Justify won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday evening, becoming just the 13th ever horse to snag the prestigious Triple Crown.
The 3-year-old thoroughbred colt crossed the finished line first at New York’s Belmont Park at the 150th running of the race after taking an early lead.
To win the Triple Crown, a horse must win all three major US races: the Belmont Stakes, the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes.
Justify, trained by Bob Baffert and rode by Mike Smith, won the Kentucky Derby on May 5 and the Preakness on May 19.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” Baffert said earlier this week. “He’s a very fearless type of horse.”
The last time a horse won the Triple Crown was in 2015, when American Pharoah, who was also trained by Baffert, secured the prestigious award.
Prior to American Pharoah’s win, a horse had not won the Triple Crown in 37 years.
When Justify was victorious at Louisville’s Churchill Downs, the chestnut colt became the first horse that didn’t race as a 2-year-old to win the Run for the Roses since Apollo won in 1882.
