The Affirmed reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Affirmed

Affirmed, a chestnut colt born February 21, 1975, at Harbor View Farm, Ocala, Florida – died January 12, 2001 at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, was an American thoroughbred race horse that won the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1978, only the 11th horse to accomplish the feat.

Harbor View Farm, established by Louis Wolfson and his wife, Patrice, in 1960, was a top breeding farm in earnings in 1970 and 1971 and again from 1978 to 1980 but Affirmed brought the farm much fame, earning it an Eclipse Award in 1978.

Trained by Laz Barrera and ridden by Steve Cauthen, then an 18-year-old jockey, leading up to the 1978 Triple Crown races, Affirmed raced in California, winning the Santa Anita Derby and the Hollywood Derby. Affirmed narrowly defeated his arch rival Alydar in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes to claim the Triple Crown.

Affirmed's Triple Crown accomplishment has not been repeated since and his career has been honored with his election to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

In 2001, Affirmed was euthanized after falling seriously ill with laminitis, a circulatory hoof disease. Years earlier, the same disease also led to the death of fellow Triple Crown winner Secretariat.

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