Horse Racing Fantasy Community

check out the 2002 test stakes @ saratoga on youtube. probably my all-time favorite race. Carson Hollow vs You. Jerry Bailey said it was probably his best ride ever. and Tom Durkin's call was incredible. had to have been one of his best.

Two horses from South Africa that i always remember.

stevic11

Dewyane Millard: Cloud I just watched that amazing stretch run with You pinning Carson on the rail and my hair stood straight- up! Thank you for sharing an Amazing race with me! Wow! You went on to be a champion while Carson died a year later after complication from colic. Depressing that so many of the amazing finishers bring to mind sadness in a Ruffian- esque fashion. Great post!

1954 Kentucky Derby winner Determine live. Saw John Henry beat Silveyville at Golden Gate Fields. Oh, gosh, I'm sure I've see many more over the years, but these names just popped up. As far as on TV, the same could be said, but, Native Dancer (1953) stands out. Oh, Swaps (1955) too. And, and, and,and,and,and.LOL
Just too many. For you younger folks, if you don't know, Native Dancer and Swaps, you don't know nothing. LOL I think most have at least heard of, John Henry.

Australian racing has had many great horses.Some of the best I have watched-Kingston Town,Makybe Diva,Think Big,Rain Lover,Black Caviar.

was Damascus spotting his foes so much weight and still coming home a winner...Stan

Whaley's Stables
Home to some of the World's Finest Gin
"At Least Temporarily"

Dewyane Millard: I bet Native Dancer was a treat! Do you think he was overrated or underrated? With only one loss should he not be up there with Man O war and Secretariat? I think he is to be considered #3 all time! I remember seeing John Henry at the Kentucky Horse Park with Cigar and Da Hoss! JH and Cigs would race each other in along the fence lines...the workers still tell great stories about those two great champions and how they even competed in retirement.

Dewyane Millard: Frankel vs Black Caviar? Who would win in 1 mile?

Sunday Silence vs Easy Goer was a great rivalry and who could ever forget that 1989 preakness. One of my favorite races was a race hardly seen by the public, the 1988 San Bernadino Hcp where Alysheba and Ferdinand battle 4 furlongs nose and nose to the finish and who could ever forget Silky Sullivan's 41 length come from behind victory (all of these races can be seen on my profile page)

I can watch this race over and over with chills.

***Snozberry Float And Billie Bound Would Love Your Shed Vote***

who captured a nations attention, my two favorite horses growing up were Dahlia and All Along. I got to see both of them run in the Washington DC International at Laurel when it was really the only race of it's kind in the US.
Both of these fillies had such tremendous heart and courage.
My most vivid memory is of All Along running about six lengths back going into the far turn and in five jumps she was on the lead and STILL under wraps. She literally won for fun that day. Dahlia was out of the same mold and was really one of the first horses to run on an "International" stage. She was incredible in her own right.
I would have loved to have seen these two great fillies run against each other. That would have been one for the ages !!

The question was asked, " Do you think he was overated" I've never once heard anyone use the word, overated. I hope I never hear it again.
He ( te Grey Ghost )was one of the best horses of all time and certainly wasn't overrated. He was a true Champion and earned that distinction on his own abilities on the track. His influence in today pedigrees of top thoroughbred racehorses from around the world is not disputed.
I don't think anybody that wasn't part of that era then could ever fully understand the excitement that he generated in each race. If it weren't for a poor ride by jockey, Eric Guerin, Native Dancer would have been among our Triple Crown winners. He shouldn't have lost the Kentucky Derby to Dark Star. The press was furious. They wrote, Guerin took him everywhere on th track except the lady's room. A lot of young folks never heard of this great horse. If he had won the Tripe Crown, it would be a different story.
Btw, the year was 1953 and this was the beginning of horse racing on TV, which was relatively new at the time. Most houses didn't have a TV then, my house included. I don't like to say one super horse is better than another super horses. I'd prefer to break it down to the year, or decade. If I was hard pressed, I'd probably say, Man O' War. But,ya know, we'll never know. Never. Was, Native Dancer, underated? How could a horse that did so much, ever be underated. How couild he have done more? The answer is, NO.

I Started going to the NY tracks with my mom in 1974 . I got to see Ruffian a couple of times and Seattle Slew's Belmont. My favorite though was the great Forego. I remember the thrill I felt as the crowd roar began to build when he started to make his move on the far turn. At 17 hands he gobbled up ground with each powerful stride. Always showed tremendous heart as he was frequently forced to carry 130+ pounds.

