Who are yours?

Question

Who are your favorite race horses of all time? Why?

Mine are...

- Barbaro ( Because he is a true champion )
- Secretariat ( Because he is a super-horse )
- Ruffian ( Because girls can beat the guys any day! ;)
- Man O' War ( He is just a horse of his great kind )

Answer 1

The big names are the same as yours.
I love Barbaro and I loved seeing him win the derby (and never losing any race) and I followed his recovery every day and cried for a couple weeks at his death.
I didn't understand all the fuss about Secretariat until I watched his Belmont run on You Tube... since then, I'm a believer... he really is a stunningly talented horse. He had no reason to run as strong as he did to the end of the Belmont... he did it just because he's a champion. He could have trotted the home stretch and still won. People say Man O War was better because he won every race (save the one he started facing the wrong way) and he was never fully extended, but I think the Belmont makes Secretariat better... he had no reason to be fully extended, but he pulled his lead open to an amazing 31 lengths! He won the Belmont, a longer race, faster than he won the Derby! That's a champion.
That said, I think Man O War is wonderful too. He was great at everything... he was hard to train because he was such a thoroughbred, he was an amazing runner, he was a great sire... his progeny is still successful today... and he made many champions, better than Secretariat's progeny. The 28 foot stride is amazing. His following was stronger than any other horse in history... people had the day off of work for his funeral!

Ruffian's my favorite. She was absolutely beautiful and so graceful when she trotted and ran. She never let anyone in front of her and ran hard in every race and met or beat a record in every race. She broke her leg and kept running anyway, refusing to give up the race even in extreme pain. I can't even express the way I feel about this horse... it's just such a shame that they didn't know to awake a horse in a pool at that time. Had they done so, she could have stayed with us a lot longer.

They're all my favorite, but here's a list of some more...

Afleet Alex - I'm sorry he got injured that summer... I was looking forward to his return in the Breeders, but it wasn't meant to be. But Stud is a pretty good job to have. He was cute and small, but fierce. He didn't lose the Derby by very much, but he proved he was a true champion in the Preakness when he clipped heals with Scrappy T and still went on to win, then in the Belmont where he had a good run and was simply the best horse. And the Lemonade Stand got a lot of money ;o)

Go For Wand - She's another champion filly. She ran beautifully and refused defeat. She snapped her leg in half and fell down and still got up and crossed the finish line and ran to the winners circle. She had such determination. We need more horses like her.

Charismatic - the poor guy got no attention whatsoever before the Derby. They didn't even show him go into the starting gates. Even after he won that, he still wasn't favorite at the Preakness. I was impressed by his jockey's quick response to his leg after the Belmont. Fortunately he recovered and will be stud for the rest of his life.

I feel so bad for Ferdinand - I'm truly personally offended by the Japanese. Honestly, if you don't want the horse anymore, then send him home. Just because you don't care about the animal doesn't mean that others don't care. Derby winners deserve better than that... and so do their owners.

Cigar - America's horse. Winning the Breeders Cup was a celebration for all. He's another great champion and was really cute too.

Victory Gallop - I'm sorry about Real Quiet losing the triple crown, but the end of that race was amazing. I watched them cross the finish line many times and I still can't tell who actually won. And he's one of the horses Gary rode, so he's automatically great.

Seabiscuit - it's always great to root for the underdog. and he broke down and came back and raced again. And he was so ordinary looking... he was just perfect for the time period... it's exactly what people needed to identify with. He beat War Admiral even though the Admiral ran the fastest race he'd ever run. He's one of the all time greats.

Winning Colors: another girl who beat the boys. I love any girl who gets to run the Triple Crown.

Thunder Gulch and Point Given - because they're 2 of the greatest Gary rode.

Rock Hard 10 - he was really pretty too. He gave the appearance of power like a thoroughbred racer should.

Affirmed - for being the last to win the Triple Crown - and because he makes reading my law books more entertaining... I think of him whenever the appellate affirms the lower court decision.

Seattle Slew - for bringing 3 Triple Crown wins to the 1970s

Kelso - for being 5 time Horse of the Year! No one else managed that

Gallant Fox and Omaha - for being the only sire and son to both win the Triple crown

Citation and Assualt - for also being Triple crown winners and making my law school experience just a little bit better

War Admiral - he tore away part of his hoof starting one of the Triple Crown races and ran all the way through to a victory anyway... such endurance.

Whirlaway and Count Fleet - to round out the Triple Crown winners... and because Whirlaway is such a cool name

Silver Charm - another great of the horses Gary has ridden. Won the Derby and Preakness, and the Dubai World Cup. Playing stud in Japan now, but the contract says the Japanese have to notify the owners if they don't want him anymore...

Tiznow - watch his Breeders wins... he's such an exciting horse to see.

Phar Lap - I know he's great, but that's about all. I watched part of the movie and one of my instructors loves the movie... she told me about the end and it was so unbelievable... his life sounds more like a soap opera than a thoroughbred's life. poor guy was poisoned to death :o(

Regret - 1st filly to win the Kentucky Derby - and I like her name... my favorite part of Halo2

Alydar and Sham - poor guys always finished second. Sham ran the second fastest Derby ever and gets no attention because he came second to the greatest of them all: Secretariat.

Sir Barton - for being the first to win the Triple Crown. and a few extra points because I forgot him earlier

Fair Play - for sire-ing one of the greatest

and we'll throw in Dreamer and Wildfire for fun... because you didn't say they had to be real ;o)

There's so many great race horses. the others aren't on my list just because I don't yet know who they are... Every racehorse in history is my favorite. The sport is wonderful and the athletes are the most important thing. I don't care whether they're winners or losers... they deserve all of the attention they can get.

