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Is this the year horse racing's Triple Crown drought finally ends? 


It's been 37 years since Affirmed swept the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes in the same year. On Saturday, American Pharoah (yes, 

) will try to become just the 12th horse to win the elusive Triple Crown. 

From Sir Barton to Affirmed

Thirteen horses since Affirmed have won the first two legs

 of the Triple Crown only to lose the third. 

I'll Have Another was scratched from the Belmont Stakes

 on the eve of the race because of an injury to his left front tendon. 

why it's so hard to win all three races today,

 from the length of the Belmont and endurance required (at 1 1/2 miles, it's the longest of the three) to the Belmont's sandier track. 


The brutal schedule — three tough races in five weeks — is also commonly cited as a major factor. 


American Pharoah will face seven rivals on Saturday when he races for the Triple Crown — and history. 


The Triple Crown isn't the only sporting event with a notable drought, though. Here's a look at a few others. 

 It took 77 years, but in 2013, Scotsman Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic at the All England Club to become the first British man to win the world's most prestigious tennis tournament since Fred Perry in 1936. 

 Speaking of tennis, Steffi Graf is the last person to achieve the 

, winning the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the same calendar year. 

Graf actually outdid even that in 1988. She also won the gold medal at the Olympics that year, making her the only person to have ever completed the Golden Slam, which is winning all four Grand Slams and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year. 

 no golfer has ever won the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship in the same calendar year.

 Michelle Kwan, where are you? The United States is currently in its longest medal drought in American figure skating history. 

Earlier this year at the world championships, U.S. female singles skaters 

 for the ninth year in a row. Meanwhile, it was the sixth consecutive year the men's skaters also failed to make the podium.

The "Curse of the Bambino" was reversed in 2004 when the Boston Red Sox finally won another World Series title, its first since 1918. The so-called curse 

began when the team's owner sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees.

 Another curse? The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908 and many blame the 


Billy Goat Tavern owner William "Billy Goat" Sianis tried to bring his pet goat into Game 4 of the World Series for good luck, but they were asked to leave.
 

Sianis reportedly said, "The Cubs ain't gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field." 

 Several U.S. cities are in the midst of championship droughts but 

 Cleveland's is the longest by a city with three or more major professional sports teams. It's been nearly 51 years since the Browns won the NFL title in 1964. 


This could be the year that changes, though. The Cavaliers are playing the Golden State Warriors in the 


But who are we to point fingers? None of Minnesota's "Big Four" pro sports teams (the Twins, Wild, Timberwolves and Vikings) has brought home a championship since the Twins won the World Series in 1991.

Nancy Yang

Author

On Saturday, American Pharoah will try to become just the 12th horse to win the elusive Triple Crown.

The elusive Triple Crown and other sports droughts

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