The elusive Triple Crown and other sports droughts

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, his name is misspelled) will try to become just the 12th horse to win the elusive Triple Crown.

Of course, we've been here before. Thirteen horses since Affirmed have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown only to lose the third.

Just last year, hopeful California Chrome tied for fourth and in 2012, 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.

There are plenty of theories about 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.

Washington Post horse racing columnist Andrew Beyer writes:

"In the decade of the 1970s, every winner of the Belmont Stakes ran in all three legs of the series. But for modern-day U.S. thoroughbreds, who are less robust than their forbears, contesting three stakes races in five weeks is a tough grind. Trainers whose horses lose the Kentucky Derby commonly skip the Preakness so that their horses are fresh for the Belmont.

The record book supports their strategy: Since 2002, only one horse, Afleet Alex in 2005, has won the Belmont after running in the first two legs of the Triple Crown. So it is reasonable to wonder whether Belmont losers such as California Chrome (2014), Big Brown (2008) and Smarty Jones (2004) were compromised by racing three times in five weeks."

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

Notable sports droughts

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

Wimbledon: 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.

Calendar Grand Slam and the Golden Slam: Speaking of tennis, Steffi Graf is the last person to achieve the calendar Grand Slam, 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.

Golf: The Boston Globe reports no golfer has ever won the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship in the same calendar year.

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

Boston Red Sox: 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.

Ever since team owner and Broadway producer Harry Frazee sold the great Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920 — he got $125,000 and a $300,000 loan, which he used to pay Fenway's mortgage and put on the musical No, No, Nannette — the Sox had been tragically unable to win the World Series. People said that the team was cursed.

Before 1920, the Sox had won five championships and the Yanks hadn't won any; after the Babe left, Boston's well ran dry. The Yankees, meanwhile, won a record 26 times after 1920.

Chicago Cubs: Another curse? The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908 and many blame the "Curse of the Billy Goat," which was placed on the team in 1945.

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."

Cleveland: Several U.S. cities are in the midst of championship droughts but according to Sports Illustrated, 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 NBA finals.

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.