What a fabulous horse - I read about him as a kid, thought that he was “under appreciated” - what did I know. I just loved his story.
And I stumbled across this, though it is a few years ago.
What wonderful tribute.
Old Friends ROCKS.
http://www.horsenation.com/2012/05/07/horses-in-history-noors-last-victory-lap/
Great article - thanks for sharing. I love the mental picture of John Shirreffs riding him around the arena…
Great story!!!
Wasn’t Seabiscuit buried there too??
Not sure about Seabiscuit?
I thought he was buried out somewhere secret at Howards? ranch in California?
Those horses were my heroes as a child. I was SUCH a TB geek.
I once walked out on to the old abandoned track at Glen Riddle, many years ago, just so I could stand where once Man O War’s hooves walked.
I am such a dork.
They were MY heroes too! I remember reading “Come On Seabiscuit”, and I still get chills when I remember in the book where they said, :and Seabiscuit came on…" Glen Riddle is just South of me, and the neighborhood that went up on the farm has street names that all go the memory of the farm. Riddle Hospital is down there, too.
Seabiscuit was buried at Ridgewood- and Howard refused to tell the public where he was interred. I think I read somewhere that it was by a large Oak tree, and that someone else in Howards family knew where he was, but wasn’t telling either, after the death of Charles Howard.
It is interesting that Seabiscuit didn’t do much at stud. How did Noor fare?
Sea biscuit did not breed many mares either…and actually, he was not what we would call outstanding breeding material except for his heart! BUT, I am proud to say my mare has Sea Biscuit in her pedigree, not once, but twice, Sea Angel and Sea Garden. (and no War Admiral) !
[QUOTE=ASB Stars;8621148]
They were MY heroes too! I remember reading “Come On Seabiscuit”, and I still get chills when I remember in the book where they said, :and Seabiscuit came on…" Glen Riddle is just South of me, and the neighborhood that went up on the farm has street names that all go the memory of the farm. Riddle Hospital is down there, too.
Seabiscuit was buried at Ridgewood- and Howard refused to tell the public where he was interred. I think I read somewhere that it was by a large Oak tree, and that someone else in Howards family knew where he was, but wasn’t telling either, after the death of Charles Howard.
It is interesting that Seabiscuit didn’t do much at stud. How did Noor fare?[/QUOTE]
Oh, I remember reading that book as a kid, too! I really don’t know how Noor did at stud- anyone?
Did you read “King of the Wind”? There are others too.
I have always been a fan of those sort of unsung hero types - Stymie, Exterminator, Swale, there are so many…
I have a very old photo that my grandfather took on the backside of Hialeah? maybe? Of Whirlaway.
I have held on to that picture like it was gold, all these years.
I remember back years ago, I galloped at Hialeah, and I used to think , wow ’ Whirlaway galloped here! uhm, before my time, I am not quite that old. 
Noor’s Image, a daughter of Noor, was the dam of Dancer’s Image, who won the Kentucky Derby, but was later DQ’d, only horse in history to be DQ’d from KD.
[QUOTE=redalter;8620987]
Not sure about Seabiscuit?
I thought he was buried out somewhere secret at Howards? ranch in California?
Those horses were my heroes as a child. I was SUCH a TB geek.
I once walked out on to the old abandoned track at Glen Riddle, many years ago, just so I could stand where once Man O War’s hooves walked.
I am such a dork.[/QUOTE]
Seabiscuit was buried in an unmarked grave at Howard’s Ridgewood Ranch in Willits, CA. You can still tour the ranch and the old stud barn, and they have a life sized bronze of him.
Great article. Old Friends is beyond wonderful, eh?
"I once walked out on to the old abandoned track at Glen Riddle, many years ago, just so I could stand where once Man O War’s hooves walked.
I am such a dork."
That is awesome. Dork - no way. I love, no - adore, people who “have a song in their heart”. I think I am the same way.
I’m probably more of a stb person and that is where most of my experience is. I visited Walnut Hall in Kentucky last year. We visited their cemetery and saw the graves of so many huge legends. I’m getting the goosebumps right now remembering it. I was where Volomite, Guy Awxorthy, Scotland, Florlis, . . . lived. . . . of such magnitude that it makes one’s head spin . . .
I have a book somewhere called “Old Bones, The Wonder Horse” about Exterminator!
[QUOTE=redalter;8621189]
Oh, I remember reading that book as a kid, too! I really don’t know how Noor did at stud- anyone?
Did you read “King of the Wind”? There are others too.
I have always been a fan of those sort of unsung hero types - Stymie, Exterminator, Swale, there are so many…
I have a very old photo that my grandfather took on the backside of Hialeah? maybe? Of Whirlaway.
I have held on to that picture like it was gold, all these years.
I remember back years ago, I galloped at Hialeah, and I used to think , wow ’ Whirlaway galloped here! uhm, before my time, I am not quite that old. :)[/QUOTE]
I had all of the Margarite Henry books, and, of course, all of the Walter Farley books, as well. I ate up TB history. An ex of mine wanted Affirmed to win the triple crown- I wanted Alydar. I still have a framed picture of Alydar in my dining room- galloping at Belmont- that he took for me.
I took over an old farm to lease, and up in the loft there was a treasure trove of old Thoroughbred Record magazines- I have Nasrullahs obituary, and framed all of the covers of the magazines- they line a hallway. There was one of those old white bridles that they used to show the studs in, way back when- I have that around here somewhere. It belonged to a pretty nice horse that the Kelly’s- of NJ track fame- owned.
