| Before the great horse Citation, who was trained by | | | | was still showing signs of extremely erratic behavior |
| Ben Jones and ridden by jockey Eddie Arcaro to | | | | and it was feared that he would never be ready for |
| victory for the 1948 triple crown, there was another | | | | the really big races. He lost his first two races that |
| horse that they had the distinction of also taking to | | | | year and fans were left wondering if he would ever |
| triple crown glory, one of the most wild horses in all of | | | | be the great horse that Calumet Farm said he would |
| racing history. His name, Whirlaway. | | | | be. |
| There is no question about it, Whirlaway was a | | | | Well, the fans and the rest of the racing world didn't |
| psychopath as far as horses went. He was quite | | | | have to wait long. On May 3, 1941, Whirlaway ran in |
| prone to some wild adventurous trips around a race | | | | the Kentucky Derby. Jones had made some |
| track. He was actually considered a mentally ill horse, | | | | modifications to Whirlaway's blinker so that he could |
| however that is actually determined. He was a danger | | | | see a little better on the left side but not on the right. |
| to himself and those around him. But there was no | | | | He also put Eddie Arcaro on Whirlaway, replacing his |
| doubt in Ben Jones' mind that this horse was worth | | | | old jockey Wendall Eads. Arcaro had ridden a |
| training. In his 3 and 4 year old seasons he ran 42 | | | | previous Kentucky Derby winner of Jones'. When the |
| races, winning 25 of them and finishing second 13 | | | | race started, Whirlaway did his usual bit of staying at |
| times. Truly amazing for a horse that old. Whirlaway | | | | the back of the pack. But with just a quarter mile left, |
| became the first of 8 Kentucky Derby winners and | | | | Whirlaway took off and left the others in the dust, |
| the first of 2 triple crown winners for Calumet Farm. | | | | winning by 8 lengths. |
| Whirlaway was the son of Blenheim II. In his 2 year old | | | | The Preakness was no different. At one point, |
| season he did show some signs of brilliance. He won | | | | Whirlaway was trailing by 9 lengths and it appeared |
| seven starts which included four stakes races. His | | | | that he was out of the race. But again, he came on |
| early record was actually much better than any other | | | | late and ended up winning the Preakness by 5 1/2 |
| previous triple crown winner. All of them combined only | | | | lengths. |
| won six races by the age of two. But Whirlaway also | | | | Finally, a month later at the Belmont Stakes, Whirlaway |
| lost 9 times that year and began to show signs of | | | | notched up his place in racing history. This time he |
| very erratic behavior. Many times he would run a race | | | | came out strong, building a 7 length lead. Even though |
| and take his jockey to the outside rail before coming | | | | he started to tire at the end he still hung on for a 2 1/2 |
| back inside and moving in for the kill. He was a very | | | | length victory. |
| difficult horse to control because of his mental | | | | Sadly, after he retired and was sold to breed, he died |
| problems. | | | | just 10 minutes after being taken to a mare. |
| At the start of his second year of racing, Whirlaway | | | | |