Greatest races by a losing horse?

[tzipi]

What horse put in the most impressive race of all time in an unfortunate loss in your opinion? Fun little thread I thought.

I say Ricks Natural Star in the BC. No no no just kidding ;). Toss up for me.

1. SEATTLE SLEW JCGC. Unbelievable fractions set for 1 1/2 and Seattle just loses by a nose to Exceller.
2. CARSON HOLLOW in the Test Stakes. Again, unbelievable fractions. 21.2, 44.1, 1:09.3 set by Carson Hollow and he just loses by a nose to You in a dramatic stretch battle. Very daring ride by Jerry Bailey on You.

[Overlay]

Alydar's Belmont. Not so great on early fractions, but that's what set up the head-to-head duel for the last mile (plus the fact of finishing second in all three Triple Crown races).

[startngate]

Winning Colors in losing to Personal Ensign in the BC Distaff.

Real Quiet in losing to Victory Gallop in the Belmont.

[sonnyp]

without a doubt, ridan loosing to jaipur in 1962 travers. fred capposella said it was the greatest race he ever called. sorry about audio.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rKCAhELwhc


neither ever won another race.

[cj's dad]

Real Quiet nosed at the wire !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIRP4UbrCg8

[horses4courses]

Giant's Causeway losing the 2000 BC Classic to Tiznow......

I still wake up in a cold sweat some nights dreaming of that one... :bang:

Cost a buddy, and myself, around $12k between us, as I had gotten down on GC @ 30-1 in a future book about a month before the race. Geesh!!!

GC was like a mule going into the gate.....then ran his heart out, only to have Chris McCarron outride Mick Kinane down the stretch.

Great race....wanted a do-over!!!!!

[JustRalph]

I don't know how you beat Alydar

He was a Triple Crown winner, except for about two feet over 3 races? maybe less ?

[ghostyapper]

Top 3 for me

1) Slew in 78 jcgc. The thing I love most about this performance is after running a 45.1 half in a 12 furlong race, he actually came back and made up ground once he was passed. Pure class

2) Alydar in 78 belmont. A dead 1 run closer was forced to press the pace for a mile and lost by a head to a champion.

3) Alysheba in 87 bc classic. He closed into a fast pace but it was a speed favoring track and he went 5 wide on the turn, The 3yo lost by a jump to the 4yo HOY.

[nijinski]

Gotta Love Genuine Risk , the only filly to hit the board in all TC races.

[Hank]

Battling through insane fractions of 22'3 -- 45-1 --109'2 pressured every step by champion Affirmed and Life's Hope in a 12 furlong G1.Then hooked at the top of the long Belmont stretch by hall of Famer Exceller fighting through the length of the long stretch getting passed a full length in deep stretch, and somehow finding the grit to come surging back to just miss in a head bob. Seattle Slew baby Seattle Slew All of the others cited were exceptional races, but the quality of this race with respect to field Affirmed, Slew, Exceller the distance the fractions and Slew's courage set this one apart.:ThmbUp::ThmbUp:

[GregReinhart]

Sham in the 1973 Kentucky Derby. He absolutely raced his eyeballs out that day and pretty much any other year would've won the race by a football field.

[tzipi]

Sham in the 1973 Kentucky Derby. He absolutely raced his eyeballs out that day and pretty much any other year would've won the race by a football field.

Yeah that one would be on my list too. I'm sure he would've won the TC if it wasn't for Secretariat. No one even touched Shams Derby time until almost 30 years later(Monarchos).

[mostpost]

Absolutely positively has to be Seattle Slew in the 78 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
The great Affirmed tried to run with that suicidal pace and finished 18 3/4 lengths back. Seattle Slew ran with it and was barely beaten, but not defeated.

[PaceAdvantage]

Battling through insane fractions of 22'3 -- 45-1 --109'2 pressured every step by champion Affirmed and Life's Hope in a 12 furlong G1.Then hooked at the top of the long Belmont stretch by hall of Famer Exceller fighting through the length of the long stretch getting passed a full length in deep stretch, and somehow finding the grit to come surging back to just miss in a head bob. Seattle Slew baby Seattle Slew All of the others cited were exceptional races, but the quality of this race with respect to field Affirmed, Slew, Exceller the distance the fractions and Slew's courage set this one apart.:ThmbUp::ThmbUp:I agree with this choice 100%.

Also remember that Affirmed's saddle slipped:

"The saddle was up around Affirmed's withers and I couldn't get any balance," Cauthen said later. "I thought I was going to be pitched off. The damned thing was nearly up on his neck."

No one knows for sure what made Affirmed's saddle slip. It's conceivable that it was not tightened enough by Barrera in the paddock or that as Cauthen tried to rate Affirmed in the early part of the race, pulling hard on the reins, the saddle slid forward.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1094241/index.htm

[only11]

Serenas Song's race against Flanders in the BC!!!

