Triple Crown Races India

 

Dark Horses and Longshots to Watch Out For

As the 2025 Triple Crown races approach, several longshots and dark horses stand out. The favorites always seem to get the most internet and media oxygen, but horse racing is a strange game where a team of researchers can figure out an outcome that happens relatively often in other sports (a favorite wins) and an odd outcome that happens less often (the favorite loses). In horse racing, you don't play to find out who wins; you play to find out who loses.

The first race in the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, has a history of producing longshot winners. Over the years, several horses have won the Derby at odds of 30-1 or more. One horse to watch this year is Keepmeinmind, who finished seventh in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, but barely showed up in the races leading up to that race. He had shown some promise in the other races he ran prior to this one, finishing second in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Keepmeinmind is currently a 20-1 long shot that should be considered by bettors. There's a good chance he could pull off an upset in the Derby.

Another dark horse to consider is Dream Shake. He won his debut in impressive fashion and has shown speed and talent, finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He could be a contender in the Triple Crown races, especially if he continues to improve.

The second race in the Triple Crown is the Preakness Stakes, and one longshot to watch is Rombauer, who won the Derby, which is the next step down from a Grade 1. He is listed at about 30-1 and should be on the fringes of the conversation if his performances continue to be impressive.

Finally, in the Belmont Stakes, the final race of the Triple Crown, Known Agenda is a horse to watch. He won the Florida Derby, a Grade 1 event, earlier this year. Known Agenda showed good speed and stamina in that race, and the Belmont is a good place for him to showcase those skills once again.

While many hope to see familiar faces like Essential Quality, Hot Rod Charlie and Life Is Good in the Triple Crown winner's circle, betting on their lesser-known rivals could yield some tasty upsets. Doing so may require a leap of faith, as many of these contenders are likely to be far back in the morning line odds. But a big return on your investment is reason enough to consider backing obscure horses.

Triple Crown Betting Tips

If you are looking for today's horse racing bets, look no further. Prior to 2015, and again last year (2022) when Justify became champion, it had been a really long time between moments when a horse was crowned a Triple Crown winner. As we've mentioned before, only 13 horses have ever taken this particular path to glory, which really illustrates the steep gradient of opportunity that makes the Triple Crown synonymous with equine excellence. In response, our expert horse betting experts have created a guide to betting on the Triple Crown.

• Winners of the Kentucky Derby tend to do better than winning thoroughbreds on any other track. The Derby is run on the longest dirt track in the U.S., and it's a perfect measure of a horse's endurance. Endurance, however, is just one more thing in a long list of qualities a thoroughbred must have.
• Betting on a horse race is not necessarily made easier by fewer runners. The issue is not as simple as it may seem. Some trainers pick and choose which races their horses run in, and they do not always run in the three Triple Crown events.
• Always check the history of the horses, trainers and jockeys to determine their chances of winning.

 

Past Triple Crown Winners

Year	Horse
2018	Justify
2015	American Pharoah
1978	Affirmed
1977	Seattle Slew
1973	Secretariat
1948	Citation
1946	Assault
1943	Count Fleet
1941	Whirlaway
1937	War Admiral
1935	Omaha
1930	Gallant Fox
1919	Sir Barton