Cross Breeds

I would like to know what was the name of the greatest race horse that ever lived?

Public Comments

1. SEABISCUIT ALL THE WAY MAN
2. Horse Chestnut!!!!
3. Red Rum (bay gelding, May 3, 1965–October 18, 1995 was a racehorse who achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977. He came second in 1975 and 1976. In his first two victories, he was ridden by Brian Fletcher. However in 1975, when L'Escargot was victorious, Fletcher was blamed for costing him victory by holding him back. In 1976 Tommy Stack replaced Fletcher, but was held off by Rag Trade. The following year Stack rode him to his triumphant third Grand National, considered one of the greatest moments in British sporting history. Not surprisingly, Red Rum became the country's best known and most loved racehorse. "Rummy" became a national celebrity, opening supermarkets, leading the Grand National parade, and being the only animal named BBC Sports Personality of the Year. His likeness graced playing cards, mugs, posters, models, paintings, plates, and jigsaw puzzles. Several books have been written about Red Rum by his trainer, sculptor, jockeys, and the author Ivor Herbert. A memorable children's story about his life was penned by Christine Pemberton. Red Rum was bred at Rossenarra Stud in Kells, County Kilkenny, Ireland by Martyn Molony and started off in life running in cheap races as a sprinter. After being passed from training yard to training yard, he found his footing when Liverpool car dealer Ginger McCain bought him for his client Noel Le Mare and famously trained the horse on the sands at Southport, Lancashire. McCain, who also won the Grand National in 2004 with Amberleigh House, took Red Rum for a therapeutic swim in the sea off Southport before every Grand National. Red Rum suffered most of his life from a debilitating, incurable bone disease in his foot but it could not defeat his courage. Fittingly, Rummy is buried at the finishing line of the Aintree race course which is still a destination for his fans today.
4. There are any number of contenders ranging from Man O' War to Seabiscuit to Secretariat to any of the ones the other answerers have mentioned. I think my choice would be either Man O'War or Northern Dancer. Man o' War went undefeated as a three-year-old in 1920, and reduced the American record for the mile by two-fifths of a second, to 1:35 4/5; and even at that, his jockey - now Clarence Kummer - had held him back. Later, in the Belmont Stakes, he went 1 3/8 in 2:14 1/4 which stood for 50 years. By the time of the Dwyer Stakes at Aqueduct, Man o' War could find only one opponent, John P. Grier, a horse from the Whitney Stables. In this race, Grier challenged Man o' War, and Kummer used his whip for the first time. Man o' War dashed to victory, and set a new American record at 1:45 1/5. The crowning event of Man o' War's career came in a match race against the celebrated Canadian horse Sir Barton, the first winner of the Triple Crown. On October 12, 1920, he and Man o' War met in Windsor, Ontario. Man o' War won by seven lengths! In his career "Big Red" won 20 of 21 races As A Sire of Many Winners, Big Red Stood at Stud in Kentucky, an American Hero Man o' War's stud career was just as distinguished as his career on the track. At stud on Hinata Stock Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, he sired 13 foals his first season, the most notable of which was American Flag. Riddle did not allow Man o' War to breed many mares besides his own. Although he became history's leading sire in terms of his off-spring's winnings, his stud career might have been even greater had he been bred to better mares. Among Man o' War's most important get were Triple Crown winner War Admiral, Crusader, Blockade, War Hero, War Relic, Clyde Van Deusen, and Battleship. In all, he sired 379 foals who won 1,286 races. Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 - November 16, 1990) was a Canadian-bred thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire in racing history. A bay colt, Northern Dancer was by Nearctic-Natalma, by Native Dancer. In 1952, Edward P. Taylor, Canadian business magnate and owner of Windfields Farm, had attended the December sale at Newmarket, England where he purchased Lady Angela, a mare in foal to Nearco. Two years later she was bred again with Nearco, producing a colt named Nearctic. From Nearctic and the mare Natalma, a daughter of the great Native Dancer, came Northern Dancer. Breeder: E.P. Taylor Owner: E.P. Taylor Trainer: Horatio Luro Contents [hide] 1 Racing career 2 A sire of champions 3 Honors 4 References 5 External links Racing career Northern Dancer was ridden by Ron Turcotte in his first victory