"The Best Horse I ever rode"

[LemonSoupKid]

I just wanted to ask you guys if you think similarly when you hear what's in my thread title.

I've seen great horses come once in a long while and I'm just shocked at how frequently you hear this kind of stuff. For example, I really love what I see with Rachel Alexandra and I'm sure she's the best filly in the world. But Borel saying she's the best horse he's ever ridden? Come on.

I think Mike Smith said the same thing about Giacomo in that 2:02 and change Derby on a fast track! Next two races he got beat by 27.5 combined!

You'd think there were all time greats every year ... for most of the stakes races! I just find it funny but at the same time sorta phony. I find it disappointing because it cheapens the sport.

[Jinxed]

I believe Calvin when he says RA is the best horse he ever rode. On another note, I don't remember Smith saying Giacamo is the best horse he ever rode. That would be a huge stretch. I do remember him saying that the filly Zenyatta is the best he ever rode though. Where did you get your info from..just curious. :confused:

[ezgoerbaby79]

Smith I'm pretty sure still believes Holy Bull was the best he's EVER been on. Basically, because he was.

[Relwob Owner]

I just wanted to ask you guys if you think similarly when you hear what's in my thread title.

I've seen great horses come once in a long while and I'm just shocked at how frequently you hear this kind of stuff. For example, I really love what I see with Rachel Alexandra and I'm sure she's the best filly in the world. But Borel saying she's the best horse he's ever ridden? Come on.

I think Mike Smith said the same thing about Giacomo in that 2:02 and change Derby on a fast track! Next two races he got beat by 27.5 combined!

You'd think there were all time greats every year ... for most of the stakes races! I just find it funny but at the same time sorta phony. I find it disappointing because it cheapens the sport.



I agree with you and it seems to happen everywhere in every sport....a good basketball game takes place on Sunday and on Monday, it is on ESPN Classic....more media, more coverage, more over the top statements by all involved.


With Borel, though, maybe she is? For comparison's sake, who has he ridden who is better than her? Street Sense(him being "great" could be debatable) comes to mind as the 3 year old but my knowledge of great horses he has ridden doesnt go much past that....

[Jinxed]

Google is my friend. Mike Smith says Holy Bull and Zynetta are the best hoses he ever rode...hmmm, have to think about that one. He said he had a hard time thinking Zynetta was even a filly. She was just that good. Personally, I would hae to go with Holy Bull too...and although it seems to bug people about my fondness for Cigar, I remember clearly the day Holy Bull broke down in the race against Cigar. That was a sad, sad day for racing.

Doesn't everyone have a favorite horse. They certainly take pride in using a screen name that favors a horse, and I'm guessing it is their favorite.

[Dahoss9698]

I believe Calvin when he says RA is the best horse he ever rode. On another note, I don't remember Smith saying Giacamo is the best horse he ever rode. That would be a huge stretch. I do remember him saying that the filly Zenyatta is the best he ever rode though. Where did you get your info from..just curious. :confused:

It would appear he/she gets their info the same place you do. They make it up as they go along.

[46zilzal]

When horses come everyday, carry weight, run in adverse conditions, at the highest levels for SEVERAL seasons, THEN they can be called great. FOREGO, John Henry, Exterminator and Kelso are in this class. Honorable mention to TWO fillies Personal Ensign and Miesque who fit this bill as well.

If they do stupendous and unnatural things as if it were 2nd nature, they can be called great: Ruffian, Fager, Citation (before he bowed),Slew, Native Dancer, Man O'War, Tom Fool and SECRETARIAT fit this bill. There are a few who, on paper, had the potential to be in this class, but did not carry on: Easy Goer, Street Sense, or came along the wrong season: Sham, Damascus, Cougar II.

I always thought that Ack Ack was just a slight notch below this category aftre seeing him crush the track record at 5 furlongs on the Hollywood lawn and then wheel back to take the Hollywood Gold Cup under top weight wire to wire

It takes much more than the sample error of a race or a single racing season to have greatness awarded to your memory....and them i am not even mentioning the Europeans who deserve these accolades: Ribot, Sea Bird II, Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerrard, Red Rum and others.

Longden thought Count Fleet was the best he ever sat astride: emotion or a Triple Crown could have slanted that view

[LemonSoupKid]

Hoss, please stop before it begins ... again.

I'll admit to hyperbole, but it struck me as unusual the praise he gave Giacomo who was a sht horse. I know they are super happy after they win the big race, but most of the time they say stuff that is just flat out of line.

In my opinion, saying great things about Giacomo, even leading up to the Preakness (which he did) was tantamount to egregious and unwarranted self aggrandization.

[Dahoss9698]

Hoss, please stop before it begins ... again.

I'll admit to hyperbole, but it struck me as unusual the praise he gave Giacomo who was a sht horse. I know they are super happy after they win the big race, but most of the time they say stuff that is just flat out of line.

In my opinion, saying great things about Giacomo, even leading up to the Preakness (which he did) was tantamount to egregious and unwarranted self aggrandization.

I didn't know you were a moderator here. Good to know.

Yeah, how crazy for Smith to say nice things about a horse that put him in the winners circle in the Derby. I guess he should have bad mouthed him. I understand your premise, but you gave too horrible examples.

