Horse racing is one of the biggest sports in the world. It has produced some of the most memorable events in sports history. Unlike most sports, all the attention and accolades go to the horses. As a result, some of the best and legendary horses have been etched in the annals of world history with extraordinary performances. These equine greats have awed crowds of thousands and more with incredible feats, memorable showings, and absolute domination in some cases. With the upcoming annual Cheltenham Festival Races, we take a stroll down memory lane with a list of some of the biggest horse racing legends.
Secretariat
When you talk of legendary racehorses, Secretariat should be one of the first names that come to mind. Going with the moniker, “Big Red,” he dominated and made the competition non-existent and blitzed his way to the US Triple Crown in 1973. Big Red set a host of records in horse racing circuits. His winning margin of 31 lengths is a record in any Triple Crown event. Secretariat was a dominant horse and one of a kind. He earned a bit over one million dollars with a race record of 16 wins, three draws, and one defeat. A true thoroughbred legend.
Man o’ War
Famous and legendary are just a few words that describe Man o’ War. He was credited for bringing American horse racing from the dumps in the 1920s. He was destined for greatness the moment he made his debut two years after birth. Man o’ War cemented his name as a great by winning three stakes in 17 days. He won 20 of his 21 career races. The race he did not win, he placed second while starting with his back turned. Such was his dominance that other horse owners did not want to put up their horses against Man o’ War. He was also a pundit’s favourite, as he was a sure guarantee on racing cards. While he was not allowed to race in the Triple Crown, his offspring have produced over 200 champions. An absolute equine legend.
Sea Biscuit
Coming from the line of Man o War, greatness was the minimum requirement as a racehorse. Interestingly, his career started poorly, as he was considered lazy by his owners. He also lost his first 17 races. He was written off till he won two races at Narragansett Park. He set a record while on the second race. Sea Biscuit’s unlikely rise to fame and subsequent greatness transcended the tracks onto the screens. The ultimate horse underdog story. As a true descendant of Man o’ War created blazed a path to greatness on his terms. He also made
Summary
These are just a few legendary names that graced the horse tracks. These are all winners in their rights and based on the records. They broke and set numerous records and medals while making their owners wealthy. They also sired with other horses to produce lines of awesome. Famous racehorses have and will live through the ages. In true neutral fashion, we hope for new winners, records, epic storylines, and legends from Cheltenham.
Sources:
- https://www.casino.org/blog/top-10-racehorses-of-all-time/ – Casino.org
- https://betoclock.com/legendary-race-horses/ – Bet O’Clock
- http://play-sport-bet.com/SPORT/HORSERACING/famous-horses.html – Play Sport Bet