Top 5 Race Horses of the 21st century

[keithw84]

Only looking at 2000-2009, who would your top 5 be?

[smartybadger]

1. Rachel
2. Ghostzapper
3. Curlin
4. Tiznow
5. Smarty Jones

United States at least.

[Imriledup]

Thats a great list smarty, hard to argue with any of your top 5

[WinterTriangle]

10 years is too long for me to think of all of them.

Are we limited to the US?

Makybe Diva won the Melbourne Cup 3 times (first one in 145 years) and the Cox plate. He *was* the #1 in world thoroughbred ratings a few years before Curlin.

I would also add Invasor

[gm10]

first 5 that come to mind

Ouija Board
Rachel Alexandra
Dubai Millennium
Curlin
Sea The Stars

[tucker6]

RA
Invasor
Dubai Milennium
Curlin
Ghostzapper
Tiznow

My top six in no particular order. I left horses like Smarty and Barbaro off the list because they didn't get enough races in earn a spot. Barbaro had exceptional potential, but potential doesn't get you on any lists. Smarty retired before earning his stripes. You can't make the list, IMHO, based off winning the KD and Preakness. A lot of horses can and have done that, and they weren't top five decade material.

Again, this is my opinion.

[Quagmire]

My 5

Rachel
Ouija Board
Ghostzapper
Midnight Lute
Curlin

[Tom]

Invasor (he is the best)
Curlin
Ghostzapper
Einstein
Rachael

[Stevie Belmont]

Boggy Creek Dancer
Fast Iz A Turtle
Commissioner Chris
Dubliner
Choice Play

[ghostyapper]

How the mighty have fallen, Big Brown and bernardini did not even make 1 person's list for top 5 this century. While they were running it was a certainty that they would be top 5 all time. All the more reason not to include any horse still running. With that said

American based top 5
1. Ghostzapper
2. Curlin
3. Invasor
4. Tiznow
5T. Candy Ride/Bernardini

[DanG]

• Candy Ride
• Dubai Millennium
• Zarkava
• Deep Impact
• Rachel Alexandra

Long list of honorable mentions that start with the great 2005 American Oaks winner Cesario, Ouija Board, Tiznow, Makybe Diva, Smarty Jones etc…etc.

BTW: If you never saw Cesario here is her 2005 Oaks win that was "Rachelesque" imo… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdGZevaabms
http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/03/27/PH2006032701891.jpg

[appistappis]

If excitement counts, definitely Midnight Lute

[QuarterCrack]

Once you get to the top echelon, it's tough to narrow it down. It's hard to argue with any of the top-5 lists here.

For argument's sake... Anyone think Medaglia D'Oro would crack the top-5? I'm not convinced he would, but he'd probably be close... Top-10 anyway...?

What about Lohnro?

I love these discussions; there's so many opinions...

[proximity]

dubai millennium....

[Whodoyalike?]

1. Rachel Alexandra
2. Smarty Jones
3. Big Brown
4. Afleet Alex
5. Lava Man

[OffNPacing]

No Big Brown at ALL?!?!

[Wickel]

American based:

1. Barbaro
2. Ghostzapper
3. Point Given
4. Curlin
5. Invasor

Best filly and mare: Rags to Riches

[redshift1]

Once you get to the top echelon, it's tough to narrow it down. It's hard to argue with any of the top-5 lists here.

For argument's sake... Anyone think Medaglia D'Oro would crack the top-5? I'm not convinced he would, but he'd probably be close... Top-10 anyway...?

What about Lohnro?

I love these discussions; there's so many opinions...

No but he may end up the most famous

[SmartyLane]

No particular order

Point Given
Tiznow
Ghostzapper
Curlin
Rachel

Smarty is probably my favorite from this time period ala my name on here, but just not enough races.

[JPinMaryland]

Pt. Given really seems to be the one that has to be on the list in my opinion.

I'm not sure why Smarty doesnt have enuf races. He won 9 out 10 if I recall. Ghostie won 9 out of 11; Tiznow 8 of 15 (hit the board 6 more times) and Pt given 9 of 13 (4 more board hits). It's not like he's far behind in wins, he just didnt last until the fall.

THe most similar horse record to Smarty's is Majestic Prince, at least from the little research I did. I think they were both 9 for 10 undefeated going into the belmont. THe one big difference is that Smarty made a real run at winning the Belmont but Majestic prince wasnt really live that day. Majestic Prince is in the hall of fame so I would think Smarty would be a lock. But he didnt have Arts and Letters to run against either.

My guess for North American dirt:

1. Pt Given
2. Big Brown
3. Curlin
4. Tiz Now
5. Smarty Jones

[maxwell]

Boggy Creek Dancer
Fast Iz A Turtle
Commissioner Chris
Dubliner
Choice Play

Steve, did these horses win Canterbury Claiming Crown races? :D

Ouiji Board - the pride and joy of England

Ghostzapper

Curlin

Rachel

Lava Man and Tiznow - grizzled warriors unite!

Two girlie girls in my top four! Where's Cigar and Formal Gold when you need them? :confused:

[Marshall Bennett]

1. Ghostzapper
2. Invasor
3. Curlin
4. Bernardini
5. Smarty Jones , Big Brown , Rachel ( tie )

[keithw84]

My top 5 would probably be:

1. Curlin
2. Point Given
3. Invasor
4. Tiznow
5. Rachel

Rounding out the Top 10: Lava Man, Bernardini, Lemon Drop Kid, Ghostzapper, Medaglia D'Oro

[joanied]

This is really hard... and I won't screw up the thread's point of picking just 5 with my 'also ran's' or 'honorable mentions'.... I assume this is for American horses?
in no particular order:
Rachel Alexandra
Tiznow
Point Given
Smarty Jones
Ghostzapper

[delayjf]

We're all entitled to our opinion, but I don't see any way RA beats Ghostzapper, Pt Given, and Invasior.

[ezrabrooks]

Invasor (he is the best)
Curlin
Ghostzapper
Einstein
Rachael

A vote for why Kenny is good for racing!

Ez