Charismatic

In June of 1999, an unlikely chestnut colt named Charismatic, with jockey Chris Antley aboard, headed down the stretch at the Belmont Stakes, just seconds away from being the first Triple Crown winner in nearly 21 years. Thoroughbred racing was desperate for this story of deliverance – track attendance was in steep decline, stars like Seattle Slew and Secretariat were distant memories, drug abuse and bulimia were becoming issues in the jockey colony, and America's love affair with the sport of kings was waning. Into this void stepped Charismatic and Antley, both thought to be lost causes. The racing community had such a low opinion of Charismatic that he had been entered into claiming races just months prior to the Triple Crown races. As for Antley, he was considered a washed-up, anorexic, former drug addict who should have stayed retired from racing. Together, they became the biggest long shots in 59 years to win the Kentucky Derby, and then followed that up with another underdog win at the Preakness. The two may have been denied their Hollywood ending, but their story of redemption lives on.