YOUR TOP 3 RACES OF ALL TIME

[bigmack]

73 Belmont (what a surprise)
http://blogs.zdnet.com/images/Secretariat.png

78 Belmont
http://www.wellspring-house.org/images/pagemaster/Belmont78_FOR_WEB_1.jpg


2006 Florida Derby
http://media.naplesnews.com/img/photos/2006/04/02/FLORIDA_DERBY_HORSE_RACING__t180.jpg

[KirisClown]

1994 Travers

1994 Travers

1994 Travers

[classhandicapper]

In no particular order, these were my favorite since the 70s because of the "event", running of the race, peformance, or quality of the competition.

Affirmed and Alydar - Belmont

Seattle Slew vs. Affirmed

Light Light vs. Meadow Star - Ichan vs. MC Hammer - The Mother of all Gooses

Sunday Silence vs. Easy Goer - Breeder's Cup

Secretariat - Belmont

Spectacular Bid - Walkover

Forego - Marlboro Cup, up last stride against Honest Pleasure with 137 lbs

Arazi - BC Juvenile

Personal Ensign - final race in BC to remain undefeated

[ELA]

Carson Hollow vs. You in The Test.

Personal Ensign winning the Breeders Cup.

Ferdinand winning the Derby.

Unbridled winning the Derby -- obviously due to Carl Nafzger calling the race to Mrs. Genter who could not see the race.


Eric

[ghostyapper]

1) 78 Belmont
2) 78 JCGC
3) 89 BC Classic

[cj]

1987 Santa Anita Handicap
1986 Pennsylvania Derby
2002 Kentucky Derby

[bigmack]

2) 78 JCGC
Without Affirmed saddle slipping does Exceller still win?

1986 Pennsylvania Derby
How far out did BB bolt out in that stretch? I haven't seen a replay.

[cj]

How far out did BB bolt out in that stretch? I haven't seen a replay.

Outside fence. Cordero nearly bailed.

1987 Haskell just missed my list, probably because I needed Lost Code second.

[Bubbles]

1) I forget what year...but the Whitney Handicap where Victory Gallop and Behrens dueled for the last three-eighths was a classic that I was lucky enough to be trackside for.
2) Carson Hollow just barely failing to hold off You in the Test.
3) TIE: Tiznow-Giant's Causeway, Tiznow-Sakhee.

[bigmack]

1987 Haskell just missed my list, probably because I needed Lost Code second.
Either way the x was fairly dinky so your heartbreak was minimized
No show wags in a field of 5 - sounds like a typical GoldenG race

http://monmouthpark.com/Pictures/1987.pdf

[cj]

Either way the x was fairly dinky so your heartbreak was minimized
No show wags in a field of 5 - sounds like a typical GoldenG race

http://monmouthpark.com/Pictures/1987.pdf

I guess that depends on what you call dinky, and how many times I would have had it. Seeing how I remember it well nearly twenty years later, suffice it to say it wasn't a $20 exacta.

The good news is I made a lot more betting Lost Code in Birmingham in the Alabama Derby.

[Overlay]

'73 Belmont (It's all been said already)
'76 Marlboro (I was there in person that day. What an effort by Forego!)
'78 Belmont (When they ran the first half-mile in :50 and change, I knew it
was going to be neck-and-neck to the finish)

[bigmack]

'76 Marlboro (I was there in person that day. What an effort by Forego!)
Nice call. That was a beauty by Forego

http://championsgallery.com/forego.htm

[Tom]

1973 Belmont
Forgo's 1977 races in the mud where he caught Honest Pleasure at the wire.
Finger Lakes - not sure waht year, but the Rochester Cup, when local favorite Mountain Man beat two heavy NY shippers after breaking his foot on the backstretch - just keep chugging and drew away in the stretch. All the more amazing sicne he was a "famous" closers who went right ot the front and took it to them. Terible Tiger might one of the shippers. Fav race of all time.