Who could forget, three time Horse Of The year, Forego. One of my favorites in my lifetime. I remember all of those exciting races/finishes. And with so much weight against the best horses of the day. Many don't realise that, Forego ran in the1973 Kentucky Derby and finished 4th behind the Great, Secretariat. I liked him so well going into that race, that I'm almost certain that he was my selection.

The Great Waquoit was the most exciting horse Flyingdaaka ever saw in person. That horse gave The Flying One more moments than any other horse. To see a Mass bred on the national scene was something. The 1987 Masscap, where local stud Waquoit shocked the nation by beating super horse, Broad Brush was by far the loudest and most excited Flyingdaaka ever heard Suffolk Downs by far. The 89 Breeders classic had Waquoit leading into the far turn, truly an exciting moment.
But how can anyone forget about Zenyatta. That was the most exciting horse of all time, it seemed to understand where the finish line was and always found a way to just get up. It seemed to know it had a winning streak on the line every time it raced. If horse racing was what it was way back in the day, Zenyatta would be a legend.

~~ Participating in The Forum to keep you people in line ~~

Forego was a huge awkward horse as a pup when 4th to Sec and Sham. He really took off in the fall of his 3 year old season and never looked back. I would have liked to have seen Secretariat and Forego at level weights in 1974/75/76.

But my racing friends say Kelso was better.

One of the best ever was Phar lap. In his prime he was unbeatable, even all the weight the used to stack on him he still won. Probably had the most heart, even won a race with a busted hoof. If he had raced his whole career in U S might have been best ever.Btw if you havent seen the movie a highly recomend.

Hi, William,
Enough can't be said about the greatness and accomplishments of, Phar Lap. I have the VHS movie and have watched it numerous times. I'm in the process of transfering from tape to DVD.
Just want to mention another great horse from Australia, Peter Pan, winner of the 1932 and 1934 Melbourne Cup. A book about this horse is soon to e released. I've pre-orderd my paperback copy on Amazon.com.
He made his debut shortly after, Phar Lap's death. In the 1932 Melbourne Cup, he clipped hills, going down to his knees, apparently ending his dream of a victory. Another nearby horse bumped into him and Peter Pan regained his composure//footing and came on in closing strides to win, narrowly. Some compare him to Phar Lap. I recommend getting the book. Sounds like a good one. Oh, I think the price was under $20.00, not including shipping costs.

As an addendum to the Native Dancer story, his son Dancer's Image won the 1968 Derby only to eventually be disqualified for testing positive for Butazolidin (horse aspirin, basically).

This disqualification shouldn't have happened. What a disgrace. IMO The race was stolen from, Dancer's Image. I had a win bet on him at local bookie joint ( Expansion Bar on Market Street ) in San Francisco.

That same year, I moved out of S.F. to the area where I live now, (about 90 miles south of city ). thus ending my bookie joint experiences, which started with my Dad, approx. mid fifties. Swaps era.
Sooooo, lots of bookie joint experiences at various locations throughout San Francisco, including the Harding Movie Theater on Divisidero Street, where the man running the movie projecters was the bookie. LOL

I always found time to go to live racing at , Bay Meadows, Tanforan,Golden Gate Fields and all of the summer Fair tracks, which, mostly had the same horses and riders.

The next time I go past Sagamore Farm I'll take a few pics for you. That is where Native Dancer grew up. I know you are a big fan of his so I'll take some the next time I'm out that way. I was actually there yesterday, but was out getting a tree and forgot my camera LOL

Phil

Tanforan. LMAO.
Didn't that track close in the 1920's ???

~~ Participating in The Forum to keep you people in line ~~

MAO

Yes, I'd like that. I have a nice dvd slide presentation of the Seabiscuit Ranch in Willits, California that I could send to you if you're interested. In fact, my avatar is from my visit there in 2007.

Tanforan Racecourse burned down on July 31, 1964.

Isnt that where Seabiscuit broke the track record in a workout

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<<< Isnt that where Seabiscuit broke the track record in a workout? >>>

You saw the movie. LOL Yes, that's the track. Tanforan. Arson was supected when it caught fire and burned to the ground due to how fast it spread through the grandstand. This is what I believe. The track was already through with racing and it was to be torn down at any time. It is suspected (at least at the time) that the people who were going to dismantle the track spread gasoline throughout the entire grandstand area.
This was to sve them money. I don't know what the truth is, but could tell ya, this is how we all felt when it happened. The media felt the same way too.

a horse named Vigors ??
That was one of my favorite horses. I never had the chance to see him run in person but would have loved to have had that opportunity.
Did you ever get to see him out on the West Coast ??

Vigors was one of my favorites of all time too growing up. I will always remember the "Big White Horse" coming from dead last to win the 1978 Santa Anita Hcp.

