June 8, 1935: Omaha Wins the Triple Crown

June 8, 1935: Omaha becomes the 3rd horse to win American thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown. The 2nd was his father, Gallant Fox. They remain the only father and son to win the Triple Crown.

Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, Omaha was trained by "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, just as Gallant Fox was. He was ridden by William "Smokey" Saunders, who would become the 1st Canadian jockey to win the Triple Crown. (Ron Turcotte, aboard Secretariat in 1973, would become the 2nd.) He won only 1 race as a 2-year-old, but finished 2nd in a few, suggesting hope for his 3-year-old season.

Despite a weak finish in the Wood Memorial, and a sloppy track at Churchill Downs, Omaha won the Kentucky Derby by a length and a half over Roman Soldier. The Preakness Stakes was run only 1 week later, and Omaha won it by 6 lengths over Firehorn. Famously, Omaha wouldn't stay still for the victory photo.

Between the Preakness and the Belmont, Omaha was run in the Withers Stakes, at Aqueduct in Queens, and lost to Rosemont by a length and a half. The Belmont was 12 days later, 7 miles to the east. Rosemont and Firethorn were both entered. But it rained, and the track was muddy, just like in the Derby, just the way Omaha liked it. He started slow, but put on a stretch run, and beat Firethorn by a length and a half, with Rosemont further back. The Triple Crown was won.

In 1936, as a 4-year-old, he was put on a ship to England, and, running on grass for the 1st time, and running clockwise for the 1st time, won his 1st 2 races, and finished 2nd in the next 2, after which he was retired to stud.

His sons never won any major races, but his later descendants have included 3 Kentucky Derby winners -- which, of course, are also counted among the descendants of Gallant Fox. Omaha died in 1959, Fitzsimmons in 1966, and Saunders in 1986.

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June 8, 1935 was a Saturday. These baseball games were played:

* A doubleheader was split at Fenway Park in Boston. The New York Yankees won the opener, 12-6. The Boston Red Sox won the nightcap, 4-2. Over the 2 games, Lou Gehrig went 4-for-5 with a home run, 3 walks and 5 RBIs.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers were leading the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2 after 5 innings at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia, when the game was called due to rain.

* The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Washington Senators, 4-3 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Jimmie Foxx went 1-for-3 with 2 walks.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds, 14-8 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the St. Louis Browns, 3-2 at League Park in Cleveland.

* The Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers, 3-2 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Hank Greenberg hit a home run, and the Tigers went on to win the World Series, anyway.

* The St. Louis Cardinals swept a doubleheader from their arch-rivals, the Chicago Cubs, 5-4 and 6-5 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. In the bottom of the 9th of the 1st game, Jack Rothrock singled, and Johnny "Pepper" Martin scored on a subsequent error. James "Ripper" Collins won the 2nd game with a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning.

Jay "Dizzy" Dean did not pitch in either game. His brother, Paul Dean, who hated being called "Daffy," started the 1st game, was relieved, didn't get to be the winning pitcher, then got to be the winning pitcher in relief in the 2nd game.

* And the New York Giants and the Boston Braves were supposed to play at the Polo Grounds, but got rained out. It was made up as part of a doubleheader on August 4. The Giants swept, 9-2 and 3-1. Hal Schumacher won the opener, Carl Hubbell the nightcap. Over the 2 games, Giant player-manager Bill Terry went 2-for-8 with 2 RBIs, and Mel Ott went 2-for-7 with 2 walks. Travis Jackson went 3-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBIs in the 1st game, before Terry gave him the 2nd game off.