Favorite race horses

[just_me]

I know this isn’t a particularly technical thread, but I was thinking about this last night. I was a horse crazy girl/teen without access to live horses. I devoured books, movies, pictures, or anything about horses. I followed race horses and had my favorites. Here they are (I’m giving away my age ):

Carry Back
Cicada
Ridan
Jaipur

and my all-time favorite - Kelso

Anyone have favorite race horses whose careers you followed?

After I got into actual live horses, I stopped following race horses. I don’t even know who’s in the crop of top three year olds. But, my current horse is a TB with great racing lineage.

[horselips]

…Most of my favorites have been mentioned. I also liked Autobiography, Cougar2, Typecast, Devil’s Bag, Tom Fool, and Native Dancer

“Smile: It makes people wonder what you’re up to…”

[sprite]

Hmmnnn…

Sunday Silence
Timely Writer- such a tragedy
Perfect Arc- won 7 in a row on the turf, I was her groom when she was a yearling.
Silver Charm and Free House, love the grays!

You cannot change the direction of the wind; however, you CAN adjust your sails.

[JER]

I was a huge fan of John Henry and, more recently, Skip Away – two horses that were hard to beat because they loved to race. Point Given had that same quality and I was sad to see him retire so soon.

I see no one’s mentioned Dahlia, the US-bred mare, who won big turf races all over the world in the mid-70s, always running against the boys. Dahlia was smallish, cute mare whose toughness on the track belied her sweet and docile nature in the barn. She was an outstanding broodmare, at least a half-dozen of her foals won graded stakes; she died earlier this year at the age of 31.

Over fences (I see no one’s mentioned jump racers yet), I like 3-time Grand National winner Red Rum, the tough American chaser Saluter and the English hurdles champion Istabraq.

[tovero]

…this is back in the day…1969. I was 10 and was absolutely heartbroken when he lost the Belmont. I kept racing scrapbooks back then and had written “I hate Arts and Letters…I hate Arts and Letters…” all over the pages with the Belmont clippings!

[Jane]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hitchinmygetalong:

(Saw Fusaichi Pegasus when he went to Ashford, and let me tell you, there is a horse with an EGO! He knew you were looking at HIM!)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I’d bet!! There’s definitely something about that horse…the only time in my life I actually place a bet on a horse was for the Kentucky Derby in 2000…on Fusaichi Pegasus, while people told me the favorite never wins.

[Morrissey]

My favorite steeplechase horse of all time is Bruce and Edie Smart’s “Devil’s Reach” - a horse well known to hurdle fans in Virginia. I was privileged to gallop and run him for a few years - a great character with a workman like attitude and a heart as big as a house. Devil is the most consistent and honest horse I’ve ever worked with.

[This message was edited by Morrissey on Jan. 26, 2002 at 08:32 AM.]

[Linny]

I met Perfect Arc up at Saratoga a few years back. She was an agressive little mare!

BEQS clique
Resident racing historian
The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.

[SillyHorse]

Pat On the Back, I remember Silky Sullivan! Fabulous gray, as I recall. There was a picture in our newspaper of him training a few weeks before his Derby run, and I cut it out and kept it for years.

I also loved Candy Spots (jump out ahead at the start and stay there kind of horse), Carry Back, and Tim Tam from those days.

[Linny]

Spectacular Bid
Forego
Lure
Affirmed
Go For Wand
Some of my favorites currently racing are:
Arromanches (a NY claimer)
Lido Palace
Stephentown (My Derby pick, ya heard it 1st here)
Bonapaw (midwest based sprinter)
Golden Tent (age 13 in training in NY)
Lord of the Thunder (NY bred 3yo)

BEQS clique.
The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.

[Linny]

Lonesome Glory and a lesser known horse named Yaw get my steeplechase honors.

BEQS clique.
The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.

[haligator]

Past Champions:
Forego - the best there ever was!
Dr. Fager
John Henry
Exterminator
Seattle Slew
Secretariat
Arts and Letters (sorry to you Majestic Prince fans!)
Count Fleet
Spectacular Bid (could have been the greatest of all time)
Riva Ridge (often overshadowed by stablemate Secretariat)
Ruffian
Go for Wand
Desert Vixen
Susan’s Girl
Dahlia
Charismatic
River Keen - one of the most under-rated horses of all time - he won two Grade 1 races (the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Woodward) and beat such horses as Lemon Drop Kid, Stephen Got Even, Behrens, etc.

Horses still running I love:
Kona Gold
Sir Bear
Gold For My Gal
Carey’s Gold
Hallowed Dreams

I could go on and on - even a low level claimer is worthy of acclaim!

By the way, I was at Belmont when both Ruffian and Exogenous broke down. What are the chances?

Hallie McEvoy

[haligator]

Xtra Heat - what a horse! She cost $5,000 and she has earned over $1.3 million.
Hallie

[buryinghill1]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by sprite:

Hate to tell you, but the first filly to win the Derby was Regret, not Eclipse. She was ridden by Joe Notter for Harry Payne Whitney’s stable, and won in 1915.

You cannot change the direction of the wind; however, you CAN adjust your sails.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the correction.
I meant to say Regret. Senior moment. Must have been hit by the boom too many times.
It’s a great picture, anyhow.

[Fred]

Tim Tam (me too Vineyridge)
Alydar
Affirmed
Secretariat
Personal Ensign, Bayakoa, Go for Wand,
Ruffian (always) Discovery,(thanks to CW Anderson)

so many more. I have a little mare in my barn, ran her heart out everytime she stepped on the track, named Torbama. She won’t be on anyone’s list - but she deserves it.

[Carol_Ames]

I grew up watching “the race of the week”, back when racing was televised much more often, and each spring enterd the “name thefoal” contest run by a tobacco company before the Derby, each year. My first "special race horse’ was TIM TAM, and it pleased me greatly to see one sports writer call Secretariat before his Belmont "The surest thing sice Tim "Tam!"It was a great thrill to se him in his stall when I was in Lexington in 1968! And I cried when he died.He introduced me to the highs and lows of racing.

[saratoga]

Oh, Timely Writer broke my heart- I was only 12 when that happened. such memories!

[The_Fjord_Jockey]

Since I used to hate steeplechase with a passion and just started liking it again this year, I dont know many steeplechase horses of the past, but right now I’d have to say It’s A Giggle and Al Skywalker are my favs.

J
The Fjord Jockey…
Who just today bought some Irish oatmeal. Mmm, hardy.

[Flash44]

Ruffian
Seattle Slew
Alydar
Cigar
Winning Colors
Lady’s Secret
Devil His Due
Xtra Heat

Use the Force. ABBA rocks. Just say “NO” to Farrah hair.

[RodeoGirl]

Hi Race Fans,
Just checking out the scenery on the “new board,” and thought I would add my two cents…my favorite race horse would have to be Rowdy Irishman!