25 Greatest American Race Horses

This is a celebration of the American version of the sport of kings!

[@tommyboy71]

And not only the fastest horse, the horse that was the most physically fit, one of a kind, specimen for the ages. Never have I seen a horse so beautiful as Secretariat.

[@rmp7400]

Tommy Agree that Secretariat was the most amazing we have ever seen... However, we did not see Man o War. Life did not begin at our birth...we have to rely on the honest testimony of those who preceded us+❤️🙏🏼

[@stevelegas9749]

Phar lap was not an American racehorse.

[@SCfanIam100]

Seabiscuit was the best!

[@patsianni4371]

Secretariat NO. 1……

[@gearyayers8446]

Secretariat #1, what you thinking?

[@MrLew1965]

Lots of great horses there but sometimes it's the way you win that defines your greatness.... Secretariat really touched the heart of this great nation and the way he won was so special and rare, it will never be duplicated. A #1 vote here for Big Red as the GOAT !

[@leecowell8165]

yep no doubt about it. his records stand for themselves. And that preakness going around the outside on that first turn was unreal.

[@melvinsmiley5295]

Sham beat Secretariat in the Wood Memorial, just weeks before the Kentucky Derby. Then finished 2nd to him in 2 of the Triple Crown races. These 2 helped make each other better. Sham was AMAZING!

[@auletjohnast03638]

Melvin, Do you know the story why Sham beat Secretariat🏇 in the Memorial?

[@maryj2671]

Sham was amazing ,but Secretariat was stunning perfection !

[@peterzito1372]

Yes sham was if you look in the call of Belmont stakes next to the time 2 24 it says(against the wind in the back stretch)

[@Light___Light]

But that was the only time. Sham was great, but he raced against the BEST horse in history -- Secretariat ❤

[@gotrr]

Did Secretariat have an abscess when he ran the Wood that contributed to his loss?

[@deanna3069]

My heart is still with Seabiscuit!💖Although they are all impressive!

[@natureboy1313]

The horse that came in 2nd behind Secretariat @ the Derby also had 1 of the fastest times ever. Sham was an incredible horse that if in 72 or 74 is probably a derby winner.

[@marysueeasteregg]

Short answer: No, or at least probably not for '72. 1974 Derby winner Cannonade was a weak Derby winner, with a 25: 7-3-6 career record, and very beatable. But Riva Riva (1972) was a *much* better horse than Sham. Try 1970: Dust Commander (42: 8-5-4) is Cannonade's rival as the weakest Kentucky Derby winner of the powerhouse 1970's. Long answer: Sham was not a great horse. His career record is 13: 5-5-1. Only 2 stakes wins, only one of which was a Grade 1. His public reputation as "great" is based on 3 impressive races: a stakes record-setting Santa Anita Derby, and (primarily) his Derby and Preakness losses to Secretariat, run in excellent time. His reputation among the experts is markedly lower. He is not in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame, nor did he make Blood-Horse's list, compiled by a list of 7 racing experts, of the 100 greatest American-raced horses of the 20th century. Sham was, at best, a might-have-been-great horse, a late developer whose career was cut short by injury -- Forego, Cigar, Zenyatta, Seabiscuit, John Henry, Tiznow and Arrogate, among others, would be unknowns if they had been injured in June of their 3-yr-old year, as Sham unfortunately was. Or Sham might have been simply a talented horse who got hot for a few races. No one claims Prove Out, who beat Secretariat in the Woodward, and defeated 3 other future Hall of Famers in the autumn of 1973, was a great horse, though it is possible his physical problems kept him from greatness. During his career, Secretariat defeated 3 future U.S. Hall of Famers, and a Canadian Hall of Famer. One of those Hall of Famers was was Secretariat's stablemate Riva Ridge. Times are overrated, but for what it's worth, Riva Ridge set a world record at 1 3/16 miles in the Brooklyn Handicap at Aqueduct; set a track record for 9 f. at Aqueduct in the Stuyvesant; equaled the track record for 9 f. at Suffolk Downs in the Massachusetts Handicap; and ran second to Secretariat in Big Red's world-record setting Marlboro Cup. But as I said, times are overrated in the public's mind in evaluating horses. Monarchos (2001) holds the second fastest time for a Derby winner: 1:59:97, the only Derby winner since Secretariat to break a two minute running. Monarchos was a talented horse, a 2-time Grade 1 winner, but no one claims he was a great horse. He was a nice, average Derby winner, not a great or even near-great horse. Hall of Famer and 3-yr-old champion Point Given, who finished 5th in that Derby, was a much better horse than Monarchos. But not on that particular day. So perhaps Sham could have beaten Riva Ridge.

[@monticella]

@@marysueeasteregg "times are overrated" so too is a long winded reply/opinion that essentially says; hey look at me, I know everything!

[@joec3073]

The shame is sham had a idiot as a owner

[@theOlLineRebel]

@@marysueeasteregg Don't mind the 1-liners. You obviously do know something and show some analytic skills. Interesting though, is to look at Sham "without" Secretariat. It would still be speculation, but if we either eliminate Sec races altogether, or bump up his placements if Sec didn't run, then it might look much better. I've done that with Man O'War's opponents. As for the HOF, it's an interesting point - meanwhile, Alydar IS in the HOF, as the "runner-up" to Affirmed.

[@theOlLineRebel]

@@monticella Yes, times are overrated - but still important indeed.

[@keywestsunset3897]

Secretariat, three records in all the Triple Crown Races in sweeping the triple crown...that still stand 40 years later.

[@stephaniejaniczekssmugglerscan]

Steroids helped

[@forrestprice3583]

@@stephaniejaniczekssmugglerscan nothing to do with steroids. His heart was 2 times larger than a normal horse. Not my opinion just facts from his autopsy.

[@RA_RA625]

@@stephaniejaniczekssmugglerscan nope he was just fast. Not all horses that win the triple crown are on drugs.

[@natureboy1313]

So....

[@vickyburton2434]

That makes him number 1 in my book.

[@maryj2671]

Secretariat top of the class! Never again will you see a horse like him. Perfection ! RIP Big Red

[@adamconley4845]

Secretariat always gonna be the GOAT

[@Yungshiner-nj1wy]

He should be 1 not 2

[@Handorgeous]

Secretariat triple crown winner and broke the record on all three races. Simply the best.

[@maxwellh.4471]

Secretariat is not even in the top 5 when comparing ACTUAL STATISTICS. Stick to your Disney movies.

[@EliannaCH]

@@maxwellh.4471 say that when a horse wins by 31leags in front of world record breaking horses, clearly Secretariat is the best

[@maxwellh.4471]

the equine life Western horses say that when mow beat a horse by 100 lengths and a triple crown winner (Sir Barton) by 17.

[@EliannaCH]

@@maxwellh.4471 go do you're research fastest horse in the world is Secretariat hasint been beaten in 40 years, no horse will beat that

[@maxwellh.4471]

the equine life Western horses that means nothing when you consider that mow raced in slower tracks, heavier shoes, and waaay heavier loads.

