Who Is Your Favorite TB of All Time?

[geowarrior]

Yes Madelyn

I believe the problem was one foot in particular, and I think his trainer's name who trained him in the sand was Ginger McCain. I always remember his sheepskin noseband, and a kind of doggedness in the way he ran.

He was special, and I understand that he had many visitors in his retirement, and if I remember rightly he enjoyed the occasional beer.

When he died, I was living in Canada, and those days of two tiny Scottish girls, who grew into teenagers with their Mum and Dad crowded around the black and white t.v. watching the National every year, seemed so long ago I had forgotten, and I had actually stopped following horse racing. I was in a mall in Winnipeg, and there was a huge headline on one of the sporting papers that Red Rum had died. My first thought was astonishment that he had been alive all that time while I had grown up and studied and gone abroad and made a million mistakes to get to where I was when I saw the headline, and then sadness that he was gone.

Now I'm here in the States and I recently bought very tiny shares (very very tiny) in three two year olds who are based at Arlington Park. It's totally exciting to be involved in even the smallest way in racing, which I never thought would be possible (although I have no illusions about its seedier side). My sister is thrilled too, so we have something we can share, just like in the old days.

I'm glad Red Rum is special to you too and that he's being remembered with all the other great horses on this thread.

I only recently found this board, but I must say that with a few exceptions, the people here are great with a genuine love of racing and the thoroughbred breed, and always ready to answer a question.

Geo

[Admiralty]

My personal favourite is my own one named admiralty inlet , who double bowed 6/8 into a 2 1/2 mile hurdle race . I tried to pull him up or at least avoid the fences but he wanted no part of it and pulled my arms out to finish 5th beaten 9 lenghts for the W . Wish I had that kinda heart in the rest of my horses . Of all the greats I love Dr Fager .

[WarHorse]

Yes Madelyn

My first thought was astonishment that he had been alive all that time while I had grown up and studied and gone abroad and made a million mistakes to get to where I was when I saw the headline, and then sadness that he was gone.
Geo

Between you and Admirality, I have tears in my eyes.

Perhaps it is the sadness that makes us revere the greatness of the horse, or maybe it is the desire to be able to do what they do.

For myself, I vote for all of the above. They have taken place in our hearts, and through them we will always seek to rise above.

But Seabiscuit is a name I've not seen here, and will bring it up for posterity.

He was a winner, but he was also a healer.

We all make a million mistakes, but the horse is there to heal us.

Always.

[Seabird]

As good as Red Rum was Arkle has to be my favourite steeplechaser. Ran 35, won 27. Won the premier steeplechase race, the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1964, 1965 and 1966 and has the highest Timeform Rating of any steeplechaser at an amazing 212. Just referred to as 'Himself', particularly in Eire where he was born and bred. I was fortunate enough to see him winning the 1966 Gold Cup by 30 lengths at 10- to 1 on!

On the flat my favourite is (guess who?) Sea-bird II. Won the Epsom Derby in 1965. Cruised by the field effortlessly to win by a simple, but the most emphatic, two lengths. Also rated at the top of all flat horses anywhere by Timeform at 145.

I can't leave it there though, as my favourite TBs are really the last ones I saw running their hearts out trying and trying... and trying, whatever their placing and whatever the grade. Spare a thought for Alexander Goldrun who went down to Ouija Board by the width of a cigarette paper in a most thrilling finish at Goodwood yesterday.

[Elusive City]

Spare a thought for Alexander Goldrun who went down to Ouija Board by the width of a cigarette paper in a most thrilling finish at Goodwood yesterday.

Yep Goldrun made the Board work for her win and it could have went the other way easily.

Excellent race in track record time.

[Des]

That daughter of Herbager - Sweet Tooth by On and On called Our Mims sporting her Devils Red and Blue Colours.... That's my Girl

Honorable Miss closely behind

[sarahsue]

Secretariat and his Belmont Stakes will forever symbolize tb racing to me. I still get cold chills when I remember it. And after that the Affirmed Alydar triple crown races and the courage of both. But my all time favorite tb was one ofours. She never won a race, but she took care of my child for almost ten years from the time the child was 10 until she was nineteen. She never faced a jump she didn't jump, all the way up to 5'9" square oxers and she rarely entered a class she didn't win or place well in, from 11 and under hunters and equitation to open jumpers. Never had a professional rider after her initial breaking in, and never ever quit no matter what she was asked to do. She carried the legacy of War Admiral and Teddy several times up close. We just called her Sarahsue. Her registered name was Midi Lady. We got her when she was four and she died tragically in a pasture accident when she was 14. After 20 some years it is still hard not to cry when I think of her and what she meant to us.

[brumbyjil]

Being australian I would have to say Phar Lap as he was one great horse in his time. Did you know they have him on display at the museum in Melbourne and his over sized heart in Canberra.

Just thought I would share that little bit


cheers

Naomi

[Alibhai's Alibar]

All time- Hyperion
In my lifetime- Sunday Silence
Currently running- Film Maker

[imnumberjuan]

I love reminicing about my favorite horses (ok, I have only a few years of racing under my belt).

Horses I have met, Northern Neechito - Stakes runner here in Alberta (She is a big sweet heart, retred due to injury) I painted the farm she was at on my Holidays last summer and at the end of the day I made ttime to scratch her neck.

Pot O' Gold ... 2 year old in training, she was at the same farm, and she had her "quirks" as a yearling. I moved some pails off the rails to paint them and the hand had a hell fo a time moving her past the next morning. The next morning she raised hell over moving something else that wasn't where it was supposed to be. I ran into her again this spring in Vancouver and she was happy to see a "familiar" face haha.

A Regal Reflection - bottom end claimer I own a share of, her second race off the claim a few years ago, she got left in the gate. I can still hear the Hastings track announcer Dan Jukich "A good start for all - except the 2, a Regal Reflection". She wasn't even in the picture for 3/4 of the race at a mile and 1/16th. All of a sudden she fired and got the wire in a head bob.

She is also a big sweetheart - we play hide and seek with carrots in her straw. As for recent racing ... *SIGH* there is always next time!

Now... for the "good" horses...

I read Big Red of Meadow Stables and wish I had seen Secretariat run...

Secondly, Macho Uno... I remember the Breeders Cup Juvenile, and one of the "keys" in the broadcast was how he would react under whip, and they interviewed the jockey said he try going left handed whip if he had to in the stretch to keep him focused... well as the stretch run played out the jockey went left handed whip, and although Macho Uno won, he ran what memory serves me as several lengths back and forth between the rail and the grandstand, almost as if to say "give me the whip you jerk.." Hahahaa

Next, Azeri... I loved her, followed by Ghostzapper and ... for the life of me... Perfict Drift (was he the won that kep running second in the Pacific Gold Cup at Del Mar? At any rate I loved how he always seemed to be second best ... almost like the Buffalo Bills in their Drive for Five Superbowl Appearances in the 90s!) Hahahaha.

Who else ... Regal Red (nice stakes filly at Hastings in Vancouver) at one point she was 7 wins from 8 starts - nice chestnut.

Anyways, I love talking horses and reading/hearing from other people who love race horses (cept for them standard bred ... BLECH)

[geowarrior]

I love Perfect Drift too, and yes he is second quite a lot, although he does win too. With all his seconds and other results he has won over 4.5 million dollars. The old guy just keeps going - next trip is the Pacific Classic I think. Would love to see him win.

[Melhor_Ainda]

Melhor Ainda. That filly's got a hammerlock on my heart. <3.