Good question - what race would you most want to see in person?

[Where_sMyWhite]

TVG asked it a bit rhetorically but then I spent some time after they asked it really thinking about which race would I have liked to have been there in person to watch.

4. A race that actually never happened; rather the race did (the 1982 Hollywood Starlet (G1)) but not the horse I wanted to see. I was living in So Cal at the time and knew I would be moving to CO. There was a lovely filly by the name of Landaluce by Seattle Slew out of Strip Poker (Bold Bidder). In her 2YO year she went 5 for 5 including 4 graded stakes including the Oak Leaf Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. I was planning on being at Hollywood Park on November 28 to watch her run. On November 22 she became very ill with colitis X and passed away on November 28 following a severe bacterial invasion. She was named American Champion 2YO Filly for 1982.

5. Winning Colors winning the 1988 Kentucky Derby (G1).

6. Beholder winning the 2016 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) over Songbird.

7. Secretariat winning the 1973 Belmont Stakes (G1). Chic Anderson’s track call "Secretariat is widening now. He is moving like a tremendous machine’.

There are definitely nice horses and spectacular wins other than these but for me, I wish I would have been there… almost to see Landaluce in the Starlet more than the others. Makes me sad that she never really had a chance to show what kind of filly she really was capable of being.

[Palm_Beach]

AP’s Belmont.

[LaurieB]

Secretariat’s Belmont.

[Larksmom]

Secretariat’s Belmont. I DID see it live on TV And just for the record, I DID see the '88Breeders cup live. I went by myself. Fabulous horses there that day!

[dressagetraks]

Affirmed/Alydar’s Belmont. I don’t rank either among the greatest of all time, but as a competitive, exciting race, this one is right up there at the top.

Man o’ War vs. Sir Barton. In fact, Man o’ War in anything. The best, IMHO.

Count Fleet’s Belmont. IMHO, the best of the TC winners. To me, 25 lengths in front with a career-ending injury and the jockey having tried to pull him up on a track that was barely maintained due to wartime fuel shortages is every bit as impressive as 31 lengths uninjured on a much-better track groomed to absolute perfection. And CF’s total margin of victory for the three races combined EQUALS Secretariat’s total margin for the three races combined. No TV audience, and the nation was tied up in WW2, as it should have been. He falls through the cracks for today’s fans. But he was one of the all-time greats, just a step behind Man o’ War for me. I would have loved to see what he could do on today’s tracks.

Can we jump across the pond? I would have loved to see Frankel race. Or Nijinsky’s St. Leger where he won his Triple Crown – remember, they have been waiting for a Triple Crown winner much longer than we had to.

If we can jump the pond, I’d also take a longer jump down under and see Phar Lap. Or maybe at Aqua Caliente, not so long a jump.

[littlebaypony]

Seabiscuit vs War Admiral match race

[Brigid]

Secretariat’s Belmont.
“… Man o’ War in anything.”

The race that could’ve or would’ve turned out differently than the tragedy it was:
Ruffian winning that match race.

[Mara]

Seabiscuit’s win in the SA Handicap
Aldaniti and Bob Champion winning the 1981 Grand National
Any of Man O’ War’s wins, just because

[Gestalt]

Rachel Alexandra - 2009 Preakness. Or Spectacular Bid in any of his races.

[lesson_junkie]

Secretariat’s Belmont

[Linny]

Secretariat’s Belmont, Man O’ War’s Dwyer, Colin’s Belmont, anything Sysonby won. I’d love to see all of the defunct tracks of NY so Domino and Henry of Navarre deadheating at Gravesend would suit, as would Beldame winning the Suburban at Sheepshead Bay.Sheepshead Bay had a grass course used for flat races 60+ years before the rise of grass racing in the US, I’d love to see that. The first Belmont won by Ruthless (a NY bred filly) at Jerome Park. Morris Park hosted many great runners like Commando who won the Belmont there.
I shall have to search for the best races at Coney Island, Brighton Beach and others but a time machine could take me to Jamaica Racetrack in 1952 or 1953 where I could see my beloved Tom Fool a few times. Another horse I’d love to see is Dr Fager. He was simply amazing.

[Brigid]

@Mara

… Aldaniti and Bob Champion winning the 1981 Grand National …

I LOVED that movie! And Aldaniti got to play himself, in at least in parts of the movie.

[Countrygirl18]

Definitely Secretariats Belmont.
AP winning the Belmont (I did see it live on TV but to be there would be epic)

[Laurierace]

I think it would be hard to pick anything other than Secretariat’s Belmont but was happy to see that I was at many of the races mentioned above except that one. If I had to pick one that I wasn’t at besides Sec it would be the 89 Preakness between Sunday and EG.