[@TheOtteroo]

We all know who the real Number One was, Because for all time, there ever was only one, greatest of all time who moved Like a tremendous machine. RIP Big Red.

[@challloyd215]

One race, lol

[@allysondoerfler8688]

Big Red was Man O' War's nickname as well. Man O' War passed on his speed to his offspring, Secretariat did not.

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

@@allysondoerfler8688 Some of them he did. Risen Star, Lady's Secret, Terlingua, to name a few. Tinner's Way wasn't a slouch either. (Jan Griffiths).

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

@@allysondoerfler8688 And he was better known as a broodmare sire. Many of his daughters' produce won races. Skipped a generation, I guess. His daughter Terlingua produced the top sire at one time---the great Storm Cat. Another daughter, Weekend Surprise, was the dam of the great A P Indy (by Seattle Slew). (Jan Griffiths).

[@tennisfan599]

Man o war was better

[@2AForever-wi8yj]

sorry BIG RED the best EVER

[@maxwellh.4471]

Man o war is big red...

[@redasmazrimas6775]

I think you forgot that Man o' war is Big Red...

[@cjinkyjanellepisilen9518]

secretariat is big red

[@watchgoose]

@@cjinkyjanellepisilen9518 long after MOW already had that name.

[@dkgreen7763]

I remember watching the last race with Ruffian. I’m glad they included her name.

[@theredbaronlives9889]

On June 9th 1973 no horse who ever lived ever ran faster..... #1 Secretariat debate the rest!

[@JoeKoOhNo]

TheRedBaron Lives! So why did he lose so many times?

[@JoeKoOhNo]

Nothing great about Cigar

[@bradkasler5536]

Preach..you are correct....The best horse ever.

[@stillnessspeaks4080]

JoeKoOhNo first time was his first race with a different jockey.. one time he had an abscess in his mouth.. losses happen. He’s still Gods horse.

[@augustbruce]

DR. Fager, Citation, and Ruffian all have records that Secretariat couldn't touch and are still standing.

[@spaz5138]

My favourite racehorse is Seattle slew he was a monster on the racetrack especially when he won the 1977 triple Crown. Love you Seattle slew

[@melodyszadkowski5256]

I love that you dedicated your video to Ruffian. That big girl could fly. She was one of a kind.

[@MrImaghost]

Man O' War lives on mythology, Secretariat was the real deal.

[@jamihede4440]

Man O'War only lost 1 race in his career. He was turned around backwards when the starting bell went off, and yet he lost by a very narrow margin. His stride was 28 feet long, longer than Secretariat's. He won one of his races by 100 lengths. His funeral was broadcast over national radio.

[@Steve-ff3xx]

Man O War was just as real of a horse as Secretariat. The mythology comes in when people claim that one great horse is better than another. Claims like that are fundamentally subjective. Like beauty, they are true only in the eyes of the beholder.

[@mslascorpia]

@@jamihede4440 thank you. the War still holds unbroken records. Both War and Secretariat will never outdo the other. Two of greatest racing Thorobreds of all time. Would love to have seen them compete. If I believed in reincarnation I would think that Man O war was reincarnated in secretariat. that’s how parallel both of these magnificent thoroughbreds were.

[@jamihede4440]

@@mslascorpia to even try to compare these horses does them both an injustice. The most we can do is to say that they were both the best of their own times. Yes, Secretariat won Horse of the Year in 1972 and 1973. But the next three years it was won by Forego, who was still winning stakes races at the age of 8.

[@baseballpervert]

The greatest race horse that ever walked on the planet Earth was named.... "SECRETARIAT!" Period!

[@redolson4172]

Not if you go by records, he wasn't.

[@scooters47]

If you go on records the greatest horse in the world would be Winx Record: 33 33-0-0

[@williamchhangte9937]

MAN O WAR

[@stevenseat9862]

Tell them, I'm with you.

[@maxwellh.4471]

Man o war is 100x better

[@470ohio]

Ruffian was (and still is) my favorite.

[@spaz5138]

Same

[@beckoutloud4364]

I was about to be so mad that Ruffian wasn't even mentioned! Love how the whole thing was a deduction to her... Beautiful I've always wondered what it must have felt like to ride these guys... It has to be like you're flying

[@janderson6257]

I vividly rememer Ruffian's last race, a great tragedy.

[@janderson6257]

I remember it, too.

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

I saw the match race on TV. Ruffian was starting her famous charge, then it happened. I started bawling like a baby when she broke down, and the next day when I heard that she had had surgery, but went ballistic coming out of anesthesia, rebroke her leg and her elbow, and had to be put down. Such a horrible end to a young life. I believe she would have won that race. (Jan Griffiths).

[@unionjack84]

Secretariat is my heart. He'll always be #1 with me. Man O'War

[@Celal7411]

Yes records speak itself. That's why great SECRETARIAT is and will be number 1 forever.

[@redolson4172]

If you are going to look at the records, you'll find that Secretariat was beaten several times in his racing career. Man O' War has a better record than Secretariat.

[@brucerobbins3584]

@@redolson4172 And Citation's record at 3 was the best ever, before or after. Ran 20 times, won 19, 15 straight. One bogus lost, when he was pushed to the rail by a horse named Hefti. Beat older horses 7 times. Ran races from 6 furlongs to two miles. Ran (yes, ran) a walkover, in which no other horse of any age dared face him.

[@redolson4172]

@@brucerobbins3584 If you're going to throw out a bad race, then Man O' War, was never beat, because the only race that he didn't win in his racing career, was when the jockeys got together, cheated and trapped Man O' War on the rail and wouldn't let him out, but he still ran second. As far as times go, the owner of Man O' War wouldn't let the jockeys let Man O' War run, he only ran as fast as he needed to, to beat the other horses in the race, the one time that a jockey let him run, Man O' War won by 100 lengths. So we'll never know just how fast Man O' War really was and all I'm saying is that as great as Secretariat was, there are other great horses out there that did an enormous amount for racing, horses like Northern Dancer, has left a mighty big mark on horse racing.

[@brucerobbins3584]

@@redolson4172 The 100 length thing is worthless. I hear he was racing against milkhorses in that race, as no other horse would face him. MoW was so dominant, that few horses wanted to face him. But that was in the 1920's when there were a lot fewer horses than today. I hear that he was a monster with a 27 foot stride. There are a few trainers who watched MoW run and Citation run, who liked Citation better. I don't like to argue who was better or who was the best. It is futile and in the end, worthless. I just like to use the word, "favorite". No fighting, no arguments. Citation was my favorite, plus a few others, like Affirmed I think is not given the credit he deserved. He was a terrific horse. If Man o War is your favorite, fine. He was a great horse, no doubt about it and left his mark on horse racing. Have a good night.

[@brgilbert2]

[Red Olson] What????? How old are you anyway son. Get your facts straight. ManO'War was left in the gate, not trapped on the rail!!!! And you are saying the jockeys got together, blah,blah,blah. Where do find such non-sense????

