Sir Barton

8.3

A racehorse that won the American Triple Crown in 1919

proper noun

: Sir Barton

Sir Barton became the first official winner of the American Triple Crown in 1919.

Examples

In 1919, Sir Barton made history by winning the Triple Crown.
Sir Barton's victory in the 1919 Triple Crown inspired future generations of racehorses.
Many racing enthusiasts remember Sir Barton as a trailblazer in horse racing history.
The legacy of Sir Barton continues to inspire trainers and jockeys today.
Did Sir Barton really win the first Triple Crown?
Sir Barton won the American Triple Crown in 1919, marking a significant milestone in racing history.
As the first horse to achieve this feat, Sir Barton is celebrated in the sport of horse racing.

Surface Forms

Sir Barton main

Morphology

Sir + Barton

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical racehorse, so its meaning is referential and not compositionally derived from 'Sir' (a title) and 'Barton' (a name). Even if a B1 learner knows both words, they would not be able to infer that the phrase denotes the 1919 Triple Crown–winning horse, making the expression non-derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Sir Barton is the name of a racehorse that in 1919 won the three biggest American races and became the first to win the 'Triple Crown'. That's why people remember Sir Barton as the first American 'Triple Crown' winner.