In some ways it's not surprising that the Derby winner has failed to win the Classic in the same year - the early retirements for so many of our three-year-old stars leaves us with little from the Triple Crown by the time the fall rolls around. But in other ways I thought Derby winners would have at least a moderately successful success rate. And it you include Alysheba and Ferdinand in the mix (two Derby winners that won the Classic in later years), the strike rate improves slightly. But, overall, Derby success has little to do with success at the Breeders' Cup.
The second and third legs of the Triple Crown haven't fared much better than the Derby in producing same year winners of the Classic. In 1992, A.P. Indy won the Belmont and went on to capture the Classic, while Curlin did the Preakness-Classic double in 2007. In a somewhat stunning run of futility, Curlin is the only horse in the last 20 years to win any leg of the Triple Crown and then win the Classic the same year. That streak is guaranteed to be extended until at least 2013.
(Sunday Silence is the only horses to win two legs of the Triple Crown and the Classic in the same year. Alysheba won the Derby and Preakness in 1987 and the Classic in 1988,)
Below is a summary of the Breeders' Cup Classic winners and the winners of a selection of the major Grade 1 races on dirt that same year.
Yr | BC Classic | KY Derby | Preakness | Belmont Stakes | JC Gold Cup | Goodwood | Super Derby | Pacific Classic | Travers | Whitney | Woodward | Haskell |
2012 | I'll Have Another | I'll Have Another | Union Rags | Flat Out | Game On Dude | Bourbon Courage | Dullahan | Alpha Golden Ticket | Fort Larned | To Honor and Serve | Paynter | |
2011 | Drosselmeyer | Animal Kingdom | Shackleford | Ruler on Ice | Flat Out | Game On Dude | Prayer for Relief | Acclamation | Stay Thirsty | Tizway | Havre de Grace | Coil |
2010 | Blame | Super Saver | Lookin At Lucky | Drosselmeyer | Haynesfield | Richard's Kid | Apart | Richard's Kid | Afleet Express | Blame | Quality Road | Lookin at Lucky |
2009 | Zenyatta | Mine That Bird | Rachel Alexandra | Summer Bird | Summer Bird | Gitano Hernando | Regal Ransom | Richard's Kid | Summer Bird | Bullsbay | Rachel Alexandra | Rachel Alexandra |
2008 | Raven's Pass | Big Brown | Big Brown | Da'Tara | Curlin | Well Armed | My Pal Charlie | Go Between | Colonel John | Commentator | Curlin | Big Brown |
2007 | Curlin | Street Sense | Curlin | Rags to Riches | Curlin | Tiago | Going Ballistic | Student Council | Street Sense | Lawyer Ron | Lawyer Ron | Any Given Saturday |
2006 | Invasor (ARG) | Barbaro | Bernardini | Jazil | Bernardini | Lava Man | Strong Contender | Lava Man | Bernardini | Invasor (ARG) | Premium Tap | Bluegrass Cat |
2005 | Saint Liam | Giacomo | Afleet Alex | Afleet Alex | Borrego | Rock Hard Ten | The Daddy | Borrego | Flower Alley | Commentator | Saint Liam | Roman Ruler |
2004 | Ghostzapper | Smarty Jones | Smarty Jones | Birdstone | Funny Cide | Lundy's Liability | Fantasticat | Pleasantly Perfect | Birdstone | Roses in May | Ghostzapper | Lion Heart |
2003 | Pleasantly Perfect | Funny Cide | Funny Cide | Empire Maker | Mineshaft | Pleasantly Perfect | Ten Most Wanted | Candy Ride (ARG) | Ten Most Wanted | Medaglia d'Oro | Mineshaft | Peace Rules |