[@elizabethsmith6977]

Many of the horses cited in this video are related. Bold ruler is the sire of Secretariat and the grandsire of Seattle Slew. He is the only horse who sired and grandsired triple crown winners. Man O War is the sire of War Admiral and grandsire of Seabiscuit. Man O War,Damascus,Forego and Bold Ruler are from the bloodline of Fair Play.Ruffian was also grandsired by Bold Ruler.Kelso was the great grandson of Man O War.So, gee, many of these great horses, they had the same Fair Play bloodline.

[@marysueeasteregg]

+elizabeth smith Bold Ruler is on Slew's direct male line -- but at the third generation (great-grandsire) not grandsire. Bold Ruler - Boldnesian - Bold Reasoning - Seattle Slew Yes, Fair Play was a very influential sire.

[@elizabethsmith6977]

yes.correct.Slew was a great grandsire of Bold Ruler.I missed the word great.Let us not forget the sire of Bold Ruler,Nasrullah who was the best sire before Bold Ruler.

[@forreststory704]

+elizabeth smith Was reading where Bold Ruler and Round Table were born the same evening (April 6) in the same foaling barn. Talk about a perfect storm. Two greats who hooked up a few times later.They were both great sires but I do believe Bold Ruler is hard to top. Right up there with the greatest. When I "evaluate" who is the greatest, it just ends up being so often who were my "favorites." And that's O.K. for me in judging these amazing creatures.

[@erensglizzygobler]

elizabeth smith but Secretariat was really lucky to be really the greatest one in that bloodline

[@jamessherrick9849]

It's great that you know the bloodlines so well, but this doesn't change the fact that Secretariat is the greatest of them all.

[@meripederson8379]

Beautiful horses and beautiful music! Thank you!

[@karenharper4318]

I have a friend who volunteers at an animal shelter called The Ruffian Foundation or something like that. When I asked her if it was in honor of Ruffian, she hadnt heard of her (she was born in 70's) so I told her about her. It still makes me cry.

[@katieoliver2255]

Ruffian truly was a legend💜 She was gone too soon..rip sweet girl💕

[@carolgoerke3109]

Ruffian was a stunner, physically and on the track.

[@pattibrazil3659]

She was amazing! Broke my heart when she went down😢

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

Ruffian was( technically) a Triple Crown winner. She won the Triple Tiara (filly TC) in 1975. The Acorn, Mother Goose, and The Oaks, all races the same distances as the respective Triple Crown races. They are held the day before the regular Triple Crown races usually. (Jan Griffiths).

[@allprogear]

When a horse can beat Secretariats 3 track records in a row that still stand today after 40 years for the triple crown don't bother posting who was the best horse.

[@TheOtteroo]

Amen

[@marianoquezada5790]

That's true nobody can beat secretariat

[@MrJazzy2303]

Mariano Quezada AGREED!!!!!!!

[@wesleywesson]

Mariano Quezada He lost 5 races.

[@allprogear]

When a horse can beat Secretariats triple crown records in a row after 40 years don't waste your time posting.1:59 2/5's,1:53 flat and 2:24 flat.GOOD LUCK!

[@madisonyates1430]

U r mistaken, secretariat is the BEST racehorse of ALL time!

[@maxwellh.4471]

You’re so wrong it’s comical

[@ismaeelrossan2728]

No, Man O War was the beet racehorse of the 20th century

[@123macks]

But it’s not Kelso is FACT

[@rickandmariaolson2597]

And how many of Man O War's records stood for 50 years? None. People like to say that Man O War ran on lousy tracks. Yes, he did, but so did the horses that broke those records a couple of years later. Secretariat's records have stood the test of time. 50 years or improved track maintenance and horse breeding to improve racehorses still haven't beaten him. He's number 1

[@kmsscs]

Yes! Secretariat has 5 losses. His first was a 4th in a Maiden Race where he was neatly knocked off his feet by another unraced 2 yr old. His second loss was a bogus DQ in the Champagne Stakes as a 2 yr old when he supposedly interfered with Linda's Chief (even the Jockey said Secretariat was moving so fast it actually propelled his horse forward). His 3rd loss came in the Wood Memorial where he finished 3rd to his stablemate (trained by the same trainer, Lucien Lauren) and Sham (who he came back and destroyed Sham in the next three races) because he had developed an abscess and could not take the bit interfering with his running. The fourth loss was a second to Onion in the Whitney (prepping for the Travers Stakes) it was learned that he was running a high grade fever during and after the race. This put change in the Secretariat/Riva Ridge match race (both owned by Meadows Farm) and instead made it the Marlboro Invitational where they invited other horses into the race. All Secretariat did was set a new WORLD record for 1 1/8 mile of 1:45 2/5 (he also set the world record at Belmont at 1 1/2 miles of 2:24 flat) and ion the end it turned out to be a match race between Secretariat and Riva Ridge as they finished 1-2, well ahead of the other horses. His 5th and final loss was in the Woodward Stakes and this was a race he wasn't supposed to start, He was training for his first grass race (the Man O' War Stakes), so he was only about 75%. He started because Riva Ridge was supposed to start and Secretariat would scratch from the race, The track came up muddy and Riva Ridge did not run on off-tracks (he very well could have won the Triple Crown the year before Secretariat, but Pimlico came up sloppy and he lost to long shot Bee Bee Bee.) so he scratched and Secretariat ran even though he wasn't ready to run that Saturday and he finished second to Prove Out, Two week later he beat the best Turf Horses in the World in the 1 1/2 mile Man O' War and set a North American and Track record of 2:24 4/5. His last race was in Canada (the Canadian International) and again beat the best Turf Horses setting a stakes and track record in the 1 5/8 mile race. One has to remember that when Man O'War was racing there were far less Thoroughbreds racing than when Secretariat was racing which I think (and many others who are experts) pur Secretariat at #1 or if you will Secretariat 1 and Man O' War 1A.

[@lizmaclay5693]

agree

[@MFAM-Joseph]

@@lizmaclay5693 😂😂I don’t know why your comment made me laugh, that long paragraph and come in like…… agree lmaoo

[@efrainmeza6604]

SECRETARIAT #1....american pharaoh #2 and man o' war #3 is far more FAIR SPLIT DECISION....My humble OPINION....GREETINGS

[@leecowell8165]

thank you for that remarkable insight...

[@kmsscs]

@@MFAM-Joseph It wasn't a long paragraph. Look how they structured my reply. They lost a couple of periods in there.

[@horselover01o]

Zenyatta was one of the best racehorses too

[@rexbob7]

I think Zenyatta could have bet them all.

[@horselover01o]

oh definitely!

[@lindsayturner7255]

I was hoping to see Queen Z at the end too!!!!!

[@alinareybey3263]

And barbaro

[@jeffsohikian8764]

+ted simonson I totally agree.

[@BabyScatha]

Ruffian's story is so sad. 3 years old! :(

[@mikamichan1842]

Yes, and Phar Lap:(

[@SuperDobieGirl]

Ruffian's trainer tried to tell the owners she wasn't ready for the match race. Clearly, Secritariat is the #1 racehorse of all time. And Foolish Pleasure wasn't even mentioned?

