Laurin's Secretariat
Another famous repeat in Belmont Stakes trainer victories was accomplished by Lucien Laurin, conditioner of one of the best Thoroughbreds ever seen -- Secretariat.
Secretariat's stablemate, Riva Ridge, began the dual triumph for Laurin in 1972, but Riva Ridge was overshadowed from the beginning by Secretariat, who won Horse of the Year in 1972. In 1973, Secretariat cruised to the greatest triumph in Belmont Stakes history, winning the contest by 31 lengths. Big Red gave Laurin immortality twice -- once for winning the Belmont in two straight years, and once for becoming a rare back-to-back Horse of the Year.
Laurin's first triumph in the Belmont Stakes came with Amberoid in 1966.
BarbaraAnne Helberg - Barbara Anne Helberg, Supporter of Better Lives for Animals and Clean, Spirited, Competitive Sports