[Jinxed]

Like I said they are fickle. They will brag over and over about the horse that won for them being the best. It usually isn't the case, and changes shortly to another horse.

Need you wonder why DaHoss is on ignore for me? :sleeping: :bang:

[toussaud]

I never recall smith being extremely high on giacomo, i mean, besides of course him giving him his only derby win and all. He's always maintaned that Tiago was a better horse than giacomo. And he's always said that lure was the best horse he ever rode followed by holy bull. He said an in interview on HRTV once that lure if healthy was unbeatable at a mile.

[Robert Fischer]

I barbecued some hamburgers the other day, and they were the best hamburgers I ever barbecued!

It's human nature to feel like the current great thing is the best ever...

[Greyfox]

The best horse I ever rode was Willie Walmart. Then the manager pulled the electric plug out.

[LemonSoupKid]

Some things about human nature are good, some are bad.

Regardless of how you feel about my post or if it is indeed stupid (Hoss), in every post of yours your intent is to not add anything to any discussion but rather crass or sarcastic detraction. So far you are 2 for 2.

I think it's best for everything on this board to add something to a discussion and not distract from it, especially when the distraction is personal and nothing to do with the topic at hand. It's just lame and wastes everyones time.

[Dahoss9698]

Some things about human nature are good, some are bad.

Regardless of how you feel about my post or if it is indeed stupid (Hoss), in every post of yours your intent is to not add anything to any discussion but rather crass or sarcastic detraction. So far you are 2 for 2.

I think it's best for everything on this board to add something to a discussion and not distract from it, especially when the distraction is personal and nothing to do with the topic at hand. It's just lame and wastes everyones time.

I would encourage you to hop off your soapbox and practice what you preach. A quick perusal of your prior posts contradicts your statements here, and I'll remind you there is an ignore function available.

I don't think your post was stupid, please don't put words in my mouth. I just thought you gave poor examples (because you did). Now, if you had brought up the fact Gary Stevens has said about 10 different horses were the best he's ever ridden, I would have agreed. And yes, every time I heard him say it I laughed.

[Jinxed]

:ThmbUp:

[KirisClown]

And he's always said that lure was the best horse he ever rode followed by holy bull.

Is there anywhere I can read or see that interview?

[Dahoss9698]

Is there anywhere I can read or see that interview?

I wouldn't count on it. Toussaud exaggerates a bit to say the least.

[KirisClown]

I wouldn't count on it. Toussaud exaggerates a bit to say the least.

That's why I need to actually read/hear it to believe it..

I have no issue with Lure, I was a big fan of his.. but Smith placing him above the Bull doesn't feel right at all..

[Dahoss9698]

That's why I need to actually read/hear it to believe it..

I have no issue with Lure, I was a big fan of his.. but Smith placing him above the Bull doesn't feel right at all..

I was actually going to ask you, when I read what he said. I figured if anyone had heard it, it would be you. It didn't feel right to me either.

[toussaud]

it was an across the board interview on HRTV. I have no dog in the fight as I'm not the biggest mike smith fan and I really don't care for lure or holy bull. but l ure did win 2 breeders cup races

[sandpit]

I don't have this on tape or any other way to prove it, but Mike Smith once told me that Lure was the best horse he ever rode. This was in a conversation on the Churchill Downs backside in the late 1990s.
Lure certainly had the credentials for Smith to feel that way. He set or equaled track records at Belmont, Gulfstream and Churchill. He crushed two of the stronger Breeders' Cup Mile fields in the history of the race. And he has the distinction of running a race where he ran every quarter mile either equal to or faster than the quarter before. The only other horse to do that is Secretariat.

As a sidenote, Seth Hancock once told a friend of mine that of all the horses he has owned, Lure was the only one that he was scared to watch run. Why? Because he admired him so much that he didn't want to see him if he got hurt. Supposedly he always waited to watch him on replay. I'm not sure if this is true, but it's an interesting story.

[PaceAdvantage]

It would shock me to hear Mike Smith say Lure was a better horse than Holy Bull.

On the Jockey's show on Animal Planet, Smith didn't hand Talamo a DVD of Lure races to study. :lol:

[toussaud]

It would shock me to hear Mike Smith say Lure was a better horse than Holy Bull.

On the Jockey's show on Animal Planet, Smith didn't hand Talamo a DVD of Lure races to study. :lol:
i guess you are pretty shocked then

[KirisClown]

Lure wasn't even recognized as the best turf horse in his years..

[Pace Cap'n]

I don't have this on tape or any other way to prove it, but Mike Smith once told me that Lure was the best horse he ever rode. This was in a conversation on the Churchill Downs backside in the late 1990s.
Lure certainly had the credentials for Smith to feel that way. He set or equaled track records at Belmont, Gulfstream and Churchill. He crushed two of the stronger Breeders' Cup Mile fields in the history of the race. And he has the distinction of running a race where he ran every quarter mile either equal to or faster than the quarter before. The only other horse to do that is Secretariat.

Someone (CJ?) posted the times for MTB showing his last three quarters as being successively faster, with the second qtr. just slightly slower than the first. Certainly not something you see very often.

[Greyfox]

Someone (CJ?) posted the times for MTB showing his last three quarters as being successively faster, with the second qtr. just slightly slower than the first. Certainly not something you see very often.

True on dirt. It happens on turf routes.