American Pharoh

[Waquoit]

They have the money and the horse is insured, really respect the owner's attitude that he wants fans to see this horse as much as possible this year..

Zayat is a con man. I'm sure "the fans" are some part of it. But he'll be running less for the fans and more for the big purses. And I'm sure he's negotiating for appearance money as we speak.

 

[tzznandrew]

Very true. The field could be entirely plow horses and a three year old running those three races, in five weeks, at quality times is an exceptional feat. All anyone needs to do is look at the list of horses that couldn't win all three (including the legendary Man o' War).

To be fair to Man 'o War, he wasn't entered into the Derby, which is probably the only reason he didn't win the 1920 Triple Crown.

 

[Henry]

he seems like a deserving horse but is he really an all-time great horse?
i don't know enough about horse racing to say.
anyone know how his times compare to other times of the all-time great horses?

What impressed me was that he won in the mud and on a dry track. Some horses cannot run in the mud and that track was a mess. Very strong horse. The fact that he won makes him an all-time great. Would the 2002 UCONN women have been one of the all-time great teams if they had lost the championship? Probably not.

 

[jibsey]

Just wondering, why does Secretariat get a free pass for losing twice to unknowns after the Belmont? Shouldn't the greatest of all-time have found a way against a couple of plugs?

In one race he had diarrhea and a virus and the other was a sloppy track but he went 3-2. Also doing that racing after a grueling triple crown must be tough, try it.

 

[Fishy]

Secretariat lost five races - one of them on a disqualification. He had an excuse in the Wood with the abscess, but he was just outrun by the two Jerkins' horses in the Whitney and Woodward - it happens.

Forget the sloppy track excuse - Secretariat was fine on an off-track. Meadow Stable entered two horses in the Woodward...they would run Riva Ridge if it was a fast track and Secretariat if it rained. It rained, so Secretariat got the call. (Kind of a luxury - Meadow Stable had the '72 and '73 Derby winners in their barn.)

Prove Out, the horse that outran Secretariat in the Woodward, was hardly a plug - when he was healthy, he was a pure freak. He had a brilliant stretch that fall that saw him set a track record at seven furlongs at Saratoga while smoking Forego, set another track record at 1 1/16th at Belmont and then he beat Secretariat at a mile and a half and Riva Ridge at two miles. The 2:25 4/5ths winning time of the Woodward is still the second-fastest mile and a half ever run at Belmont.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Secretariat was without question the greatest thoroughbred racehorse ever (and at the time he ran I despised that horse). I really want to know what was going on during breeding season 1969 as in 1970 not only Secretariat but Sham and Forego were also foaled.

Secretariat's official time in the Preakness was mistimed and that is the only reason it isn't the record for that race. He and Sham had the fastest two times in both the Derby and Preakness (I believe Sham is now 2 & 3 in the Derby and Preakness respectively) and Sham broke a tooth in the gate and was spitting blood for the entire race.

Secretariat's heart was just shy of 22 pounds. The second largest on record was Sham at ~ 18.5 and going into that triple crown season many felt Sham would go on to become the greatest speed horse of all time (he fractured a hoof in the Belmont and never raced again). While he ended up in anonymity (save a Disney movie that tried to make it appear that a horse could have been favored over Secretariat in the Belmont), I many ways his role was to illustrate Secretariat's greatness as if the two hadn't run the same year, a lingering questioning may well have been "Yes, Secretariat was a better horse but would he have beaten Sham in either of the shorter (Derby, Preakness) races?". As they went head to head the question never needed to be asked.

If anyone has interest look up the record of Forego. He is considered the greatest gelding ever, has many records for victories and finishing in the money. For years (when purses were well below what they have become) he had the highest total career earnings for any racehorse. That three horses of that quality were born in the same year is amazing.

Who hates a horse?

 

[nomar]

Secretariat was without question the greatest thoroughbred racehorse ever (and at the time he ran I despised that horse). I really want to know what was going on during breeding season 1969 as in 1970 not only Secretariat but Sham and Forego were also foaled.

Secretariat's official time in the Preakness was mistimed and that is the only reason it isn't the record for that race. He and Sham had the fastest two times in both the Derby and Preakness (I believe Sham is now 2 & 3 in the Derby and Preakness respectively) and Sham broke a tooth in the gate and was spitting blood for the entire race.

Secretariat's heart was just shy of 22 pounds. The second largest on record was Sham at ~ 18.5 and going into that triple crown season many felt Sham would go on to become the greatest speed horse of all time (he fractured a hoof in the Belmont and never raced again). While he ended up in anonymity (save a Disney movie that tried to make it appear that a horse could have been favored over Secretariat in the Belmont), I many ways his role was to illustrate Secretariat's greatness as if the two hadn't run the same year, a lingering questioning may well have been "Yes, Secretariat was a better horse but would he have beaten Sham in either of the shorter (Derby, Preakness) races?". As they went head to head the question never needed to be asked.

If anyone has interest look up the record of Forego. He is considered the greatest gelding ever, has many records for victories and finishing in the money. For years (when purses were well below what they have become) he had the highest total career earnings for any racehorse. That three horses of that quality were born in the same year is amazing.

His Preakness time has been officially changed and he is now the record-holder for that race.