[@ambertymeson8624]

I agree to young to die. I wish they bred her so she had legacies

[@ratterrierdogma]

I can’t even think about Ruffian. Beautiful filly. So brave. ❤️💔

[@lyndakoers1389]

So is the story of Go For Wand And 8 Bells. Don't watch on the same day, you will cry for days.

[@paulswainson8828]

Phar Lap wasn’t an American horse New Zealand bred trained in Australia by Harry Telford

[@1950Chimaera]

Was Phar Lap really poisoned?

[@sharonlackie6142]

Thank you for mentioning this. The headlines did say American!

[@1survivor566]

1:18 What is up in that picture? Was Phar Lap massive? Or was the jockey tiny? Or both?

[@scottiejsrockrollsports5547]

That's what I thought also

[@stevenryles2773]

It was the owners son.

[@piperdawn7]

The exceptionally lucky people got to see 2 great horses of a lifetime, Man O' War, and Secretariat!!! The best two to have ever set foot on the track. I love them both!

[@marysueeasteregg]

Likely the best to set foot on dirt tracks. I am American, but I count the European and Australian greats as equally great, in their own way. It may be that Ribot or Phar Lap or Frankel were "better" than Man o'War and Secretariat.

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

Secretariat broke all the triple crown records, the Derby, Preakness and the Belmont. And, all three still stand today. 42 years later. The only Ky. Derby I've been to, 1973, and I couldn't have picked a better year. The icing on the cake was of course the Belmont, " he's moving like a tremendous machine!" and wins by 31 lengths. The greatest horse race ever.

[@2234ga]

Also keep in mind that the practice clock was broken that day but somebody else kept the time and again track record there was no official clock in the Preakness

[@2234ga]

I meant to track the track timekeeper

[@2234ga]

Please note that Secretariat Past away from hough and mouth disease at his autopsy it was discovered that his heart was twice the size of a normal horses heart therefore Because of the oxygen in his blood flow would Propel him to that supernatural Performance for a horse or any other animal for that matter so what does it mean you gotta have heart to me he was the greatest physical athlete that was ever created on the face of the earth his athleticism was incomparable In the thoroughbred horse racing arena

[@2234ga]

The track clock was on officially was officially not working so the time was taken by the time keeper which was a manual precision course Switzerland time peace still clocked at track record

[@siepro]

secretariat was the greatest

[@alittleballpython6913]

Yeah he was better than man o war😡

[@siepro]

Elize Proper Yeah he shure was

[@delaney7137]

+toy freddy EXACTLY

[@delaney7137]

+Elize Proper See people think like me

[@sczen]

+toy freddy Sec who I was a Great fan of was beyond Superb!~ But studied many many years on MO'W... Man O' War Was the Greatest--at least since going back to 1900..and on Dirt. Some things they never mention about --MO'W..ran on Steel shoes alot heavier than the aluminum that the later ones or Sec did..also Track Supers have talked of you'd have to allow 2 sec's/mile at least for time differential-plus All of MO'W's races he won uinder restraint and a 'pull'..he also ran both ways. Oh yes he did--all these facts are true,. Never the less--BOTH THE MOST SUPERB of Racehorses!!~ Of course in a shorter race MO'W...would beat Sec - simply unfair to Secretariat- that he wasn't trained to sprint out or go right up there right off. Wasn't his style except on one race! ;) lol at 1 5/8ths of a mile... Sec still had just over a second slower than MO'W...many years earlier..but comparing times is almost futile really~ and comparing these two,too. But sure is fun. BOTH BEAUTIFUL & GREAT=Understatements about these two~

[@gabriellaferraz1586]

1. Switch Seabiscuit and War Admiral. The math race speaks for itself 2. No Ruffian? She was Secretariat's equal 3. Secretariat should go first. Just watch his races and look at his records that STILL STAND TODAY

[@maxwellh.4471]

There is more to racing than time. Man o war is simply better

[@sparks8934]

I am a fan of Ruffian I cried like a baby when she broke down.

[@stillnessspeaks4080]

Maxwell H. 44 I would love to watch man o war race and see for myself.. unfortunately, it’s all hearsay so I’ll go with secretariat.

[@grahamkight9111]

@@maxwellh.4471 I think seabisuit a little better. Just my opinion

[@gerrythekay]

I found it interesting that the pictures put up for War Admiral both showed him trailing Seabiscuit.

[@alfogel3298]

This had to be made before Zenyatta retired. Zenyatta -a female beat all the males in the big races and like man o war lost only her final by head.Also, the way she won--coming from 15 to 20 lengths behind--was amazing! I rank her BY FAR the best Mare of all time and in the top 5 all time. Al

[@HarbingerOfBattle]

Manowar won his last race. Though if you mean his last loss, then yes I agree.

[@sheilatruax6172]

@@HarbingerOfBattle Man o' War's only loss came in his 2 yr old year. The original Big Red!

[@HarbingerOfBattle]

@@sheilatruax6172 Yup! Great horse!

[@kmsscs]

Remember, Zenyatta always received a weight allowance (as did Rachael Alexandra) when running against Males. Wish they would do away with that allowance.

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

@@sheilatruax6172 And the horse he lost to was named Upset, who was marked remarkably similar to Secretariat. # white stockings---left front no stocking, and a white blaze, which was wider than Secretariat's. The race was the Sanford Stakes. (Jan Griffiths).

[@stuballs42]

Over 2,000,000 horses have been born since the great Secretariat ran -----------and he alone still holds the records for time in the three triple crown races! Fastest horse, and beats American P. by about 15-20 lengths in the Belmont! 2:24 flat to 2:26.65

[@razorback9926]

Stu Stewart Incorrect, one second is about 5 lengths, so Sec would have beaten Pharoah by about 12-13 lengths. Also, Sec does not have the record for each distance other than the 1/2 mile. He has the record for all 3 triple crown races, but other horses have ran faster times at 9.5 and 10 furlongs.

[@stuballs42]

razorback9926 Sorry if I'm wrong about the lengths, but the FACT , remains ,that no horse before, or since , has beaten Secretariats time in the Belmont!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ,and on that day in history , American P ( a great horse) would have been a far away second. ps And I am correct about the OVER 2,000,000 horses born since and no horse has been faster in the Belmont......

[@jeffsohikian8764]

+Stu Stewart the track was super souped up as some non-descript horses were setting track records during the week. American Racing needed a hero and got one. Not to diminish the great Secretariat, but I'm sure others could've defeated Sham by at least 2.5 lengths also. His defeats have to count for something. Hard to imagine the always firing Dr. Fager ever losing to the likes of Angle Light, Onion, or Prove Out under any circumstances.

[@stonyridgestables7836]

+Michael. RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ can u just shut up,ive been scrolling down and nearly every comment you have replied!!!!#loud mouth

[@brucerobbins3584]

+Stu Stewart Sorry Stu.....The Derby has been run in under 2 minutes a couple of times, and a mile and a quarter has been run faster than Sec did in the Derby many times. His time is only a track records, which are set by thousands of h orses every day. His Preakness has been equaled by two other horses. The only one that will stand is his spectacular Belmont, won by 31 lengths. He obviously did not have to run that fast, and this shows how ridiculous it is to race a horse if it is unnecessary. Relative speed is the only thing that counts. Beating the other h orses, getting your nose across the wire first. Records are not what horse racing is about to the pros, only to amateurs.

