Assault was a unique racer because he had a deformed hoof. Yet, this did not stop him from winning the Triple Crown in 1946, as a long shot and surprisingly he was not the favorite as he entered the Belmont.
Assault has a larger build than some of the other Triple Crown winners, but his legs are still very straight with short cannons. His neck is not nearly as thin, which also makes his throatlatch slightly thicker, possibly decreasing air flow. In this photo his heart-girth (area where the girth of the saddle sits) is very deep with his ribs being "well sprung". This could combat the decreased airflow through his throatlatch area due to a larger area for lung expansion.
Assault has a larger build than some of the other Triple Crown winners, but his legs are still very straight with short cannons. His neck is not nearly as thin, which also makes his throatlatch slightly thicker, possibly decreasing air flow. In this photo his heart-girth (area where the girth of the saddle sits) is very deep with his ribs being "well sprung". This could combat the decreased airflow through his throatlatch area due to a larger area for lung expansion.