They won by eight. But, Citation was not the only one to compete in races sandwiched between Triple Crown events. Native Dancer, after suffering his only lifetime loss in the 1953 Kentucky Derby, won the Withers before conquering the Preakness and Belmont. It means horses are trained much more conservatively today. Possibly because there is so much more at stake beyond the Triple Crown.
Nothing is sacred anymore.
Not even the Triple Crown. During his successful 1943 Triple Crown campaign, Count Fleet also won the Withers Stakes. One way to bolster the Crown a bit and encourage more match-ups in the spring classics is to dramatically increase the purse money of each race. It has to be done in this age when a million-dollar race isn't necessarily that unique. And as far as bonuses go, let's stay away from one as ill-conceived as to reward a horse who manages to survive the Triple Crown.