In the early 20th century, the coalescence of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes into the American Triple Crown changed how we regard 3-year-olds year in and year out. In the 1980s, John Gaines proposed a new event for racing, a one-day, seven-race card that would serve as an end-of-the-year championship. The goal was to attract horses from not just the United States, but Canada, Europe, Japan, and beyond.