2002 | Volponi | War Emblem | War Emblem | Sarava | Evening Attire | Pleasantly Perfect | Essence of Dubai | Came Home | Medaglia d'Oro | Left Bank | Lido Palace | War Emblem |
2001 | Tiznow | Monarchos | Point Given | Point Given | Aptitude | Freedom Crest | Outofthebox | Skimming | Point Given | Lido Palace | Lido Palace | Point Given |
2000 | Tiznow | Fusaichi Pegasus | Red Bullet | Commendable | Albert the Great | Tiznow | Tiznow | Skimming | Unshaded | Lemon Drop Kid | Lemon Drop Kid | Dixie Union |
1999 | Cat Thief | Charismatic | Charismatic | Lemon Drop Kid | River Keen | Budroyale | Ecton Park | General Challenge | Lemon Drop Kid | Victory Gallop | River Keen | Menifee |
1998 | Awesome Again | Real Quiet | Real Quiet | Victory Gallop | Wagon Limit | Silver Charm | Arch | Free House | Coronado's Quest | Awesome Again | Skip Away | Coronado's Quest |
1997 | Skip Away | Silver Charm | Silver Charm | Touch Gold | Skip Away | Benchmark | Deputy Commander | Gentlemen (ARG) | Deputy Commander | Will's Way | Formal Gold | Touch Gold |
1996 | Alphabet Soup | Grindstone | Louis Quatorze | Editor's Note | Skip Away | Savinio | Editor's Note | Dare And Go | Will's Way | Mahogany Hall | Cigar | Skip Away |
1995 | Cigar | Thunder Gulch | Timber Country | Thunder Gulch | Cigar | Soul Of The Matter | Mecke | Tinners Way | Thunder Gulch | Unaccounted For | Cigar | Serena's Song |
1994 | Concern | Go for Gin | Tabasco Cat | Tabasco Cat | Colonial Affair | Bertrando | Soul of the Matter | Tinners Way | Holy Bull | Colonial Affair | Holy Bull | Holy Bull |
1993 | Arcangues | Sea Hero | Prairie Bayou | Colonial Affair | Miner's Mark | Lottery Winner | Wallenda | Bertrando | Sea Hero | Brunswick | Bertrando | Kissin Kris |
1992 | A.P. Indy | Lil E. Tee | Pine Bluff | A.P. Indy | Pleasant Tap | Reign Road | Senor Tomas | Missionary Ridge | Thunder Rumble | Sultry Song | Sultry Song | Technology |
1991 | Black Tie Affair | Strike the Gold | Hansel | Hansel | Festin | The Prime Minister | Free Spirit's Joy | Best Pal | Corporate Report | In Excess | In Excess | Lost Mountain |
1990 | Unbridled | Unbridled | Summer Squall | Go And Go | Flying Continental | Lively One | Home At Last | Rhythm | Criminal Type | Dispersal | Restless Con | |
1989 | Sunday Silence | Sunday Silence | Sunday Silence | Easy Goer | Easy Goer | Present Value | Sunday Silence | Easy Goer | Easy Goer | Easy Goer | King Glorious | |
1988 | Alysheba | Winning Colors | Risen Star | Risen Star | Waquoit | Cutlass Reality | Seeking The Gold | Forty Niner | Personal Ensign | Alysheba | Forty Niner | |
1987 | Ferdinand | Alysheba | Alysheba | Bet Twice | Creme Fraiche | Ferdinand | Alysheba | Java Gold | Java Gold | Polish Navy | Bet Twice | |
1986 | Skywalker | Ferdinand | Snow Chief | Danzig Connection | Creme Fraiche | Super Diamond | Wise Times | Wise Times | Lady's Secret | Precisionist | Wise Times | |
1985 | Proud Truth | Spend A Buck | Tank's Prospect | Creme Fraiche | Vanlandingham | Lord At War | Creme Fraiche | Chief's Crown | Track Barron | Track Barron | Skip Trial | |
1984 | Wild Again | Swale | Gate Dancer | Swale | Slew o' Gold | Lord At War | Gate Dancer | Carr de Naskra | Slew o' Gold | Slew o' Gold | Big Pistol |