Because Sham finished in front of Secretariat in the Wood and within two and a half lengths in the Derby and Preakness, there seems to be a sizable population that wants to promote Sham to demigod status. The rest of his career doesn't really support it.

Sham: Took several attempts to break his maiden. Won one non-restricted stakes race in his life. Never ran again after the Belmont.

Alydar: After debuting in a stakes race (won by Affirmed) in which he finished fifth, went through the remainder of his 2YO and 3YO campaigns (19 more races) finishing behind a horse other than Affirmed only one time. He was the Derby favorite on the basis of winning the Flamingo, Florida Derby and Blue Grass by open lengths (the latter by 13) and after the Belmont, won the Arlington Classic by 13 and the Whitney by 10 before the Travers that he was awarded by DQ of Affirmed. He was injured thereafter and though he returned for several races at 4, he wasn't the same.

This was truly a horse denied a Triple Crown by a horse he simply couldn't beat. Affirmed and Alydar met 10 times and Affirmed finished in front on eight of those occasions. Nine times they finished one-two.