There something powerful in the image of three crowns. It appears on several coats of arms, most notably the Tre Kronor of Sweden. So it follows that just about every sport has its Triple Crown of achievements. The rare champions who reach these lofty heights – Ted Williams, Manchester United, Jean-Claude Killy – become legends.

Thoroughbred racing has been waiting since 1978 for a horse to sweep its famous North American version of the Triple Crown. That’s the year Affirmed won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont with jockey Steve Cauthen at the reins. Parity has taken over since then; for one horse to stand out from the expanding and talented crowd is increasingly difficult.

Only 11 horses have pulled off the Triple Crown since the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875. Seven of those winners came between 1930 and 1948; Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed won the Triple Crown in a five-year span. Those were the days.