[jballscalls]

not one of the greatest, but it's recent, i thought Precious Passion ran huge last year in BC Turf

[Linny]

After the JCGC, Bill Shoemaker was aksed about the race and said (I am paraphrasing here) that as he entered the stretch, he was certain he was going to win. Slew had been on that insane pace and he couldn't imagine any way the horse could do anything but stagger home. Shoe figured that he might win by oe of the biggest margins ever in thw Gold Cup. This is a man who had the most accurate clock in his head of all the riders who ever sat a horse and he was simply astounded at what Slew did that day. I was sure it was just not possible.

[ezrabrooks]

What horse put in the most impressive race of all time in an unfortunate loss in your opinion? Fun little thread I thought.

I say Ricks Natural Star in the BC. No no no just kidding ;). Toss up for me.

1. SEATTLE SLEW JCGC. Unbelievable fractions set for 1 1/2 and Seattle just loses by a nose to Exceller.
2. CARSON HOLLOW in the Test Stakes. Again, unbelievable fractions. 21.2, 44.1, 1:09.3 set by Carson Hollow and he just loses by a nose to You in a dramatic stretch battle. Very daring ride by Jerry Bailey on You.

Had Carson Hollow that day...and still think he won. Neither horse was the same after that battle to the wire..

[Ejmenz]

Slew made believers out of everyone in the JCG, funny the undefeated TC run failed to convert some.

Then there was the time Zenyatta got beat....oh wait.

[citygoat]

arts and letters vs. majestic prince in the 1969 triple crown were exciting races.

[joanied]

arts and letters vs. majestic prince in the 1969 triple crown were exciting races.

Back then we really had an East coast vs West coast rivalry going on...big time...so, for us NYer's...especially those of us stabled at Belmont...that Belmont was outstanding...Arts & Letters kicked butt:ThmbUp: :D

I'm still trying to come up with my top three...just about everyone mentioned in this thread is deserving of that 'honor'...I actually could list about 10 or 12 of 'em.

[Hedevar]

Back then we really had an East coast vs West coast rivalry going on...big time...so, for us NYer's...especially those of us stabled at Belmont...that Belmont was outstanding...Arts & Letters kicked butt:ThmbUp: :D

I'm still trying to come up with my top three...just about everyone mentioned in this thread is deserving of that 'honor'...I actually could list about 10 or 12 of 'em.

As i recall Majestic Prince was lame, should not have run, would not have run if there had not been a TC winner since Citation and never raced again after finishing a very courageous second.

[thespaah]

1990 Breeders Cup Classic. On a day that produced tragedy in the breakdown of Go For Wand, a very strange Sprint finish
Isvestia...TRacks down Thirty Six Red 75 yds form the wire seemingly on his way to a big payday, gets nailed by Unbridled in the last three jumps....
SHeesh.......

[joanied]

As i recall Majestic Prince was lame, should not have run, would not have run if there had not been a TC winner since Citation and never raced again after finishing a very courageous second.

He wasn't a hurting horse...but I'll admit, he wasn't 100%...although, the way A&L won...he'd have beaten the Prince on that day regardless...the thing was Longden & also breeder Leslie Combs knew the colt had a hard campaign and wanted him to go back to CA. and freshen up for racing later in the year...his owner got what he wanted...ran him in the Belmont and it was just too much for the horse. Another little thing...if not for some bad racing luck in the Preakness, IMO, A&L would have won that race...MP just hung on to win it.

[Hedevar]

Jockey Bill Hartack told reporters: "The horse was hurting. We should never have run in [the Belmont]." Trainer Johnny Longden would later comment that Majestic Prince had what was called a check ligament in his right front [leg]. When he bore out in the Preakness, that was a warning. We never should have run him in the Belmont.”

[joanied]

Jockey Bill Hartack told reporters: "The horse was hurting. We should never have run in [the Belmont]." Trainer Johnny Longden would later comment that Majestic Prince had what was called a check ligament in his right front [leg]. When he bore out in the Preakness, that was a warning. We never should have run him in the Belmont.”

First I heard about that...but, it was a loooong time ago, so maybe my memory is fading.
Whatever...it's shame because he was one hell of a race horse...and absolutley gorgeous.

[Fager Fan]

In recent times, Hard Spun was a horse who impressed the hell out of me in at least 2 of his defeats.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Smarty Jones' Belmont: not his fault. I guess there are many that make racing interesting!

[KirisClown]

Behrens in the 99 Whitney...

[Fager Fan]

Smarty Jones' Belmont: not his fault. I guess there are many that make racing interesting!

I was hot about that race. Jerry Bailey's ears should've been burning. I think he's a great jock, the best over the past couple of decades, but one of his unattractive traits was that of jealousy. If he wasn't going to be a TC winning jockey, he sure didn't want Stewart Elliott to be one, and by God, he'd make sure of it. He toasted his own horse to make sure of it.