Although I never got to see him live, I was a big fan and did see him run on TV. He sure got blocked badly coming out of the gate. Darrel Mahargue (sp) got his sixth win of the day by winning this prestigeous race. He (Vigors) ran like ,Silky Sullivan this day, coming from the clouds. The video is of very good quality and runs for almost six minutes. Enjoy. I think it's great to bring awareness to some of these great horses, that for whatever reason, never get the credit/recognition they deserve.

Now thats picking th.em up and putting them down

http://articles.latimes.com/1998/mar/04/sports/sp-25368

Ineresting read, telling you something about this horse, Vigors. When the qustion was asked of me about, Vigors, I had to send part of my memory back in time. In a flash, I remembered he was white. Then when I started reading about him again, everything was coming back. No doubt about it, Vigor's was a very good stakes horse.

If you look at Vigor's pedigree, on his mothers side, you'll trace him back to Relic, War Relic, then, Man O' War.

http://www.pedigreequery.com/vigors

With his pedigree, distance would never be a problem the further the better.

I believe the best I've seen live happen to be one from this very year of 2011. Seeing Frankel live has been an absolute privilege.

These last few years have been quite brillant for Europe in terms of milers (Canford Cliffs, Goldikova, Excelebration, Strong Suit, Dream Ahead, Immortal Verse etc...) but the way Frankel has been casting them aside has been nothing short of exceptional. Sheer power this horse!

"In capitalism, man exploits man. In communism, it's just the opposite."

Love the quote, Sirvincent.

The top horses I have seen in person:

• Rachel Alexandra
• Quality Road
• Blame
• Funny Cide
• Cigar
• Da Hoss

The horses whose careers I have followed (to name a few):

• Zenyatta
• Barbaro
• Rags to Riches
• Big Brown
• Quality Road
• Animal Kingdom
• Banned
• Wanderin Boy

I only got into racing about 6 years ago, when Barbaro won the Derby. I think he was one of the best I've seen.
The next year, for the Derby, my bet (not real bets, of course!) was Curlin, because at that point I was adamant he was special (Still am!) Even after he was third, I still bet on him for the Preakness and Belmont. The Preakness brought tears to my eyes when he courageously lost the lead and gained it back again. When he lost the Belmont everyone thought I was nuts for saying he was the greatest colt of the year. I firmly kept my loyalty with him, and was thrilled when he won the Breeders' Cup. I continued to follow his career til his retirement, and I think he's the greatest colt I ever got to see run. Curlin converted me into a big racing fan.
Zenyatta is a given for the fillies. Gave me chills watching her race! She and Curlin are my favorites I've ever watched.

~*horsekrazee*~

In case you didn't already know, on Jan. 22nd Rachel Alexandra foaled a 125 lb. colt by Curlin!

I think Black Caviar would win, but, then, I've never liked Frankel at all! Black Caviar is definitely faster than Frankel, so if she gets the mile, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if she does, she will win, easily.

The best horses I have ever followed are Black Caviar, Sea The Stars, and Goldikova. The best horse I have ever followed from my own country, South Africa, is Horse Chestnut.

I couldn't get the video to play but would love to see it. I was there that day and made one of the biggest bets I have ever made on "The Big White Horse" I won't say how much because my wife would probably kill me even now. I'll never forget when they were comming around the turn the anouncer yelling "here comes the big white horse" it was the most exciting race I have ever witnessed.

Lost In The Fog
Pine Island
Go For Wand
Ruffian
Goldikova
Kona Gold
So Brilliant
Barbaro
Eight Belles
Seabiscuit
Silver Charm
Curlin
Man O' War
Cigar
Citation
Dr. Fager
Fuisachi Pegasus
Spectacular Bid
Whirlaway
Tiznow

There I'm done :P

Haven't gotten a chance to attend a big event but these are some of my favorites from following live on TV:
Zenyatta
Sea the Stars
Invasor
Ghostzapper
Rachel Alexandra
Lava Man
Rags to Riches

And I wasn't even born when he was alive, but Secretariat was amazing.

For allowing me to see some races from a lot of the greats mentioned above. But for my money, nothing tops Secretariat's Belmont run. Just amazing to watch. It must have been even better live.

Joe

Add I'll Have Another and Bodemeister to the list. Awesome horses. Hopefully the first triple crown in my lifetime.

I will break down in tears if I witness IHA win the Triple Crown. I'm going to Belmont to see this race live, my first in person TB race ever attended, if it's a history making event I'll be holding onto my $2 win ticket for IHA and cashing my $100 ticket :P

I'll Have Another and Black Caviar are two of my recent favorites.

Also what about Count Fleet? Does anyone remember that he won the TC and won the Belmont by 25 lengths? Great horse.