Honerable mention - Sinister Minister's last race. :lol::lol::lol:

[PlanB]

1st, Forego & Secretariat man, how thrilling that must have been. I've seen
replays of Forego nipping ahhh, some Pleasure horse, sorry I can't recall
the details, but the image brings goosies on, and the Tiznow vs Giant Causeway
was simply magnificient, and someone mentioned that YOU vs Carson Hollow
race (I bet CH big, way too big even for me) ........... If I recall right Johnny V
was on YOU & catapulted YOU to the inside & WON by a decisive nose. Maybe
you all heard me scream in despair, my wife had the 1st aid kit ready. Great
ride.

[bettheoverlay]

My favorite, mostly because I was there, is Spend A Buck's Jersey Derby, when he beat two Woody Stephens horses, one of which, Creme Fraiche, came back to win the Belmont a week later.

[cj]

My favorite, mostly because I was there, is Spend A Buck's Jersey Derby, when he beat two Woody Stephens horses, one of which, Creme Fraiche, came back to win the Belmont a week later.

I saw him beat I Am The Game in the Cherry Hill Mile and the Garden State Stakes. He was the last Derby winner I bet until War Emblem came along.

I missed his Jersey Derby, was in Basic Military Training at the time wishing I was at Garden State.

[JustRalph]

I admire you guys who followed the game for so many years.

I have only been playing and following closely since 2001.

2002 Derby

BC Classic- Sahkee (sp) and Tiznow

Niatross: 9-18-80 Delaware,OH - Little Brown Jug Final
I thought 1:54 was amazing.............. :lol:

[rrpic6]

The 3 most exciting big time races were all in the Breeder's Cup. You can watch then on www.breederscup.com (http://www.breederscup.com). click on time capsule.

2003 Turf--- Dead Heat between High Chaparral & Johar
1997 Sprint--- Elmhurst
1996 Sprint----Lit De Justice
My 3 personal favorites don't involve these, but the 3 that I made big scores with, of course!

[Snow Chief]

1997 Preakness - the roar from the crowd was deafening in the stretch

1989 Preakness - i am surprised this has not been mentioned

1978 Belmont - before i was born, but i can't imagine anything was much more exciting than being there

[bigmack]

Finger Lakes - not sure waht year, but the Rochester Cup, when local favorite Mountain Man beat two heavy NY shippers after breaking his foot on the backstretch - just keep chugging and drew away in the stretch. All the more amazing sicne he was a "famous" closers who went right ot the front and took it to them. Terible Tiger might one of the shippers. Fav race of all time.

I know of this race and wonder if you were trackside to witness?

1989 Preakness - i am surprised this has not been mentioned
What's your affinity?

[JustRalph]

1978 Belmont - before i was born, but i can't imagine anything was much more exciting than being there

You really know how to make a guy feel old............

[Valuist]

Best races:
1984 Breeders Cup Classic
1986 Breeders Cup Turf
1981 Arlington Million

Best rivalries:
Affirmed/Alydar
Sunday Silence/Easy Goer
Ivan Jay Perry/Holy Conflict---25 plus matchups and still going strong as 9 & 10 YOs

[PaceAdvantage]

Only considering races I've seen "live" (TV counts as live)

1) 94 Travers
2) 89 Preakness
3) 88 BC Distaff

[bigmack]

2) 89 Preakness 3) 88 BC Distaff
I'd forgotten what a great stretch run that 89 P was
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjBUOKiMQNo

Without perfect timing the result changes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjBUOKiMQNo

[depalma13]

Of the races I've seen. Here's three that haven't been mentioned, with calls for dramatic flare!

The 2005 Preakness

Scrappy T comes away with the lead and Aflet Alex is taking a run at him...Oh Scrappy T blew the turn...and Afleet Alex, Jeremy Rose almost fell out of the saddle! A dramatic occurence at the top of the stretch

The 1996 Classic

Cigar! Cigar makes his move and he sweeps to the lead with a dramatic rush! With three furlongs to go and Jerry Bailey turns him loose....And here he is the incomparable,unvincible,unbeatable Cigar!

