Through the ages there have been national heroes for many reasons…Man 'O War thread got me thinking about
these greats, who were there when the Nation needed them, like Sea Biscuit.
Then there is Desert Orchid, Mandarin, Secretariat, all with their own legends, Mill Reef, Red Rum, — continue…
I just got a DVD this week about Frankel. It’s very well done, over an hour long, all about his racing career. Maybe it’s partly a stud advertisement, but if so, it’s a very understated one. Just celebrates the horse. He was definitely quite a horse; I’m sure Bobby Frankel would approve.
Whirlaway had a tremendous record of appearing in war relief races, where the proceeds from the day or part of them would be donated to the war effort. He was quite a drawing card and undoubtedly helped raise a lot of money by bringing people out to the track. Didn’t always win, but the tough little head case always showed up.
Count Fleet, my favorite TC winner. 
Hertz, a self-made fighter of a guy himself, bought Reigh Count, CF’s sire, after he saw RC reach over and try to bite a horse who was passing him in a race. CF won his Triple by the same cumulative margin for the three races combined as Secretariat did, and CF suffered a career-ending injury during the Belmont on a poorly maintained track (WW2 fuel rations limited tractor use) and had the jockey attempt to pull him up, which he refused to do. Still won by 25. Wow. There’s a comment I love after CF’s Preakness. This is in the media at the time. Someone asked one of the other jockeys who rode in the Preakness what they thought of CF’s effort, and that jockey said, “I couldn’t see the race.”
Exterminator, not the greatest ever but tough as nails and kind off the track. He sometimes served as an “assistant starter” and would go calm down a fractious opponent behind the barrier. He had, I believe, eight changes of trainer in his career. Can you imagine? Must have been quite a horse to deal with all the reshuffling.
Frankel is worthy for sure - such were the fans in UK that they put his name on the front of a London double decker bus…not sure where they put the destination of the bus.
Greatness can have many definitions. Kelso has long been my choice - He ran fast, over lots of distances, turf and dirt, for a bunch of years, carrying lots of weight. He was sound enough to run 60+ races, at the rate of 9-10/year, and he was Horse of the Year 5 times.
There are others who have been incredible, no doubt, with great results but they are here and gone, “great” because of a limited number of performances. Some faster, or more brilliant, or unbeaten. But there is not another that can touch Kelso’s amazing career.
What about Cigar?? Or John Henry?? Not to demean Kelso…
JGHIRETIRE - I agree and was a fan of both. JH had a similar long career and ran more races (and had a lower winning %). Cigar strung together an incredible winning record. But IMO, it is unlikely we will see another horse with even 3 Horse of the Year titles; horses rarely run 1.5 miles, much less two, and thus Kelso is my first pick.
(And note, that is not demeaning Secretariat’s amazing races, or any of the Triple Crown winners, etc lol.)
How many years has it been since horses ran 2 miles?? How many races now are 1.5??
It’s interesting too that Kelso ran in the 60’s and John Henry in the 70’s and 80’s and Cigar in the 90’s. How much the rules or distances changed from decade to decade.
I recall reading about Kelso’s career and was struck by the different strategy compared to today. Then, the big races for older horses were handicaps. So the strategy was to try to win races but not by too much or too impressively for fear that the horse would be required to carry more weight next time. I believe Kelso ended up carrying up to 136 lbs and “gave” up to 30 lbs to rivals. Now, trainers and owners would easily move the horse elsewhere,so that doesn’t happen. And, yes, races are shorter as well.
I loved Native Dancer and Needles and Ruffian and Winning Colors and Genuine Risk (yes I love the fillies) and Affirmed and Seattle Slew (who was related to my Callie who descended from War Admiral. Callie did not like any mention of Sea Biscuit!.) Haven’t kept up with racing as much now. (Cloudy is descended from War Relic, but I never checked out War Relic’s racing history.)
I’m also a fan of the girls, and there have been a bunch of outstanding ones over the years. We observers are lucky that a good number of them run thru 5 yrs old or so, enabling us to watch them over more competitors. Loved Goldikova, and back in the day, Personal Ensign, as well as a number of more recent mares.
Weeeeelllll, C&C, my horse has Sea Biscuit in her pedigree twice, but no War Admiral, so neener, neener, neener.
Sea Biscuit was the National Hero at the time!
Yes, the ladies rock - Rachel Alexandra and the incomparable Zenyatta.
Statistics and wins aside, there are some horses that catch the hearts and minds of the public in a way that makes them legends.
Dahlia, from the stellar 1970 crop of Secretariat, Forego, and so many others, is one of my all-time favorites. She was a Group 1 winner in France, England and Ireland at 3, and defeated colts in Group/Grade 1 races in England, France, and the US as an older horse.
Ruffian was just amazing. So awful what happened to her.
My dad remembered SeaBiscuit and Silky Sullivan??? I think.
Interesting the way they have changed the races over time. Especially with the weight.
Didn’t Seabiscuit carry about 136lbs too??
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