[@deuce4off]

Secretariat is the best. Not close. Track records in all three triple crown races. Hands down the best..

[@yes350yes]

MichaelMick Agreed Secretariat #1 over all other horses. Boooooo! to whoever made this list.

[@backsweet]

Well said....The super HORSE!!!

[@kmscott818]

MichaelMick Agree 100%, Secretariat beats Man of War in every split from 1/4 mile up to 1 and 5/8 miles.

[@hollynelson3495]

MichaelMick You have to take into consideration the quality of tracks, equipment, etc. are constantly being improved. Tracks during Secretariat's time were far faster than in Man o' War's time. Also consider Man o' War carried more weight than Secretariat and his handicaps were larger in comparison to his fields than Secretariat's were...yet he still won 20 out of 21 starts and even then got 2nd. Also, it is worth remembering that he was not raced in the Kentucky Derby but did win, easily, the Preakness and Belmont so to say Secretariat was better simply because he won the triple crown in comparing apples to oranges. They were both fantastic horses but it is not accurate to say Secretariat was the better - there is plenty to support the position that Man o' War was the better horse. I wish they could have lived side by side so we could have seen a match race and settle it once and for all :)

[@s4dreamland]

Holly Nelson Your exactly right , you can lead a horse to water ....Personally i was surprised how well thought out the 25 were, as well as how well you thought out your posts. Kudos.

[@robertcaldwell707]

Mr. Cota: This is one of the best videos on KZbin. Your choice of music is excellent. The tribute to Ruffian is beyond any words I can come up with. Insofar as Best of All Time: I think of the line by Damon Runyon, "All horseplayers die broke," to which I add, "Old horseplayers die arguing who was the best, Secretariat or Man O' War!"

[@nancymorrison1273]

Yes, Secretariat was the fastest and I loved him dearly. Most of the other horses could run a good race, and were fun to watch. However, Man of War will always be the greatest racehorse ever to me. Just my opinion. Instead of arguing back, just watch some videos of your favorite horse, and enjoy watching a beautiful animal move. Thank you.

[@brigittefarmer4400]

Whats with the good old "Mayflower " old Quarter Horse Blood

[@TheBrendadale]

What a beautiful tribute to ALL the great horses that have graced our tracks and our hearts. THANK YOU!

[@TheBrendadale]

Brenda Dale I've worked with horses most of my life, and I have to say there are a lot of good horses out there. But it's the rare horse, the one who gets a sense of him or herself, that just shines and goes above and beyond what anyone expects of them. Big Ben, Hickstead, Blue Hors Matin, Bon Heur, Secretariat, and so many more. These are horses who have greatness in their souls, and who will share their incredible souls with a trusted human counterpart. Horses are TRULY incredible animals, and on any level, if you let them be themselves, they have so much to give.

[@emmabesko4124]

MsVanorak Northern Dancer was Canadian. Probably the reason Sir Barton wasn’t on here

[@Steve52344]

I love this compilation. Glad to see it included Seabiscuit and Native Dancer, with a tribute to Ruffian. Very nice. Yeah, Secretariat might've beaten Man o' War, but they're too far apart in time and benefit to fairly judge that edge. Safe to say those two deserve their rank among the all time greatest. But personally, I'd have to give number one to Secretariat. That Belmont Stakes performance was just too spectacular, unrivaled in the entire history of the sport. Good job.

[@redolson4172]

The Belmont win was 30+ length win, but Man O' War's 100 length win was far better and how many races did Secretariat lose? That's why he was #2.

[@kellyperry7956]

l don't care 😑😒

[@janetgallo5720]

Native dancer was a top horse

[@ChicagoMel23]

Yes but it’s sad they let his line continue knowing he had bad legs and too many have died as a result

[@janetgallo5720]

I didn’t know that.

[@colerainfan1143]

Legendary race horses never fail to inspire.

[@nancysherburne7445]

I can remember watching Kelso in the sixties watching Racing from Florida. Horse of the year four years in a row. When it got down to two horses of the top 25 I knew Secretariat would be one but I was worried Man-o-War had not made the list. Boy was I surprised he had beat Secretariat by ending up in the number one spot. The story of Ruffian was a heartbreaker and those who knew her when she was racing or, like me, read Ruffian, Burning from the Start, will always wonder what would have been in store for her if she had not shattered her leg in the match race with Foolish Pleasure.

[@2234ga]

Any person of any sort of intelligence or spirit of understanding what a true champion is like a Mickey Mantle like a Willie Mays like a Muhammad I Lee will truly be on the shadow with that on the stand the God-given ability that secretariat was the greatest athlete that was ever created it’s common God sense if you look at that stretch run in Belmont that says it all and by the way every race that he won in the Triple Crown every quarter and every race was faster than the previous quarter that is unheard of in horse racing and in the Preakness the announcer said in the head of the stretch and Ron took out has put his whip away this horse was never even pushed to his true capacity God’s greatest creation is human but God created the greatest athlete on four legs that we have ever seen and we probably will ever see

[@marysueeasteregg]

Kelso was HOY 5 times in a row: 1960 - 1964.

[@marysueeasteregg]

@@2234ga *ONLY Secretariat's Derby was run in the manner you claim, with each quarter being faster than the previous.* That is unheard of in a mile and a quarter race -- on the dirt. On the grass, in Europe or Australia or Japan, I wouldn't be so sure. It is probably not unknown at a mile on dirt. In the Belmont Secretariat was slowing down throughout the race, albeit much more gradually than the other starters, hence his continuing to widen his lead. That he was slowing down is easily demonstrated. Chick Anderson's call at the halfway point of the Belmont: "Secretariat is blazing along! The first three-quarters of a mile in 1:09 4/5. Secretariat is widening now. He is moving like a tremendous machine!" If Secretariat had run the second half of the Belmont as fast he did the first, his time would have been 2:21 3/4, not 2:24 flat. In the first five furlongs he and Sham were running faster than many sprint races of that distance are run -- NO HORSE can keep up that pace throughout a 12 furlong race. Knowledgeable viewers, including Lucien Laurin, were horrifed at the 1:09 4/5: the pace is too fast for a mile and a half race. My 16-year-old self was telling my mother during the early speed duel, "They're going to kill each other." Well, I was half right. Sham all but collapsed. Secretariat's split times for the Belmont (taken from William Nack's "Secretariat") were: 12 1/5 11 2/5 11 2/5 11 1/5 12 11 3/5 12 1/5 12 1/5 12 12 4/5 12 1/5 12 4/5. Note that all his sub-12 eighths are in the first half of race, and that his slowest eighths are the final and third-to-final furlongs. His half mile splits are 46 1/5 48 49 4/5. The remarkable thing about Secretariat's Belmont was that he did not collapse after those breakneck early fractions, and completed the race with all sub-13 splits. For comparison, in the 1978 Jockey Club Gold Cup, run at 1 1/2 miles on the Belmont track, Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Affirmed engaged in an early speed duel, running the first three-quarters in an ["unbelievable," per Anderson's call] time of 1:09 2/5, two ticks faster than Secretariat's Belmont point of call. Affirmed was already dropping back at that point, either cooked by the torrid pace or impeded, some claim, by a slipped saddle. Slew hung on for a gallant head loss to the deep closer Exceller, himself a Hall of Famer. Exceller's (and Slew's) time was 2:27 1/5. Some think this was Slew's finest race, the head loss notwithstanding. Consider this: after running similar early fractions to Secretariat, Seattle Slew, one of the greatest horses to ever run in the U.S., is rightfully honored for finishing 12 furlongs more than 3 seconds slower than Secretariat, and not collapsing like Sham and Affirmed. And Slew and Exceller were 4 and 5 respectively, fully mature Thoroughbreds, not a still-developing 3-year-old like Secretariat.

