What a great thread, there’s been some true champions listed.
Thanks for the great link Arcangues181 I’d never heard of Kincsem she must be a serious contender. After all the Thoroughbred Champions site lists her as the greatest horse of all time!
As a New Zealander, I’d have to say Sunline’s been the best horse I’ve seen in action. Another great mare, Desert Gold, won 19 starts in a row back in the twenties. Another Aussie/NZ horse to do this was Gloaming who’s only finish outside the first was three was after a fall as a three-year-old
Here’s the IMDB link for the Phar Lap movie Ruffian mentioned. It’s definately worth seeing, I saw it as a kid and really loved it.
I’ll mention Kelso, who seems to get short shrift. He won nearly $2 million at a time when purses were rarely as much as $100,000. He was horse of the year five times. And this was racing in handicap stakes, where he routinely carried very high weights (he won seven consecutive major stakes races carrying 134 pounds). Because he skipped the triple crown, which makes people overlook him.
And then there’s Forego. He also made his name racing in handicap stakes carrying high weight. He was also responsible for one of the greatest finishes in racing history when he came from ten lengths behind on a sloppy track (and carrying 137 pounds) to beat Honest Pleasure (carrying 119) at the wire. I remember Willie Shoemaker taking the horse practically to the outside rail on the stretch to win.
Then there’s Ruffian. I had a bet on her for the Great Match Race. I don’t need to say anything more.
OK - maybe it was John Henry … but I’m pretty sure Cigar kept trying to bite at his handler. I dunno - it was 95 in the shade that day; maybe my brain got fried.
Go Big Red! Born right here in VA (about 30 miles from where I’m sitting).
The State Fair of VA is moving to the farm where he was born and I’m hoping that they put up a fitting memorial. His performance in the Belmont Stakes has my vote as the greatest sporting achievment of the 20th Century.
Hey, could’ve been, Avarie. Like people, all horses have their grouchy days. My mare kept trying to sideswipe the other mares in the arena today, very, very uncharacteristically throwing her head back and trying to kick. I blame hormones.
plnnr…um…I thought Secretariat was foaled in Kentucky at Meadow Stud, where his sire Bold Ruler stood. WAIT! Wait, I’m wrong. Sorta. He’s listed as a Kentucky-bred, but just in name. From the book:
Weird! I assumed that where a foal is dropped is considered their home-bred-state. Secretariat was a Virginiabred…I learn something new every day!
Well, of horses I’ve actually gotten to see run regularly, Forego was undoubtedly the best- especially since he always seemed to be carrying ungodly amounts of weight in the handicap races he ran in.
