Affirmed was born February 21, 1975, at Harbor View Farm in Florida. He made his career debut on May 24, 1977 at Belmont Park. He won the 5 1/2 furlong maiden race by 4 1/2 lengths. Three weeks later, Affirmed won the Youthful, running behind early on, but taking the lead in the stretch to win by a neck. From that point on, Affirmed and Alydar slugged it out in race after race, in a rivalry rarely seen among two year olds.
After losing to Alydar by 3 1/2 lengths in the Great American Stakes on July 6, Affirmed was shipped to Hollywood Park, where he won the Hollywood Juvanile Championship on July 23. It was the first of four straight victories, including the Sanford Stakes, Hoppeful Stakes and Belmont Futurity. The Hopeful and Futurity wins came at the expense of Alydar, but only by a nose and half-length. But on October 15, Alydar flew past Affirmed in the deep stretch to win the Champagne Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths, puting him in a position to wrap up divisional honors. At the Laural Futurity on October 29, Affirmed once again showed his stuff and hung on to win by a neck. He finished with a 7-2-0 record in nine starts.More importantly, he had a 4 to 2 win over Alydar, and that was enough to win him the two year old championship.
While Alydar went to Florida to prepare for the Triple Crown, Affirmed went to California. Seperated by thousands of miles, the two matured, continued their outstanding form and set up a Kentucky Derby match that had racing fans drooling.
Affirmed won all four starts, including the Santa Anita and Hollywood Derby's. But Alydar was just as dominating on the east coast, winning the Florida Derby and Bluegrass Stakes.
At the Kentucky Derby, third choice Sensitive Prince went to the lead entering the the first turn. Affirmed, with jockey Steve Cauthen aboard, lingered in third place. Affirmed soon pulled past and opened up a two length lead, but still had enough reserve to hold off a late charge from Alydar and won by 1 1/2 lengths.
Two weeks later, the two would stage an epic duel in the Preakness stakes. Affirmed again stalked the early pace but was soon left alone in the lead. Alydar started moving on the backstretch and got to Affirmed's side leaving the turn. The two dueled all the way down the stretch, but fought off Alydar's stretch-long challange to win by a neck.
As good as that duel was, the Belmont Stakes, three weeks later, would become the definitive battle in racing history. After half-mile, on a five horse field, the two were running first and second, with Affirmed up by a length. At the half-way mark, they were running together in tandom. As they entered the stretch, the crowd roared its approval as the two rivals ran as one all the way down the stretch. At the wire, Affirmed was victor by a head, securing the Triple Crown title.
The two would race once more, at the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Affirmed would win again, but was disqualified for interfering with Alydar on the backstretch, and was placed second. He finished the year with two more losses, failing to catch Seattle Slew in the Marlboro Cup Handicap and finishing fifth, his only off-the-board finish ever, after his saddle slipped during the Jockey Club Gold Cup. None-the-less, he was honored Horse of the Year and champion three year old colt.
At the beginning of his four year old year, Affirmed lost his first two starts, and jockey Steve Cauthen was replaced by Laffit Pincay Jr., and Affirmed would never lose again. He wrapped honors Horse of the Year and champion older horse. He also became Thoroughbred racing's first $2 million dollar runner, retiring with $2,393,898 in earnings.
At stud, Affirmed has been overshadowed by his late, great rival, Alydar. He sired two time champion turf mare Flawlessly, Canadian Horse of the Year Peteski, Irish champion Zoman, and Canadian champions Charlie Barley and One From Heaven.