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 Stakes (LATC) Affirmed Stakes (LATC) The Affirmed Stakes (formerly the Affirmed Handicap) is an American Thoroughbred horse race administered by the Los Angeles Turf Club and run annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Raced in late-June or early-July, the Grade III event is open to three-year-old horses and is contested on dirt over a distance of miles (8.5 furlongs). Inaugurated in 1979 as the Silver Screen Handicap, in 1993 the race was renamed to honor the 1978 U.S. Triple Crown champion, Affirmed. The race was also called the Affirmed Handicap. The event was originally held at Hollywood Park Racetrack but