New York Racing Association Mickey and Karen L. Taylor, Tayhill Stable, Jim Hill, etc." 1978: Ridden by Steve Cauthen, Affirmed became the 11th horse to win the Triple Crown in storybook fashion. In all three Triple Crown races, he defeated Alydar, ridden by Jorge Velasquez, by a nose in one of racing’s epic rivalries. Two months later in the Travers, Affirmed finished first but is placed second for interfering with Alydar, who was declared the winner. Affirmed and Alydar would race 10 times in their careers, with Affirmed winning seven times. Cauthen was 18 when he captured the Triple Crown, the youngest jockey in
Affirmed in the Santa Anita Handicap against Exceller, who had defeated Seattle Slew in 1978. Affirmed won easily, running the miles in 1:58, under 128 pounds while setting a stakes record in California's most important stakes race that stood until 2014. Affirmed then went to Hollywood Park, where he won the Californian Stakes under 130 pounds giving runner-up Syncopate 16 pounds. Next, carrying top weight of 132 pounds, he won the Hollywood Gold Cup in a three horse finish, from Sirlad (120 pounds) and Text (119 pounds), setting an all time earnings record and running the miles in a fast 1:58