If you could choose one horse from past or present that deserves to be the ultimate racing legend, who & why?

Question

Throughout history certain race horses have become legends in their own right, by either winning the biggest of races in breath-taking fashion, or by the sheer amount of victories won, and some horses become legendry by just competing at a top level for a very long period, and gaining many fans. When a race-horse warms the hearts of a nation something really overwhelming happens and a true sense of 'achievement' can be placed into peoples imaginations.

I will always remember 'Persian Punch' and the sense of hope I gained from watching how sheer determination and stamina can prevail.

Answer 1

I think every racing fan has their own personal list of "legends." It's fun to debate and talk about the horses we think have earned the right to be acclaimed by their fans; everyone has different criteria, and generation to generation, there are different heroes.

My own personal list of horses I think deserve to be called "legends":

1. Man O' War. His dominance against the opponents he faced exemplifies his racing superiority; plus, many horsemen who had the chance to see him race and who compared him to later champions held him as the best ever. I believe that his showing at stud, when bred to mares that as a group were incredibly mediocre, validates his superiority. A stallion cannot pass on to his offspring talent that he himself does not possess.

Plus, there's that "golden age" aura of the time he lived in. This is a horse that reaches back to a time when racing was one of the favored sports of the public, not the side-show it is now. To me that means something.

2. Northern Dancer. His status derrives less from what he did as a racehorse, although there is no doubt he was a champion on the track. It's what he did at stud: this was a horse that changed the breed forever and ushered in the age of commercialization of breeding racehorses, for better or worse. Northern Dancer's status as a sire of champions on the track and as a sire of sires is unmatched by any modern stallion. This is a horse that the Maktoums offered $40 million for when he was 21...and the offer was refused by the syndicate that owned him. "Immortal" is a word not to be used lightly, but Northern Dancer earned it. His blood flows in the veins of champion Thoroughbreds on every continent where Thoroughbred racing is conducted. You can't get more immortal than that.

3. Red Rum with his three wins in the Grand National Steeplechase. I believe that in many ways the Grand National is the greatest test of equine athleticism in the world. Certainly it demands a horse that has soundness, stamina, and ability both to run and to jump, and tremendous courage. Red Rum's record in this race seems to me unlikely to be bettered. How can a horse that did what he did not be considered a legend?

There are a whole bunch of other fine horses that it could be argued deserve to be considered legends: Kelso, Secretariat, Makybe Diva, Brigadier Gerard, Dahlia, Allez France, Nijinsky. And a lot more. But I think the three I've tabbed are beyond argument when it comes to legendary status.

Answer 2

It's very hard to pick just one horse, as they all have different reasons for being the best: Dubai Millennium for the ease of his wins; Persian Punch for his guts and determination; Shergar for his annihilation of the Derby field; Best Mate for his string of Gold Cups; the list is endless.

I guess my choice would have to be Arkle: his sheer domination of the National Hunt scene in the 1960s was amazing. I'm a child of the 1980s so never saw the great horse run, but I've heard the tales and seen the videos. That horse was something else.

The fact that they had to have 2 separate handicapping systems in place (one for races with Arkle and one for races without) says it all really.

For those of you that don't know much about Himself, read the following link and gasp in awe!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkle

Answer 3

Has to be Red Rum. This horse was without doubt the best horse over the daunting Aintree fences and the long Grand National course. He broke peoples hearts when he beat Crisp for his first of three Grand National wins but went on to win the hearts of most horse racing enthusiasts with his performances in the toughest horse race in the world.

Answer 4

My answer is most definately Ruffian. Here's why:

1. She won every race of her career.
2. She never won a race by less than 3 lengths.
3. She broke bones in her hind leg during a match race, and tried to keep running anyway out of her desire to win. (This break later ended up killing her because, even as she was anesthatized (sp?), she made running motions with her legs, and beat of her legs more and threw off her cast.)
4. Every time she broke out of the gate, she was in the lead, and never gave it up until the race was finished.

Here is an article about her for those of you who are interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffian_(horse)

I would also suggest reading:

Ruffian: The Legendary Racing Filly

It is a really good book, and would appeal to non-horsey people as well.

Answer 5

Baracuda is the best staying hurdler I've seen, but his wins at Cheltenham were overshadowed by Best Mates Gold Cups. Arkle was the greatest but Golden Miller must have been some horse too. Five Gold Cups and a national! Dancing Brave was brilliant on the flat (I still can't forgive Greville Starkey though).

Answer 6

Nearco- both as a performer, and as a sire. His genes are in the blood of every major thoroughbred family in existance today, and his influence continues to grow and spread. And while we are on the subject, I would also like to mention Nearco's breeder, Frederico Tesio of Italy. He was probably without doubt, one of the greatest horse breeders and horsemen of the modern age. (In case anyone is wondering, if it hadn't been for Nearco, there would never have been a Secretariat, a Ruffian, a Barbaro, or a Smarty Jones. Look at these horses' pedigrees, and you will see what I mean.)

Answer 7

Hard to name just one. Man of War the beginning of the thoroughbreds.Secretariat master of the triple crown his win in the Belmont Stakes on an off track was probably the greatest win ever.My pick goes to Spectacular Bid most amazing horse I ever saw run.At Santa Anita he set world records at 7 furlongs and 1 1/4 miles and set course records at almost every track he ran at.Best looking horse goes to Rockhardten What a pitcher perfect monster he was.I am waiting to see his offsprings the next couple of years.You mentioned heart a horse named Native Diver had more heart and determination to win than any horse I have ever seen.Hollywood Gold Cup at 7,8,9 carrying from 136 to 140 lbs.amazing.

Answer 8

Nijinsky, never beaten by a better horse, only by a ridiculously heavy final season. Trained by probably the finest man ever, the legendary Vincent O'Brian and owned by an extremely generous man in Sir Charles Engelhard. The Triple Crown has never been worn since.

Answer 9

For me it would have to be Aldaniti.

For a horse to come back from so many major injuries, after everybody had written him off. To win one of the biggest horse races in the world.

Sheer inspiration heart and soul. - breathtaking

April 1981 grand national winner - rider Bob Champion after recovering from cancer

Aldaniti died in 1997

Answer 10

Go For Wand just took my breath away the first time I saw her step on the track! In her much too short career she did amazing things. As a 2 yo. she won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Eclipse Award. She won the Eclipse again in 1990, even though she broke down in the Breeder's Cup Distaff race against Bayakoa at Belmont.

If you ever get the chance to read Bill Heller's book about her "Go For Wand" I highly recommend it. She is listed as #72 in the Top 100 Thoroughbreds Champions of the Century.

Go For Wand is buried in the infield at Saratoga along with one of the most popular horses to set foot on Sartoga's track Fourstardave.There is also a steeplechase horse buried there, but I can't for the life of me recall the name.