It's one of the smallest time commitments a sports fan makes each year. About six minutes in total.

But the races in horse racing's Triple Crown can sure pack a dramatic punch.

Yet for anybody under the age of about 50, the memory of watching a horse win all three races had never happened.

Until American Pharoah finally did it in 2015.

Affirmed was the last horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes in 1978.

Since then, 12 horses won the first two races only to miss out on the trifecta.

And the truth is, every one of those dozen seemed invincible after taking the first two jewels.  Couldn't be beat.

But a Triple Crown winner never materialized. The marathon mile-and-a-half always proved to be too much.

The names are all familiar. Silver Charm, Real Quiet and Charismatic had shots at the Belmont in consecutive years in the late '90s. War Emblem, Funny Cide, and Smarty Jones followed from 2002-04.

Big Brown looked like a lock in 2008. I'll Have Another seemed like a sure thing in 2012 until he was scratched from the Belmont due to injury the day before the race.

And finally last year, California Chrome challenged right to the top of the stretch before settling for fifth.

But American Pharoah, with jockey Victor Espinoza aboard, accomplished what none of those other champions could. He got out in front and stayed there nearly wire to wire.

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After four decades, a new Triple Crown winner was crowned.  American Pharoah was the 12th horse to do it, but for many sports fans he felt like the very first.