The 2002 Juvenile Fillies

Storm Flag Flying turns it on, but Composure is cut loose! Compusure and Storm Flag Flying to slug it out in the final furlong! Composure in front by a neck, but Storm Flag Flying giving her all! She is coming back! Storm Flag Flying...the heart of a champion!

[Tom]

I know of this race and wonder if you were trackside to witness?


Oh yes. I went for all Mountain Man races - even if I had to cut out of school or miss work. This was a Saturday, though....the place exploded when he turned for home and suddenly was out by three and moving like a tremendous machine (:liar:).

True story - I was running late, go tto the track about 5 minutes to go before a MM race. I ran up to the window to bet $100WP on him at 4-5. He was the 5 horse.
He rallies down the stretch and finished in a photo with the 4. After what seemed like years.they put up number 4! I lost $100 ( two weeks pay back then) to a 25-1 shot!
I pulled out my tickets and I saw I had bet $100 to win on the 4, not the 5.
The 4, the 5, 4-5 odds, running late, I got confused.

[bigmack]

Oh yes. I went for all Mountain Man races
Just for the record, you called in sick to work, you plop down a CNote on a horse going off @ less than even, turns out it was the wrong hoss and the hun is on the win @ 25-1 and you step off with $2500?

I agree with Jesse Jackson - No justice, no peace.
http://www.heathersanimations.com/horses/anhoofprints.gif

[Binder]

#1 The 2004 Kentucky Derby Smarty Jones - Nothing will ever top it
for this Philly Park lover

#2 The 2004 Preakness The feelings of 'this can't really be happening"
have me shaking as Smarty romps by a near record margin

#3 Since the 2004 Belmont was such a heart breaker
for my third choice I would go with Afleet Alex in the 2005
Preakness. Little Alex's lemonade stand fills the wild race with emotion :)

[KirisClown]

The 1996 Classic

Cigar! Cigar makes his move and he sweeps to the lead with a dramatic rush! With three furlongs to go and Jerry Bailey turns him loose....And here he is the incomparable,unvincible,unbeatable Cigar!
[/I]


1996 was more like this... "Alphabet Soup has scored a shocking upset.... Cigar has been denied!"

;)

[depalma13]

That was of course a typo. They shouldn't put those 5's and 6's so close together on the keyboard. LOL!

[delayjf]

1973 Belmont-unbelievable performance Secratariat

1978 Belmont-Most dramatic two horse stretch drive with the TC on the line.
(Affirmed - Alydar)

1989 Preakness-Second most dramatic - plus I was there. (Sunday Silence - Easy Goer)

Honorable mention -

1987 Breeder Cup Clasic - two champions duel it out. (Ferdinand - Alysheba)

[ponyplayerdotca]

Many of you have mentioned some great choices that I include in my top 10:

1973 BELMONT (Secretariat)
1978 BELMONT (Affirmed / Alydar)
1989 PREAKNESS (Sunday Silence / Easy Goer)
1996 BC CLASSIC (Alphabet Soup / Louis Quatorze / Cigar / Mt. Sassafras)
2000 BC CLASSIC (Tiznow / Giant's Causeway)
2001 BC CLASSIC (Tiznow / Sahkee)

Here are four more, not mentioned that I've seen, but that all had super finishes:

1997 PREAKNESS (Silver Charm / Captain Bodgit / Free House)
1997 BELMONT (Touch Gold / Silver Charm / Free House)
1998 BELMONT (Victory Gallop / Real Quiet) < how close can you get?!!
1998 BC CLASSIC (Awesome Again / Silver Charm / Swain / Victory Gallop)

I still say the 1998 BC Classic had the strongest field and wildest finish in recent years, perhaps of them all. :eek:

[rokitman]

1) I forget what year...but the Whitney Handicap where Victory Gallop and Behrens dueled for the last three-eighths was a classic that I was lucky enough to be trackside for.
That was 1999. I was there too. That place really rocked for that race, didn't it?

That was named race of the year.