Cross Breeds - Who are the five greatest race horses of all time?

Who are the five greatest race horses of all time?

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http://www.the-top-tens.com/lists/best-race-horses.asp These are people's top 26. Number 10- War Admiral. I don't really agree with 100%, but oh well. Number 9- Seattle Slew. I agree with what this person had to say, "Was at Belmont the day he became the 10th. Triple Crown winner and the 1st Undefeated. Triple Crown winner. A very tough horse who came back after a serious illness to defeat Affirmed and thrill his fans." Number 8- Zenyatta. Still iffy about this one. However this person is right, "Zenyatta us simply amazing. She beat all the boys, was the first ever to do so, and won the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The year before, she won the Ladies’ Classic, and became the first ever horse to have two consecutive Breeders’ Cup wins." Even though she did lose her 20th race. Number 7- Ruffian. Eh...I don't know. Number 6- Barbaro. Who could ever forget this horse. This horse captured the hearts of many Americans! Horse loving and not. He def. deserves a special place in a racehorse countdown. Number 5- Sea Bird II. These three people said it all, "The greatest racehorse that ever trod turf. Sea Bird II won ALL his as a 3-year old with the greatest of ease, his wins were totally effortless. There will never be another like him, he was, quite simply, perfection in equine form." "I saw Sea Bird win the Epsom Derby in 1965 and his performance was simply mind blowing. He won the most prestigious Derby in the world in a common canter and 11 of the horses who finished behind him won 15 races between them during the remainder of that season. ’Champion of Champions’ is a fitting title for this equine superstar." "Sea Bird was the pre eminent racehorse in Europe in the 20th century. He won the Epsom Derby and Prix de l’arc de Triomphe on the bridle , the only horse ever to do this. He was so good that he was never extended so no-one knows just how good he was. I have seen all the great racehorses of the past 50 years, but Sea Bird is the only one who sent shivers up and down my spine. Many people consider him ’ Champion of Champions’." Number 4- Man O' War. As he is a well known racehorse, I don't think he should have made the number 4 spot. Number 3- Phar Lap. Maybe not number 3 in my book, but I agree with what this person said, "simply the best horse ever with out a doubt. 2 cox plates (worlds best weight for age race) a melbourne cup (worlds best staying race) and he did this while winning a race on the sat. the cup on the tues a race on the thurs and a race on the following sat. just to prove it when we took him to America he was poisoned to stop him cleaning up there.” Number 2- Seabiscuit. Oh, what a horse! As someone called him, "The little horse that could." Beat Admiral by 4 lengths! Number 1- Secretariat. By far the greatest! I am 100% with this person, "Won the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths not 24. Broke the World Record for 1 1/2 mile race at 2:24. Also broke the record at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby at 1:59.2” All racehorses are amazing! They train, put everything they got and put their life on the line. If you watch a horse race in person, you will be blown away!
Its a question that many have asked, many have answered and no body truly knows. The big change in opinion depends on what side of the pond (Atlantic) the asked person is or if they are from down-under. If you are American you will no doubt say that Secretariat or Man O'War was the best of all time. If from Australia you would probably say Phar Lap. If your Italian the answer will be Ribot, French they will say Sea Bird or maybe the more recent Goldikova or Zarkava. And finally if like me you are British (specifictly English) the choice is narrowed to Shergar, Brigadier Gerard, Gladiateur or right up to the more recent Sea The Stars. Without going so far back as Eclipse probably was the best racehorse of all time given the era changes but I will exclude him for this as it was too long ago to clarify how good he was. The answer really well... there is none. But to be fair to all nations I will state a multi placed answer. I have placed 4 horses at each stage if the top 5 of all time I personally would state Brigadier Gerrard as the best of all time but I will not be massivly biased so take your pick: 5 - Mill Reef, Ksar, Hyperion, Troy 4 - Rock Of Gibraltar, Zarkava, Nijinsky, Seabiscuit 3 - Zenyatta, Phar Lap, Sea The Stars, Harbinger 2 - Man O'War, Dancing Brave, Gladiateur, Ribot 1) - BRIGADIER GERARD (18 starts 17 wins - 2000 Guineas, QE2 twice, Champion Stakes twice, Lockinge, Prince Of Wale's Stakes, Eclipse, King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Goodwood Mile) Set new course records in the Prince of Wales' Stakes and QE2) - SECRETARIAT (21 starts, 16 wins - Hopeful stakes, Bay Shore stakes, Gotham stakes, Arlington International, Man o'War stakes, Kentucky Derby, Preakness stakes, Belmont stakes) Set various racecource time records. - SEA BIRD II (8 starts, 7 wins - Prix Lupin, Grand prix de Saint-Cloud, The Derby, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe) Perhaps easiest winner of the Arc in history - SHERGAR (8 stars, 6 wins - Chester Vase, The Derby, Irish Derby, King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes) Longest ever winning margin in The Derby winning by 10lengths
Honestly, this is a matter of opinion, and depends on who you ask.. some rank this type question on lifetime earnings, some have sentimental reasons, also, some base it on individual countries,..there's the world's greatest too, and so on... there have been thousands of thoroughbred horses over the years, and to tell you which five stands out as the top 5 is tough. Personally, I usually go with the ones I have or had a personal connection with, or horses that are exceptional, who really stand out as outstanding racers, making history plays a role to as best ever! Here's a link that comes close to my heart as "best race horses of all time." http://www.faqs.org/shareranks/1219,Best-Racehorses-of-All-Times Enjoy ! :)