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The Woodward is a prestigious race held traditionally at Saratoga each year that is open to thoroughbreds three years old and older; 2009 was a historic running of the Woodward because for the first time ever a filly, Rachel Alexandra, ran under the wire first. What was doubly impressive about the win was that Rachel Alexandra not only won the classic race, but in doing so she beat not only a field of males, but older males as well. That race was the last of 8 starts made by the three-year-old super filly in 2009, and served as a fitting capper to a year which saw her become the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes in over 80 years, destroy competition of her own gender by 20 lengths twice, and beat males three times to be named Horse of the Year.
There has been no announcement from her trainer Steve Asmussen or owner Jess Jackson whether or not Rachel Alexandra will again run in the Woodward in 2010, but her great, historic performance in the 2009 renewal reminded me of a bygone era and a bygone horse that dominated thoroughbred racing in the middle of perhaps it's greatest decade in history. That decade was of course the 1970s, and the horse I'm referring to was the great Forego, a gelding son of Forli that won Horse of the Year three years in a row from 1974 to 1976, and also won Champion Handicap honors four years in a row, from 1974 to 1977. In each of those championship years Forego logged, he won the Woodward, a feat that no other horse has ever duplicated in that historic race. Even more impressive was the fact that in those four years that Forego ran in the race, the race was run at two markedly different distances. In 1974 and 1975, the race was run at the endurance distance of a mile and a half, while in 1976 and 1977 it was run at the more speed-conducive mile and an eighth. In each instance, the gigantic Forego, who stood at 17.1 hands and weighed well over 1200 pounds, engaged the field with his patented closing style and overpowered the field in the final two furlongs, despite carrying more weight than any other horse in the field. Like Rachel Alexandra is certain to be, Forego was a Hall of Famer of the first order, and was named to the Bloodhorse's list of the Top 100 horses of the 20th Century. No doubt that Rachel Alexandra is an early candidate to be included on the 21st Century edition of that list. unfortunately I was unable to link any videos of Forego in those aforementioned Woodward victories, but here is some classic footage of him winning the 1976 Marlboro Cup despite carrying a staggering 137 pounds!

If you wish, you can ride either Rachel Alexandra or Forego in our amazing online horse game; just visit our Horse Racing Store!