Craziest Race You'll ever see

[OTM Al]

The Grand National is going off this weekend. 40, yes 40 horses going 4 1/2 miles over jumps. Its like watching a train wreck in slow motion...riderless horses all over the place, huge crowd going bananas. The start itself is a sight to behold. Here's the entries

http://horses.sportinglife.com/Racecards/0,12495,191442,00.html

[lsbets]

Is there an over/under for how many finish? I say no more than 15.

[46zilzal]

animal rights activists have really screwed with it over the years in trying to stop it's running. THEIR pressure has done a few positive things however in changing some of the "blind" jumps (Beecher's Brook for example) that killed so many horses over the years.

ACTUALLY there is one far crazier in Czechoslavakia (or what was that country) where the rider has to SWIM along side his mount across a lake...I will find the name and post it

[46zilzal]

here's the one
http://www.cbw.cz/phprs/2005100319.html?search=all-phpRS-all

[rastajenk]

And then there's one in eastern Oregon, I think, where they go down a steep cliff into a river, cross it, go up another steep bank on the other side, and sprint to the finish. That's pretty nuts.

[Murph]

Is there an over/under for how many finish? I say no more than 15.
I'll take a SAW on the over! - Murph

[Pace Cap'n]

Consider this:

RED RUM: No horse can match Red Rum's Grand National record. Winner of the race in 1973 and 1974, he was second the next two years before his historic third victory in 1977. After his retirement on the eve of the National in 1978, he regularly led the parade of runners before the start. He died in 1995 and is buried by the winning post at Aintree.

Other interesting facts (http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=racing/06/03/30/RACING_National_ABC.html)

[Observer]

This has gotta be one of the most interesting facts:
(regards female jockeys in the National)

Rosemary Henderson, a 51-year-old grandmother, finished fifth on Fiddlers Pike in 1994.

[rrpic6]

10 finished. 26f wins. His morning line was 99-1, but #20-40 were field bets here. Ends up being 8/5.

[cj]

I'm pretty sure only 9 finished. The others didn't all fall, lots are pulled up by the jock when hopelessly beaten or just too tired.

The winner was actually fourth choice in England, n

There was also something I've only seen in harness racing before, a recall due to a "false start".

[46zilzal]

There was also something I've only seen in harness racing before, a recall due to a "false start".
in the past few years they have had several of these