Answer 2

Secretariat, his triple crown races were legendary, all three were stakes/track/world records (Preakness timer malfunction notwithstanding) some that still stand today more than 30 years afterwards...Cigar, I enjoyed watching him run, 17 wins in a row was enormous ,and was there when he got beat by the two horse set-up Mandella put on him in the Pacific Classic...Northern Dancer because his breeding is where some of the best horses of this time are bred, where his sire's line split at Nearco (Ity) from Nasrullah, to Neartic and was the start of the breeding line for Mr Prospector, Halo,Secretariat, and Seattle Slew, where they are bred back gave us stellar stallions like Storm Cat (commercially very successful sire 500000 stud fee) Giants Causeway , Sunday Silence and many others

Answer 3

Sunday Silence - The perfect story of a horse nobody wanted only to become Horse of the Year
Secretariat - Need I say more?
Funny Cide - A gutsy gelding.
Dance Smartly - Canadian bred and a fab filly!
Cigar - Took the world on a thrill ride.

Answer 4

Secretariat. He took my breath away every time he stepped on the track. His Belmont win will never be repeated, to win by 31 lengths?

Spectacular Bid. Won 26 races of 30 started, winning $2,781,607 USD over his career, a then-record sum. He finished less than third place just once in his career. He is probably most noted for his ill-fated attempt at winning the Triple Crown which came up short in the Belmont Stakes as a result of a freak accident involving a safety pin in his stall the morning of the race.

Northern Dancer. Bred by EP Taylor (Canadian), won the 1964 Kentucky Derby, ridden by Bill Hartack. Incredibly the greatest jockey (IMO) Bill Shoemaker passed up the Dancer for Hill Rise !

Artax. Billed as the world fastest horse, he beat Kona Gold in the 1999 BC Sprint. Most notable in his career was when a drunk spectator broke onto the track at Pimilico. Here is the excerpt:"In a race on the undercard of the Preakness Stakes, Artax was making a charge down the stretch when a man dashed from the infield at Pimlico and took a wild swing at the passing mount. Tragedy was averted when the quick-thinking Chavez veered Artax away from the invader, who still managed to slug the horse. The race was declared a non-betting event for Artax." I personally will never forget that day!

Coronado's Quest. One of the largest TB's I ever laid eyes on! He came out of the same Dam Family as Ruffian and was foaled by the Phipps family. He was a handful on the track, but man could he run!!! Unfortunately he died way too young ( age 11) in Japan.

Go For Wand. The fastest filly I ever saw, and she just took my breath away. # 72 on the Blood Horses' top 100.

John Henry. His accomplishments are legendary! He's still alive and as ornery as always at the Kentucky Horse Park. Here are some of his accomplishments:
Santa Anita Handicap (1981 & 1982)
Arlington Million (1981 & 1984)
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1981)
Turf Classic Invitational (1984)
Oak Tree Turf Championship (1980, 1981, 1982)
Hollywood Invitational Handicap (1980, 1981, 1984)
Racing Awards
U.S. Champion Older Male Horse (1981)
U.S. Champion Turf Horse (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984)
United States Horse of the Year (1981 & 1984)
Honours
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame (1990)
#23 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Statue at Arlington Park

Cigar. Unreal superhorse! Also living at the Ky. Horse Park.

Ruffian. She can't be left off the list!

Dance Smartly, bred by Ernie Samuels Sam Son Farms Canada. Daughter of Northern Dancer, she won the Canadian Triple Crown! She is in the Canadian Hall of Fame and the American. Here are some of her accomplishments:
Major Racing Wins
Natalma Stakes (1990)
Canadian Oaks (1991)
Queen's Plate (1991)
Prince of Wales Stakes (1991)
Breeders' Stakes (1991)
Molson Export Million (1991)
Breeders' Cup Distaff (1991)
Canadian Maturity Stakes (1992)
Racing Awards
5th Canadian Triple Crown Champion (1991)
United States Champion 3-Yr-Old Filly (1991)
Canadian Horse of the Year (1991)
Honours
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (1995)
United States Racing Hall of Fame (2003)
Dance Smartly Handicap at Woodbine Racetrack

I do this every time! I forgot my namesake! Go For Gin, won the 1994 Derby. One of the most productive stallions.

well, the list goes on but these are the first that come to mind...LOL!

Answer 5

Being from Australia...

Mummify> Won the Sinapore Airline International Cup beating some of the world's best racehorse.
Apache Cat> silliest looking horse (If your intersted google his name in images)
Makybe Diva> 3 time Melb. Cup winner.
Phar Lap> I dont think I need reasons for that.
There are more, but their all aussie

Answer 6

I like your choices...they're mine too. I will add Seattle Slew and Dreaming of Anna to the list; both for sentimental reasons. And Foolish Pleasure because he doesn't get the credit he deserves. It wasn't his fault Ruffian broke down in the match race but the poor guy was forgotten and somewhat shunned because of it.

Answer 7

Silky Sullivan - best closer of all time
Lost In The Fog - saw Russell Baze win on him
Seattle Slew - the second Derby I ever saw
Man O' War just CUZZZZZ

Answer 8

Smarty Jones (real treat to watch him bid for the Triple Crown considering what he went through in his early months)
Afleet Alex (remember the near-spill in the '05 Preakness?)
Best Pal (very classy Cal-bred runner)
Azeri (one very prominent mare)
John Henry (grew up watching this mighty Cal-based turf runner in the 80's)
Cigar (16 straight wins, most of them in Classic events)
Silent Witness (18 straight wins in Hong Kong; watched him break Cigar's record one night)

Answer 9

istabraq, he won the champion hurdle 3 times, such a legend!!

Answer 10

seattle slew and secretariat,,as they were very fast horses and very disciplined