as a two-year-old. Before the running of the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, trainer Horatio Luro asked jockey Bill Shoemaker to make a commitment to ride either Northern Dancer or the more promising colt, Hill Rise. Shoemaker went with the unbeaten Hill Rise, believing the colt represented his best chance for a win at the prestigious Kentucky Derby. As a result of Shoemaker's decision, Bill Hartack became Northern Dancer's permanent jockey, guiding him to his best season in 1964 at age 3 when he won the Flamingo Stakes, Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Queen's Plate. He was also named the Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old of 1964. In his two years of racing, Northern Dancer won 14 of his 18 races and never finished worse than third. The Blood-Horse ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Northern Dancer was ranked #43. A sire of champions Northern Dancer stood at Taylor's stud farm in Maryland until his retirement and was the most successful sire in thoroughbred horse-racing history. His offspring have earned more money and won more major stakes races than those of any other sire, including North American, Japanese, Australian and European champions. He sired 146 stakes winners including the great Nijinsky II, winner of England's Triple Crown, as well as The Minstrel, Shareef Dancer, Secreto, El Gran Senor, Fanfreluche and multiple champion sire Sadler's Wells. He was also an exceptionally prepotent sire (a sire of sires of stakes winners such as Miesque). In the 1983 Keeneland auction, one of Northern Dancer's colts named Snaafi Dancer became the first $10 million yearling. Although he has been dead for more than fifteen years, there are more Northern Dancer line Breeder's Cup winners than any other horse. Honors In 1965, Northern Dancer became the first non-human to ever be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1976. He was retired from stud (breeding) on April 15, 1987 at the age of 26. He died in 1990 and is memorialized at Windfields Farm in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. In 1999, Canada Post honored the horse with his image placed on a postage stamp. A residential street was named after the horse on the former site of the Greenwood Race Track in east-end Toronto. During the past forty years, a number of books have been written about Northern Dancer with the latest two editions coming out in 2006. One, by respected pedigree authority Avalyn Hunter, author of "American Classic Pedigrees (1914-2002)," recounts how Northern Dancer and his sons have established a royal dynasty that has profoundly dominated the international bloodstock market. References Lennox, Muriel. Northern Dancer: The Legend and His Legacy (Hushion House Publishing Ltd: 1995) ISBN 0969902506 Hunter, Avalyn. The Kingmaker : How Northern Dancer Founded a Racing Dynasty. (Eclipse Press : 2006) ISBN 1581501374 Gamble-Arsenault, Debbie. Great Canadian Race Horses: The Incredible Feats of Northern Dancer and other Speed Demons (Altitude Publishing : 2006) ISBN 1554390001 Pedigree of Northern Dancer Sire Nearctic Nearco Pharos Phalaris Scapa Flow Nogara Havresac II Catnip Lady Angela Hyperion Gainsborough Selene Sister Sarah Abbots Trace Sarita Dam Natalma Native Dancer Polynesian Unbreakable Black Polly Geisha Discovery Miyako Almahmoud Mahmoud Blenheim II Mah Mahal Arbitrator Peace Chance Mother Goose
5. Secretariat hands down... He won the Derby by 31 lengths!! He was 35th on Sports Century countdown of the top 100 athletes of the 20th century... and he was an animal.
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7. I would like to throw in a couple great standardbreds, such as Greyhound, who was a world record holding trotter, and Niatross, Albatross, Cam Best, ContinentalVictory, Moni Maker (the best trotting mare ever). Thanks.
8. Secreteriat won the Belmont by 31 lengths and the world record still stands today 34 years later. This was after setting the track record in the Derby (record still stands) and the disputed track record in the Preakness. His speed , stamina and consistency were the greatest of all time.
9. Kelso....At least according to Eddie Arcaro who rode two Triple Crown winners-Whiraway/Citation. Kelso often carried over 140 lbs and won many a Grade 1 race and was named five time Horse of the Year. I
10. The greatest that ever lived was Slew. Not only was he a superhorse on the track but in the breeding shed as well. He will be forever remembered as, if not the greatest, then in the top ten. Just a few others to add into contention, Secretariat, Ruffian-the best filly EVER, Azeri, Seabiscuit, Silky Sullivan, and about a million others.