Sham..The unluckiest horse?

[tzipi]

Someone mentioned Sham in another thread. Probably would be a great today if not for Secretariat. From an horse racing article:

"Sham may be one of the unluckiest horses to have ever galloped over a race track. He was lucky enough to be blessed with incredible talent but had the misfortune to have been born in the same year as perhaps the greatest thoroughbred of all time. That horse of course is Big Red, Secretariat.

A review of the 1973 Kentucky Derby shows that Sham's second place finish was truly a great effort, as it was 8 lengths back to the third place finisher, Our Native. Sham finished 2 1/2 lengths behind Secretariat in that race, but that was nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, he ran the second fastest Kentucky Derby ever, crossing the wire in an estimated 159 and 4. Only Monarchos has broken the sub 2 minute barrier running 159.97 back in 2001. How many horses can say they have run the second fastest Kentucky Derby in history? He ran faster than Citation, Count Fleet, Seattle Slew, Spectacular Bid, Sunday Silence, and a host of other legendary horses.

The Preakness was similarly played out, again with Secretariat winning easily, again beating Sham again by 2 1/2 lengths. And as in the Kentucky Derby, Sham finished a convincing 8 lengths ahead of third place finisher Our Native.

By the time the Belmont Stakes rolled around, Laffit Pincay's apparently did not want to let Secretariat get away as they dueled on the front end in one of the legendary races of all time, and although Sham battled valiantly, the replay suggests that by the 1/2 mile pole, Sham was a broken spirit, and began to fall back, eventually finishing last. It is too bad because Sham was really a great horse, and in my opinion, he would likely have been a Triple Crown winner in almost any other year, he was just born at the wrong time."


Kinda shows how great Secretariat was. Sham was that good and that fast and Secretariat just would whip him. Sham was getting ready to face Sec again up at Saratoga but got a hairline fracture during a workout and was retired,never to get another shot to get at Secretariat. Shame.

[sandpit]

Hard to argue with his status, though he seems to be a forgotten horse in a sense, other than the answer to a tricky Derby trivia question. I still have my "I like Kentucky bred Sham" bumper sticker, unpeeled I might add. I remember how crushed his connections were when he lost the Derby, since he finished ahead of Secretariat in the Wood. They thought they would for sure win the Preakness, but wasn't meant to be. I thought if they had skipped the Belmont and sent him back out west, he could have had a long and successful career avoiding the big horse.

[jtat]

Alydar and Easy Goer are two who were a bit unlucky as well. Both of these horses were very talented who might have been TC winners if born in different years.

[tzipi]

Alydar and Easy Goer are two who were a bit unlucky as well. Both of these horses were very talented who might have been TC winners if born in different years.

Easy Goer unlucky? I mean,he did win the Belmont Stakes along with the Wood Memorial,JCGC,Woodward,Travers,Whitney,Suburban and others. But yeah,if not for SS, Easy Goer wins the TC. So yeah in a way...damn unlucky ha. Imagine he did lose the Belmont to SS,it would be something because his father was Alydar.

[jtat]

Easy Goer unlucky? I mean,he did win the Belmont Stakes along with the Wood Memorial,JCGC,Woodward,Travers,Whitney,Suburban and others. But yeah,if not for SS, Easy Goer wins the TC. So yeah in a way...damn unlucky ha. Imagine he did lose the Belmont to SS,it would be something because his father was Alydar.

That's exactly my point. He would have won the Derby and Preakness if he was born in another year. He was the best distance horse we've seen since Spectacular Bid.

[Linny]

That's exactly my point. He would have won the Derby and Preakness if he was born in another year. He was the best distance horse we've seen since Spectacular Bid.

EG was much better at Belmont because the wide turns took less toll on his dreadful ankles. He was just not quite as good as SS who had the speed to always have the jump on his rival, just like Affirmed did of Alydar.

Had SS or Affirmed not been boarn in the years that they were, EG and Alydar would be ranked among the greats.

[toussaud]

I think the better question is... of Easy Goer, Sham, and Alydar.. who was better?

[Fingal]

Born in the wrong year ? I'd have to throw in a darn good horse in Flying Paster who unfortunately could never get by a grey named Spectacular Bid in his 4 yr old year. :bang:

[macguy]

Did Sham go to stud?

Went to look up his record, but I see he didn't even make it into the "Champions" past performances.

[Cratos]

Alydar and Easy Goer are two who were a bit unlucky as well. Both of these horses were very talented who might have been TC winners if born in different years.

I would take Alydar and Easy Goer as being “unlucky” over Sham because away from their adversaries, Affirmed and Sunday Silence they were very good. After the Belmont, Sham never raced again

[joanied]

Did Sham go to stud?

Went to look up his record, but I see he didn't even make it into the "Champions" past performances.

here ya go...all of Sham's offspring:
It's a long list.
http://www.pedigreequery.com/progeny/sham

[tzipi]

I would take Alydar and Easy Goer as being “unlucky” over Sham because away from their adversaries, Affirmed and Sunday Silence they were very good. After the Belmont, Sham never raced again

Well Sham finished 8 lengths ahead of the 3rd place Derby finisher running still one of the fastest times(estimated) ever and also finished 8 lengths ahead of Our Native in the Preakness. He is till tied for the fastest Santa Anita Derby ever. This horse away from Secretariat would have dominated racing and been an all time great I think. Shame he got hurt at was retired early.

[macguy]

here ya go...all of Sham's offspring:
It's a long list.
http://www.pedigreequery.com/progeny/sham


Thanks, looks like he had a pretty good career as a stud.

[Trotman]

IMO any horse that finished back of a Triple Crown Winner the likes of BIG RED all three races would probably be considered better than most and born in the wrong year.

[joanied]

Thanks, looks like he had a pretty good career as a stud.

You're welcome...you can see he never hit with the 'big one', but threw some pretty decent runners... did you know there is a book out about Sham? One of these days, I'm going to order it...bet it's a good read.
:)

[Cratos]

IMO any horse that finished back of a Triple Crown Winner the likes of BIG RED all three races would probably be considered better than most and born in the wrong year.

Please let’s not start revisionist history about Sham; he did finish behind Secretariat in all three TC races, but in the Belmont he finished dead last; Twice A Prince finished second.

[Trotman]

Is that not back or behind? :bang:

[Cratos]

Is that not back or behind? :bang:

Yes it is and I acknowledged your recognition in my prior response.

[tzipi]

If they didn't send Sham after Secretariat early to change up the race and maybe wear him out with a different tactic,then Sham would've ran his normal race and probably would've beat Twice a Prince easily for second place.