8/6/2019 Top 10 Racehorses of All Time

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8/6/2019 Top 10 Racehorses of All Time

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No. 4: Spectacular Bid - 26 wins from 30 starts. The Bid" as he was called, set numerous timerecords during his career and won 12 consecutive races. But he would be denied the TripleCrown in 1979, coming up short at the Belmont Stakes by what most say was a poor ride by

jockey Ron Franklin. A threat to break the track record every time he rounded the racetrack, henever lost between 7 furlongs and 1 miles. His astounding 1:57.4 in the 1980 Strub still standsas the record for 10 furlongs at Santa Anita.

No. 3: Seabiscuit -33 wins from 89 starts. After failing to win in his first 10 races, this bay coltwas sold for the mere price of $8,000, but later became an unlikely champion and a symbol ofhope to many Americans during the Great Depression. The most memorable race that Seabiscuitran was on November 1, 1938. Known as the "Match of the Century, the then-five year old ranagainst 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral on the 1 and 3/16 miles at Pimlico Race Course.With over 40,000 at the track and some 40 million listening on the radio, Seabiscuit pulled awayin the closing stretch, finally winning by four clear lengths. As a result, Seabiscuit was named"Horse of the Year" for 1938.

No. 2: Man o' War- 20 wins from 21 starts. During his career just after World War I, Man o' Warwas the first great race horse to really capture the public's imagination and raise horse racing inthe public consciousness. His lone loss, ironically to a horse named Upset, came during his 2-year-old season in the 1919, but cannot spoil an otherwise dominating career from this strappingstallion.

No. 1: Secretariat - 16 wins from 21 starts. Sired by Bold Ruler, Secretariat became the f irstTriple Crown champion in twenty-five years in 1973, while setting new race records in two of thethree events a win by 12 furlongs in the Belmont Stakes and an unofficial track record atPimlico--that still stand today. In 2005, Secretariat was the only non-human to make ESPNs listof "Greatest Sports Performances" (by individual athletes), with his run at Belmont rankingsecond. Perhaps no other horse has brought as much excitement and attraction to the sport asthis star power stallion.

Honorable Mentions: War Admiral, Cigar, John Henry, Native Dancer, and Bold Ruler.

Matt Martz is a sports writer for the Bakersfield Californian, the Oregonian, the SpringfieldRepublican, and Utah Spectrum. Blessed is the gambler who expects nothing, for ye shallnot be disappointed.