[@jasonwiggins]

​@@2234ga Man O War was voted the Horse of the Century over Secretariat by more Historians, Experts, and Publications than the other way around. Anyone of average intelligence or below knows that Secretariat was on steroids. His enlarged heart, along with Sham's, is a direct byproduct of steroid abuse. His infertility issues when he first went to stud was an indicator as well and was written as the most likely reason in Sports Illustrated. Hall of Fame trainer Birch clearly stated that steroids were introduced in Thoroughbred racing in the 60's and was rampant by the 70's. During Man O War's dominance steroids had not been synthesized yet. Man O War is clearly a freak of nature and is easily number one.

[@auletjohnast03638]

Nancy Sherburne, Man O War been #1 in this list is only this ass hole's opnion. Every list I seen and every race horse experts and sport commentators have Secretariat🏇 #1.

[@tyburnside5522]

You obviously put alot of work into this thanks for the memories. I wpuld have changed a few around Secretariat #1 for sure.

[@atomexpires]

ty burnside and added ruffian

[@marysueeasteregg]

The list is taken directly from the 1999 Blood-Horse publication "Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century." (Really the top 100 flat-racing Thoroughbreds who made at least one start in North America during the 20th Century.) The 7-person committee picked Man o'War first. (Ruffian, btw, was #35 on the list.)

[@tiger38able]

Ruffian was awesome... such a tragedy! I still remember watching the race when I was 12 years old! Heartbreaking!

[@vickihunt8988]

Secretariat is the best. ❤

[@bevdavis4148]

I thought Phar Lap was Australian.

[@Tony-5000]

You are correct

[@grahamjohnston7395]

I also made the comments about it too!!!

[@antonyjones4259]

I think Phar Lap was breed in New Zealand....but might be wrong. ??

[@dallisschlitz2036]

He is an Australian racer who was bred in New Zealand, but did come to race in America, and was killed in America, in suspicious circumstances, most believe poisoning

[@deborahrhoades7544]

He was foaled in New Zealand and journeyed to Australia.

[@hurricane-fly0490]

I would of put Secretariat first.. he's the best race-horse in the world... I mean come on, the speed on him the Belmont Stakes. And no horse has ever matched him.

[@juliettefranks7168]

Totally right Sham amazing horse Secretariat amazing horse just better than Sham

[@redolson4172]

There is a whole lot more to horse racing than just the times, that's why Secretariat was named #2 and Man O' War was named #1, because of their records.

[@outoftime7740]

@@redolson4172 Nope, the DAY any horse can beat Secretariats 3 TC records. Then you can talk. Until then,, IT'S KING SECRETARIAT to you.

[@williamchhangte9937]

@@outoftime7740 look up MAN O' WAR documentary.... The perfect race horse.... Longer strides than secretariat... And in 1970s the time of secretariat adrenaline boosters were allowed and they gave the horses... At the time of MOW he had a heavier horse shoes more weight on him... And a slower track... MAN O' WAR will be the greatest of all time for a true racing horse enthusiasts... Not an amateur...

[@herahale2799]

♥Hurricane - Fly04♥ yeah, he didnt just run,no he flew,he put all his heart into racing,he lives it he wasn't forced,he loves racing it was his life and he gave it all he hot and he should be number one

[@faisamohamed2292]

Wait if Seabiscuit beat War Admiral then Seabiscuit should be ranked higher than War Admiral.

[@brendaclark3085]

War Admiral had champion babies. Seabuscuit did not.

[@TheOnlySilverUnicorn]

It's a bit strange, considering how closely related they were. War Admiral was Man'O'War's son, and Seabiscuit was Man'O'War's grandson. Another way to think of it, Seabiscuit was War Admiral's nephew. Did their differences come from their mare lines? Or perhaps Samuel Riddle was more selective about the mares War Admiral covered, while Charles Howard was less selective? I'm sure the answer to this is already known and is stuffed away in some book upon some dusty shelf, where I don't have access to it.

[@katherinemestizo8337]

War Admiral won the Triple Crown and had more winnings than Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit lost his first 15 races in his life

[@redolson4172]

Better check their records.

[@brendaclark3085]

@ramazan tanbi - only for the ignorant among us.

[@clareblakeman83]

Great video.... Great music.... Great display of their races... Your choices were sooo right. Man O War...the greatest....never will there be another like him. Finally, Ruffian WAS in deed the greatest filly to grace the racetrack.

[@isabellalugo1464]

Wow. Man O War is great but Secretariat is always number #1 No matter what. #1 in our hearts

[@juliehertz8768]

I AGREE RUFFIAN IS THE GREATEST FILLY OR MARE OF ALL TIMES, PAST PRESENT OR FUTURE .RIP SWEET GIRL.

[@wildfloweraquatics7102]

Have you herd of Zenyatta she starts late but keeps up and steals a lot of races

[@kylees.7287]

Um songBird, Zenyatta, Tepin, and Untapable.

[@stanleyjensen1950]

I agree...Ruffian was an amazon. If only...

[@emiliestokes5313]

In my opinion, songbird and tepin are better. 1) songbird 2) tepin 3) ruffian

[@savannahfrillman3353]

Yes she is! you are a smart person. Ruffian was such a sweet filly. She was a true champion.

[@SpiritJumper234]

I think secretariat is the best.

[@Aimee0206]

And he was MOW did it in 2:40 and Secretariat did it in 2:24

[@loveme2568]

me too

[@Aimee0206]

Shut your fat gob Mike

[@johnonda9541]

Spirit Jumper234 Secretariat WAS the BEST of ALL TIME.

[@johnonda9541]

Sounds to me like you're the LOSER, dumb SPICKO

[@dancasey9660]

There is a You Tube video comparing Secretariat's best times at different distances to Man O War. Man O War's times times were nowhere close.

[@maxwellh.4471]

That video was made as a joke (as stated in description)

[@dancasey9660]

@@maxwellh.4471 Didn't notice that until you mentioned it, as I never opened that drop down tab. I suppose with a little research you might be able to find MOW'S times, but he probably never started from a gate.

