| There have been many great triple crown winners in | | | | name of Man O' War. |
| horse racing history. But none faded farther into | | | | A few months after Sir Barton won the triple crown, |
| obscurity than the triple crown winner Sir Barton. | | | | Man O' War arrived on the scene. The |
| He wasn't the last but he was the first. This was an | | | | accomplishments of this horse, losing only one race |
| amazing achievement for this horse when you | | | | during the period, seemed to overshadow what Sir |
| consider the following facts. As a two year old he lost | | | | Barton had done, especially since Man O' War didn't |
| his first six races. This horse couldn't get out of his | | | | have the poor start that Sir Barton had. Many felt that |
| own way and nobody gave him a chance to win | | | | Sir Barton was just a fluke when they saw a horse |
| much of anything, let alone the triple crown. As a three | | | | with true talent and potential right from the start. |
| year old, the only reason he was even in his first race | | | | Because of this, Sir Barton never really did get the |
| in the 1919 Kentucky Derby, was to serve as a rabbit | | | | attention that he deserved. |
| for his stable mate, Billy Kelly. But he beat all the odds, | | | | To compound matters, as a four year old, Sir Barton |
| including his stable mate to go on to win the Kentucky | | | | would alternate between being magnificent and just |
| Derby by five lengths over Kelly. Just four days later, | | | | ordinary. He won only five of his twelve starts as a |
| he won the Preakness in a similar manner to his | | | | four year old. People just couldn't figure this horse out |
| victory at the Derby. Finally, at the Belmont Stakes, he | | | | and never knew which one they were going to see on |
| totally dominated the field and won the race easily. To | | | | any given day. Not only did he not win seven races |
| make this achievement even greater he ran the | | | | but he finished off the board twice and lost races that |
| Withers Stakes between the Preakness and Belmont | | | | he should have easily won. While this was going on, |
| races and won that one as well. | | | | Man O' War was unbeatable, only adding to the |
| Even though Barton's achievement was simply | | | | distance between these two horses. Sir Barton began |
| amazing, it wasn't until decades later that his winning | | | | to fade into obscurity. |
| the triple crown was actually referred to as the triple | | | | Eventually, Sir Barton faded completely from view and |
| crown. Though it is doubtful many are still around from | | | | retired at the end of the 1920 season. He had only |
| this era, if they were most people would agree that | | | | moderate success as a stud. Man O' War on the |
| this was one of the most amazing feats in any sport, | | | | other hand became an international star siring a future |
| not just horse racing. The problem, however, aside | | | | triple crown winner, War Admiral. |
| from lack of living attendees, was a horse by the | | | | |