Hall of Fame race trainer Allen Jerkens, 78, dubbed the “Giant Killer” for his longshot winners that defeated such legends as Secretariat, Kelso, Buckpasser, Riva Ridge and Forego, pulled another upset on Saturday, June 30, when Political Force won the $400,000 G1 Suburban Handicap for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park over favorite Corinthian.

Forty-five years ago, Jerkens sent out Beau Purple to defeat odds on favorite Kelso, who was on his way to earning his third (out of five) straight Eclipse Award, in the 1962 edition of the Suburban. Jerkens also won the race in 1993 and 1994 with Devil His Due.

Jerkens won an Eclipse Award as leading trainer in 1973, the year he defeated Secretariat twice – with Onion in the Whitney Handicap, and with Prove Out in the Woodward Handicap. In 1975, at the age of 45, Jerkens became the youngest rider up to that time to be elected to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame.

Among Jerkens’ other famous upsets: the 1998 Jockey Club Gold Cup at 34 to 1 with Wagon Limit over eventual Horse of the Year Skip Away; the 1967 Brooklyn Handicap with Handsome Boy over Buckpasser; the 1963 Black Helen Handicap with three-time champion Cicada.