[@utasajaia5681]

not really an argument because during MOW times, tracks were slower, and shoes were heavier, also, MOW usually raced with much heavier weights then Secretariat. Try and run with sporty shoes, then go and try with some heavy duty ones and carry 20% of your weight, plus on a loosed surface. Of course you'll run slower

[@dotsmom95]

I beg to differ. The times of Secretariat and those of Man O War are only seconds off. Maybe if Man O War had aluminum shoes and was allowed to go all out he would win two out of the three races if they ran together

[@dancasey9660]

@@dotsmom95 Just remember 1 second equal 5 lengths. So Secretariat's 33 length win in the Belmont is 6 and 3/5 seconds. Doesn't seem like a lot, but that huge in Horse Racing. In his losses, twice he was sick, his first maiden race was a bad trip/bad ride by the jockey, so the only loss the seemed legitimate was the loss to Onion. Onion was an older horse, but still Big Red should have won. When Secretariat was at his best, on his game, I don't think there is a horse who could touch him.

[@lindah3803]

This is quite the collection of horses. Some before my time. Only able to watch grainy old video of them. All have a place at the table. All are great. For me, Secretariat the one that I remember. The lines,the beauty,the form,the Crown. I was 9 when Secretariat took the crown. I remember those races today. No other horse made that kind of impact on me. Just took my breath away. Watching videos of Secretariats races still takes my breath. Breaks my heart life was so short.

[@kingofevilganondorfdragmir3319]

Secretariat and Ruffin are my favourite race horses

[@sophiebarbeau-oconnor5475]

Count Fleet!! He was such an amazing horse.

[@dmay9081]

The best

[@AngelCatBaby]

Thank you for sharing this.....I remember a lot of these horses and kept close watch on them....especially Secretariat....he was my favorite along with Man o' War, plus I also remember Ruffian and what happened to her.....I love them all....they all had heart....I will never forget any of them.....God's awesome critters....God bless....RIP

[@angelakhan-glears5365]

OK, guys Secretariat should be posted as number 1!!!! No horse has broken has records 50 years later. The way he ran from last burning to front with that amazing stunner at the Belmont......and do t forget posing for the cameras!!! Love him always.❤

[@bailinnumberguy]

Very good list. Secretariat vs. Man O War is an argument that will go on forever. Good call putting Forego and Spectacular Bid in the top 10, both stronger than Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Affirmed in my opinion. Obviously if this list was refreshed American Pharoah would be in, probably in the top 5.

[@lilleh3353]

Where is sham tho '-' he was the one that went against secretariat

[@lilleh3353]

@Sophia Schommer yeah but it would be nice to see sham once even at the back of it all

[@linhiril664]

I am afraid Man o War has become the “sentimental favorite” beside the greatest racehorse who ever lived, the miracle horse of God, Secretariat. Time to admit it.

[@maxwellh.4471]

So why did secretariat lose so much if he’s so great 🧐🥴

[@linhiril664]

Maxwell H. 44 So much? He lost one race. He was ill that day and it was not discovered until after the race.

[@maxwellh.4471]

Lin Hiril he lost 5 times but ok

[@stillnessspeaks4080]

Lin Hiril he lost his first race, he lost the race leading up to the triple crown and I think he lost a few times after the triple crown.. it happens. Haters going to hate. He broke the the triple crown drought.. but American Pharoah broke an even longer drought and had to race 9 other horses not 4! But he wasn’t running as fast as secretariat no.

[@josephcowart241]

I am a Secretariat fan. Met him along with my family in 1977. He was awesome. So was Man of War. My opinion is you can’t compare these special animals across generations. Half the horses could be the best of all time. Citation and Kelso come to mind.

[@lespangen]

Agreed impossible to adjust for track conditions and equipment impacts over time eg aluminum vs steel shoes

[@reaganlittle8396]

I disagree, Secretariat,I believe, should be #1 and Man 'O War #2 :(

[@jamihede4440]

Man o War's offspring contribute to his greatness. War Admiral (Triple Crown winner), Clyde Van Dusen (Kentucky Derby winner), Battleship (Grand National winner). His name can be found in the pedigrees of such horses as Seabuscuit, Dr. Fager, Buckpasser, Kelso, Seattle Slew, American Pharoah, and many more.

[@jamihede4440]

@TMS2021 Camilla J Euffian was a fine horse, but the fact remains that she didn't go up against horses of the same calibre as either Secretariat or Man o Wa. And we never got to see what kind of foals she might produce.

[@aaronflook7166]

@@jamihede4440 to argue between Secretariate or Man O War is like saying Blonde or Brunette. In my list it would be Secretariate, but I will not disparage Man O War

[@jamihede4440]

@Joe Blow Well, I would hope it's not about my offspring. You may not have noticed that horses can't type.

[@fayensu]

@Joe Blow Exactly. If offspring were included as a factor in the ranking, Northern Dancer would be higher than Secretariat, which is ridiculous.

[@tdvcleve]

Great job, BUT Secretariat is #1! I would've put Affirmed in the top ten, also.

[@denisesayer9225]

The foals that came from Secretariat didn't ever live up to their legacy. Most of the successful horese from his line came from mares he sired that then sired male foals. Other horses on the list had much better progeny

[@reagent320]

Affirmed should be way up on this list. He had to race against Alydar!

[@maxwellh.4471]

Man o war is better

[@tdvcleve]

Maxwell H. 44 Secretariat is the best ever. Man-O-War was incredible, no doubt. The fact that Secretariat ran the Triple Crown in record times that stand even now and forever, says more than enough.

[@chadh.johnson3550]

@@maxwellh.4471 Did MOW win the triple crown? No! You can't be the GOAT if you only win a bunch of claiming races against nobodys. And if his owner didn't think he was strong enough to run the derby, it means he wasn't strong enough to run the derby. Guess who was and holds the record time.

[@lilleh3353]

Secretariat, ruffian, man o‘ war, seabiscuit, sham, war admiral, forego, then any other is debatable

[@quest2224]

I grew up watching Secretariat and always believed he was the greatest. I mean his win in the Belmont will go unmatched. I then researched Man o war because of all I had heard and must admit he seemed very impressive. So I will say Secretariat and Man - O War are tied for first as the greatest racehorses to ever live. Shout out to Winx, Zenyatta, Personal Ensign and Frankel. And to watch what zenyatta did in the breeders cup classic against Males and should have won it two years in a row she has to be given tremendous support.

[@karenpatterson9727]

secretariat SHOULDVE BEEN FIRST!

[@charlielucky1]

NOPE, WRONG! SPECTACULAR BID

[@mdshamim3651]

Karen Patterson ww

[@redolson4172]

Not if horse racing is a sport and records mean anything, Man O; War had a far better record than Secretariat.

[@johnet22]

@@redolson4172 Man O War ran match races and half were against quarter horses. Dat is a fact! Didnt run against more than 3 or 4 viable thorobreds ever.

[@brgilbert2]

@@johnet22 Why is it idiots crawl out of the wood work and insist on embarrassing themselves. I highly doubt you even know the difference between a thoroughbred and a quarter horse!!!