When I went down to the KY Horse Park for the first time, I was sure that I had found heaven. Man O’ War’s bronze out front- All of the greats that you can learn about there, and I walked the steeplechase course, where Jay Trumps ashes were spread, just to be near that kind of greatness.
I know that we are an odd breed, but then, I don’t understand people who cannot recognize that kind of immortality- the horses who live within us, forever.
[QUOTE=redalter;8621189]
Oh, I remember reading that book as a kid, too! I really don’t know how Noor did at stud- anyone?
Did you read “King of the Wind”? There are others too.
I have always been a fan of those sort of unsung hero types - Stymie, Exterminator, Swale, there are so many…
I have a very old photo that my grandfather took on the backside of Hialeah? maybe? Of Whirlaway.
I have held on to that picture like it was gold, all these years.
I remember back years ago, I galloped at Hialeah, and I used to think , wow ’ Whirlaway galloped here! uhm, before my time, I am not quite that old. :)[/QUOTE]
I had all of the Margarite Henry books, and, of course, all of the Walter Farley books, as well. I ate up TB history. An ex of mine wanted Affirmed to win the triple crown- I wanted Alydar. I still have a framed picture of Alydar in my dining room- galloping at Belmont- that he took for me.
I took over an old farm to lease, and up in the loft there was a treasure trove of old Thoroughbred Record magazines- I have Nasrullahs obituary, and framed all of the covers of the magazines- they line a hallway. There was one of those old white bridles that they used to show the studs in, way back when- I have that around here somewhere. It belonged to a pretty nice horse that the Kelly’s- of NJ track fame- owned.
When I went down to the KY Horse Park for the first time, I was sure that I had found heaven. Man O’ War’s bronze out front- All of the greats that you can learn about there, and I walked the steeplechase course, where Jay Trumps ashes were spread, just to be near that kind of greatness.
I know that we are an odd breed, but then, I don’t understand people who cannot recognize that kind of immortality- the horses who live within us, forever.
[QUOTE=ASB Stars;8621947]
I had all of the Margarite Henry books, and, of course, all of the Walter Farley books, as well. I ate up TB history. An ex of mine wanted Affirmed to win the triple crown- I wanted Alydar. I still have a framed picture of Alydar in my dining room- galloping at Belmont- that he took for me.
I took over an old farm to lease, and up in the loft there was a treasure trove of old Thoroughbred Record magazines- I have Nasrullahs obituary, and framed all of the covers of the magazines- they line a hallway. There was one of those old white bridles that they used to show the studs in, way back when- I have that around here somewhere. It belonged to a pretty nice horse that the Kelly’s- of NJ track fame- owned.
When I went down to the KY Horse Park for the first time, I was sure that I had found heaven. Man O’ War’s bronze out front- All of the greats that you can learn about there, and I walked the steeplechase course, where Jay Trumps ashes were spread, just to be near that kind of greatness.
I know that we are an odd breed, but then, I don’t understand people who cannot recognize that kind of immortality- the horses who live within us, forever.[/QUOTE]
ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!??
My horse of a lifetime was an Alydar grandson.
A few years ago, I drove by the gates of Calumet - they weren’t doing tours at the time?
And I so very much wanted to see Alydar’s grave. In some weird way, I wanted to stand there and just be thankful he existed so that years later, I was able to have that wonderful friend in my life for 20 years.
I was in MD a few years ago, and stopped by the old Du Pont farm for something and I was driving down the long driveway and out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the graveyard.
Kelso, Neartic, Your Host.
I stopped, got out of the car and walked over. When I read the names, well, I cried like a kid. I am still not sure why.
For me, it was hallowed ground.
There has always been something about horses, and for me, particularly thoroughbreds, that has had this, I don’t know, mystical effect on me, for lack of a better word.
asb, sonoma - yes, thank you. It is this thing, I don’t know, but it hits at a very visceral level for me, has since I was a kid.
I am at work now, and on my wall is a painting of the Godolphin Arabian.
At home, I have a print of Red Rum, Arkle, and Desert Orchid - the title is We Three Kings.
To have had the chance to be in the presence of legends is indeed a gift.
And it is lovely to see all these posts to know that there are people like us out there.
Old Friends.
Swoon. Can’t read those stories without tearing up.
[QUOTE=ASB Stars;8621947]
I had all of the Margarite Henry books, and, of course, all of the Walter Farley books, as well. I ate up TB history. An ex of mine wanted Affirmed to win the triple crown- I wanted Alydar. I still have a framed picture of Alydar in my dining room- galloping at Belmont- that he took for me.
I took over an old farm to lease, and up in the loft there was a treasure trove of old Thoroughbred Record magazines- I have Nasrullahs obituary, and framed all of the covers of the magazines- they line a hallway. There was one of those old white bridles that they used to show the studs in, way back when- I have that around here somewhere. It belonged to a pretty nice horse that the Kelly’s- of NJ track fame- owned.
When I went down to the KY Horse Park for the first time, I was sure that I had found heaven. Man O’ War’s bronze out front- All of the greats that you can learn about there, and I walked the steeplechase course, where Jay Trumps ashes were spread, just to be near that kind of greatness.
I know that we are an odd breed, but then, I don’t understand people who cannot recognize that kind of immortality- the horses who live within us, forever.[/QUOTE]
That was me as well.
My daughter and I volunteer at Ridgewood Ranch (Seabiscuit’s home) at their therapeutic riding center. It’s fun. But even I was blown away by the communal dining hall with all the walls covered by Seabiscuit and Howard horse racing memorabilia.
It was like the first time I went to Saratoga or Kentucky and I was shocked to discover that there were other people in the world with the same taste in decorating.
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