[Pell Mell]

1958; Tim Tam on his way to the triple crown in the Belmont. with a good lead about 50 yds from the finish and staggers across the finish line with a broken leg and second place. Career ending injury. :(

[bisket]

how about silver charm losing to touch gold in the belmont. a buddy of mine attended the derby that year, and when he came back he said play touch gold in the belmont. i hardly even knew which horse touch gold was at the time. i didn't play him and regretted it. you really have to tip your cap to mccarron in that race. he did it just right. he knew if he came up alongside charm that charm wouldn't let him pass. he raced alongside free house and snuck right on past silver charm, and didn't give the horse a chance to respond. for your viewing pleasure.
http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=879943

[chickenhead]

Precious Passion in the BC Turf was probably last years most impressive loss. St. Liams Woodward loss to GZ was pretty good.

CyQvNu-XQoQ

[Paseana]

Here's three heartbreaking losses by a nose for Ferdinand.....

2nd by a nose to Snow Chief in the Strub....4-1/2 clear of Broad Brush....all 3 carried 126lbs.

2nd by a nose to Broad Brush in the Santa Anita Hcp....6-1/2 clear of Hopeful Word. Ferdinand gave Broad Brush 3lbs and Hopeful Word 8.

2nd by a nose to Alysheba in the San Bernardino....a head in front of Good Taste. Those two titans gave Good Taste 14lbs!

And Alysheba, in my opinion, ran one of his greatest races in defeat when losing by a nose in the '87 Breeders Cup Classic to guess who. ;)

[oexplayer68]

Concern-94 Travers

Two stellar horses in my opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPezwDz9MC8

[BluegrassProf]

I was hot about that race. ... If he wasn't going to be a TC winning jockey, he sure didn't want Stewart Elliott to be one, and by God, he'd make sure of it. He toasted his own horse to make sure of it.
Agreed; painful race to watch. Slew is a sentimental fave. :blush:

I'm certainly no big fan of Jerry's...I'd love to see he and Gary S. go at it in a caged ring. It'd be like two 12yr olds throwing flailing, slappy hands over an action figure. :ThmbUp:

[cj's dad]

how about silver charm losing to touch gold in the belmont. a buddy of mine attended the derby that year, and when he came back he said play touch gold in the belmont. i hardly even knew which horse touch gold was at the time. i didn't play him and regretted it. you really have to tip your cap to mccarron in that race. he did it just right. he knew if he came up alongside charm that charm wouldn't let him pass. he raced alongside free house and snuck right on past silver charm, and didn't give the horse a chance to respond. for your viewing pleasure.
http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=879943

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your post but Touch Gold did not run in the Kentucky Derby. He did however run in the Preakness and as the gate opened he went down to one knee, smacked his nose on the ground and still finished well.

[Market Mover]

Precious Passion in the BC Turf was probably last years most impressive loss. St. Liams Woodward loss to GZ was pretty good.

CyQvNu-XQoQ


I was alive to a 48k p6 payout with Saint Liam. Looked like he was fighting back in deep stretch after those insane splits, and Ghostzapper wasn't gonna run right by him. I thought Prado could have done more but those taxing fractions had taken their toll. It was a gallant effort by a horse who would prove his ultimate class by taking the BC Classic. But on this day, the Ghost got the better of him, by just a few strides. I knew I had a chance as they turned for home..

[tzipi]

I was hot about that race. Jerry Bailey's ears should've been burning. I think he's a great jock, the best over the past couple of decades, but one of his unattractive traits was that of jealousy. If he wasn't going to be a TC winning jockey, he sure didn't want Stewart Elliott to be one, and by God, he'd make sure of it. He toasted his own horse to make sure of it.


Never understood that. Jerry Baily got to maybe Smarty Jones rump for about 10 seconds on the backstretch. He didn't even get up to Smarty's neck. Rock Hard Ten and Purge were out with Smarty and then RHT came back on to press him again. Where does Eddington even come close to pressing Smarty, like Rock Hard Ten did? Rock Hard Ten pressed him twice. Bailey just moved up to the outside(behind) for a few seconds.

Watching the tape, Stewart Elliot started moving Smarty Jones up before Eddington EVEN got into second place. Rock Hard Ten was pressing as Stewey moved. I even think Purge still might've been in 3rd. I don't think Stewart Elliot said, "OMG the great Eddington is in 4th place and migth move, so I gotta move first!" Elliot should've just sat back until the the far turn. He moved to early I guess and if anyone pushed him it was RHT.

Plus Bailey did not move his horse up into a fast pace. He moved up on a slow pace. Durkin even said," The pace is fairly soft." as Jerry started moving his horse. To this day never understood that excuse. Stinks SJ lost but it can't be blamed on any horse in that race IMO. If it was a horses "fault". It's RHT's who pressed SJ not once but twice. Eddington didn;t even get close to SJ's head.

[Gulchy]

'81 Gotham Proud Appeal over Cure The Blues in then Stakes record time.

[BluegrassProf]

Agreed; painful race to watch. Smarty is a sentimental fave.Yikes...good reason not to post so late. :bang: ;)