Jackson Free Press

The last time horse racing had a Triple Crown winner—winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes—was 36 years ago. The last horse to win all three races was Affirmed in 1978.

In the 1970s, two other horses won the Triple Crown—Secretariat in 1973 and Seattle Slew in 1977—and two horses won the first two races of the Crown. When Spectacular Bid failed to win the Belmont in 1979, the longest Triple Crown drought in the event's history began, eclipsing from 1948 to 1973.

On June 7, California Chrome has a chance to end the current drought at the 146th Belmont Stakes. The 3-year-old colt will have to earn his immortality by pulling off the grueling one-and-a-half-mile race.

California Chrome is the early 3-5 favorite coming out of the No. 2 post, a spot the 11 past Belmont winners have come from. The last winner out of the No. 2 post was Tabasco Cat in 1994.

Those looking for good luck when betting on the race might want to note that the betting program will list California Chrome as second. Triple Crown winner Secretariat was also listed second in the betting program and finished with a track-record-setting 31-lengths victory.

None of the 10 horses in the field have run a race as long as Belmont, and chances are, none of them will ever run a race this long again in their lives. Three of the horses in the field, including California Chrome, ran the first two legs of the Triple Crown. The others are Ride On Curlin and General Rod.

Four horses in the field haven't raced since the Kentucky Derby. Commanding Curve, Wicked Strong, Samraat and Medal Count will come to the Belmont after five weeks of rest.

Sir Barton won the first Triple Crown in 1919 in a Belmont field of three, while Affirmed won in a field of five horses. None of the 11 Triple Crown winners won in a Belmont field larger than eight.

Saturday's race will be the second attempt at the Triple Crown for California Chrome's jockey, Victor Espinoza. In 2002, Espinoza's horse, War Emblem, lost to 70-1 shot Savra after War Emblem stumbled out of the gate and tired down the stretch.

The 146th Belmont Stakes will air on NBC from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 7.