| Count Fleet is the name of a famous race horse | | | | brainchild of a Slovak American named John Hertz |
| that won the prized Triple Crown award in 1943. | | | | whose family moved from Slovakia to the United |
| The act of accomplishing the extremely rare | | | | States in 1884 when he was five years old. John |
| Triple Crown feat has only been done by a total | | | | would go onto become a successful business man |
| of eleven race horses in the nearly 100 year | | | | (he founded Yellow Cab in addition to Hertz Rental |
| history of the sport. Count Fleet was the sixth | | | | Car), thoroughbred owner, and philanthropist |
| horse to ever accomplish the challenging task. | | | | (specifically with military research). John was on |
| Count Fleet was born on March 24, 1940 in Paris, | | | | the verge of selling what would turn out to be his |
| Kentucky at a farm called Stoner Creek Stud | | | | most accomplished horse before Johnny Longden, |
| Farm. Paris, Kentucky is located near the city of | | | | his best jockey, wisely talked him out of it. |
| Lexington in the center of the state. The race | | | | When Count Fleet won the 1943 Triple Crown of |
| horse that would go onto eventually win the 1943 | | | | Thoroughbred Racing he persevered through the |
| Triple Crown came from a strong gene pool that | | | | same circuit that that championship horses are |
| included a father named Reigh Count who had | | | | expected to compete in during the twenty-first |
| won the famed Kentucky Derby in the late 1920s. | | | | century. Capturing a Triple Crown involves winning |
| Interestingly, the owner of the thoroughbred | | | | the three most coveted races in elite |
| offspring of Reigh Count did not think the young | | | | thoroughbred racing in consecutive order over a |
| colt had much potential and serious considered | | | | five week span. |
| selling him to the highest bidder. As it turned out | | | | The three races that make up the Triple Crown |
| keeping the horse rather than selling it was one of | | | | are the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and |
| the best thoroughbred decisions that owner John | | | | the Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby is held |
| Hertz ever made. In the sport of competitive | | | | in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in |
| horse racing there is no more prestigious position | | | | May. The Preakness Stakes is held two weeks |
| to be in than the owner of a Triple Crown winning | | | | after the Kentucky Derby on the third Saturday |
| horse. | | | | in May in Baltimore, Maryland. The Belmont Stakes |
| John Hertz, the owner of Count Fleet, is most | | | | are held five weeks after the Kentucky Derby |
| famous for the rental car company that he | | | | and three weeks after the Preakness in Elmont, |
| founded. Hertz Rental Car was originally the | | | | New York on Long Island. |