Assault (March 28, 1943 – September 1, 1971) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the seventh winner of the American Triple Crown and the only Texas-bred winner of the Triple Crown. Early life Foaled at King Ranch in Texas, Assault was sired by Bold Venture, who had won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. His dam was the unraced Igual, by Horse of the Year Equipoise. Assault's third dam was Masda, who was a full sister to Man o' War. His full-brother was Air Lift, who broke a leg in his debut race and was destroyed. Described as being "on the delicate side" by his later jockey, Eddie Arcaro, Assault was plagued with injuries and illnesses from the start. As a youngster, he stepped on what is believed to have been a surveyor's stake, driving it through his front right hoof. The hoof was permanently deformed, and the colt developed a limp to accommodate the odd shape of his foot; however, the "Club-footed Comet", as he was later dubbed, showed no signs of abnormality when he was at a full gallop. Throughout his career, Assault also overcame kidney, splint bone, fetlock, knee and bleeding problems. Aside from his physical troubles, Assault faced another major hurdle. He had been foaled and bred at King Ranch, a Texas ranch that primarily raised cattle and Quarter Horses for racing. At the time, the vast majority of major stakes-winners were bred and foaled in Kentucky. (To date, Assault remains the only Texas-bred Triple Crown winner.) Racing career Under Max Hirsch's training, Assault made his racing debut as a two-year-old in 1945, finishing 12th. He had two victories from nine starts that year and won the Flash Stakes in a four-way photo finish. Early in his three-year-old season, he won the Wood Memorial, but his run in the Derby Trial made him an outsider in the Kentucky Derby. With jockey Warren Mehrtens aboard, he raced past rivals to take the first race of the Triple Crown by eight lengths, the largest margin of victory up to that time. Assault was then made the favorite for the Preakness Stakes a week later. Aggravated by traffic early in the race, Mehrtens decided to push Assault earlier than usual. He was four lengths in front with a furlong to go. The tiring Assault scored a neck victory over Lord Boswell. The handicappers saw this as a