[@naynaystjohn9266]

Ruffian and Go For Wand were the most awesome fillies EVER. They died proving it... My most favorite will ALWAYS be Secretariat. MOW and many others accomplished many great things; but Sec tore down a wall that was built to call a horse "great" after 25 years. No horse can beat his record for the TC.

[@redolson4172]

Forever is a long time and records are made to be broken.

[@marklewen9384]

Ruffian and go for wand as 3 year old fillies don't belong in the same sentence as RACHEL ALEXANDRA, the best 3 yo filly of all time.

[@troyschall2760]

Mike Smith says Zenyatta was the best, and he's ridden many of the best winners...that says a lot to me. Zenyatta definitely #2 after Secretariat.

[@brgilbert2]

@@alfogel3298 Such ignorance!!! Geeze!!!! This list was compiled long before Zenyatta was a gleam in her daddy's eye!!!!!

[@juliehertz8768]

RUFFIAN THE GREATEST FILLY OF ALL TIME'S.💜💜💜😢😢

[@jeanfish7]

MAN O WAR, the start of it all...

[@millie8314]

Also Zenyatta should have been on there she was a living legend

[@marysueeasteregg]

+Stony Ridge Stables If you are questioning whether Zenyatta was American -- YES SHE IS AMERICAN! She is Kentucky-bred, and she raced exclusively in the U.S. Many rank her the all-time greatest U.S. racemare.

[@grahamjohnston7395]

Yes but this was about 20th century..... Zenyatta comes from 21st century

[@jamesyoung1167]

SECRETARIAT Fastest 3-Crown Times BIGGEST HEART ♥️

[@Isolvedit]

A tip of my hat to the great photo collection shown here. Watching them compete is not the entire story. "Somethingroyal", the great broodmare who produced "Secretariat", also foaled "The Bride" a year earlier. That offspring did nothing on the track, but was also a decent broodmare. What fantastic stories they create!

[@marieprovencio288]

Seabiscuit. And my own favorite California Chrome!!!!!

[@ripleywho]

R.I.P Beautiful horses!

[@evandromarcio6554]

RUFFIAN para mim foi o maior cavalo de corrida de todos os tempo,viveu pouco ,mas foi o suficiente para se tornar inesquecível, ela e SIMPLAY THE BEST

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

Ruffian was a knockout. I followed her career too. She was magnificent. I honestly believe she would have won that match race against Foolish Pleasure. I saw that on TV, and cried for her. (Jan Griffiths).

[@shawncalligan805]

Secretariat in my opinion is hands down the greatest race horse ever! If there is any doubt just watch his belmont race in his triple crown year. I was 12 years old then, and even watching that race today still gives me chills.AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@royboy7099]

No horse will EVER beat Secretariat’s record at Belmont, NEVER EVER. He’s the GOAT, I watched him that day, and nobody will convince me otherwise. It’s 2020, and all 3 of his triple crown records still stand.

[@lindasalvato8403]

OMG. Thank you so much for dedicating this lovely video to Ruffian. I wondered where she was in your ranking, and I see that she was above ranking. She was the best.

[@marysueeasteregg]

In the book from which this list was taken -- Blood-Horse's "Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century" (really a list of the top 100 American-raced Thoroughbreds on the flat, and compiled by a list of 7 racing experts) Ruffian was #35, the highest ranked of all the females. Ruffian was arguably the greatest dirt filly ever; Zenyatta ran mostly on synthetic. But Ruffian does not deserve to be ranked with the best American males. She did not beat -- did not live to beat, unfortunately -- either males or older mares. She set many stakes records -- filly records, by definition -- but her only track records were set at 2, at the sprint distance of 5 1/2 furlongs. She beat some nice stakes fillies, but no great ones, much less any Hall of Fame horses. Seven of her races were sprints; she completed only 2 races at distances greater than a mile. Her route times, while impressive, do not indicate she'd have been beating the best males with regularity at longer distances. (I do think she would have defeated Foolish Pleasure. And at sprints or a mile, she gave indication she would have been competitive against even a Seattle Slew or Dr. Fager or Ghostzapper.) I'd have her a little higher, but not much. Of course, we do not know what she would have accomplished if she had not been injured.

[@TheMsatru]

2:27 in belmont park, in a mile and half, faster than most on this list

[@marysueeasteregg]

@@TheMsatru 2:27 4/5 in the Coaching Club American Oaks.

[@paulaporter778]

Seabiscuit will always be my favorite

[@dravendfr]

Man O’ War #1 for me as well. Everything about that horse was legendary, even his pedigree.

[@TheJpep2424]

Not close to Secretariat. The record times speaks for themself.

[@dravendfr]

@@TheJpep2424 Track conditions in Man o’ War’s time were far inferior to Secretariats. Man o’ War wasn’t on the line when the race started and he was put in bad positioning, there wasn’t a starting official when the only race he lost had started, yet still came in a close second despite conceding fifteen pounds, bad positioning, and a bad start to the winner, Upset, Man o’ War only lost by a neck at most. Man o’ War also carried way more weight in their attempt to even out the competition, he was only retired because the amount of weight he’d have to endure was going to be a new record and his owner wasn’t having it. Don’t be disrespectful. Secretariat was an amazing horse, so was Man o’ War. Don’t act like there aren’t a ton of details that don’t need context for Man o’ War’s racing times. Example, Man o’ War was racing before the triple crown even existed, and when Sir Barton won the first triple crown, Man o’ War crushed him by seven lengths, Man o’ War only lost once, Secretariat lost three times. We call these things opinions because we cannot definitively say for sure what would’ve happened because they didn’t actually race. We can speculate all we want. It’s fine to have an opinion, but there is absolutely room to have a fair debate on the matter.

[@kathilyons3167]

This was most fun and interesting, but missed seeing Ruffian and Whirlaway. Thank you

[@LonnieAmirault]

Secretariat was and is and will always be number 1, NOT man of War!

[@clintonpearson3163]

They didn't even name the best horse, Whirlaway, he did more than the top two combined and still makes them look like lightweights, 1Whirly 2Citation 3Secretariat you can't beat 1-2's records,look it up.

[@kylees.7287]

Whirlaway didn't make records that still stands today in the Triple Crown. Did he win the Belmont by 31 lengths?

[@wildfloweraquatics7102]

it is Man O' War not man of war

[@douglaslewis866]

Sorry ole boy but Round Table would crush ..Secretariat....Look up the records and compare....Let's not forget Externinator...carried unbelievable weight and raced over 70 times

[@TowenOG]

Round Table was an amazing Turf Horse, don't compare Turf Horses to amazing dirt horses like Secretariat. His record at the Belmont Stakes was in the mud to.

[@saragallis641]

But glad they included Ruffian at the end ;)

[@elizabethfarrell9650]

Truly enjoyed the video. 💙

[@stillnessspeaks4080]

The size differential from Phar Lap and his jockey is comical 😂

[@mariatoyos2886]

I think the first picture is a kid 😂😂

[@aprilosborn1886]

I was waiting to see Ruffian, I learned something today about the great horse's, although I wanted you to include Ruffian, an you did

[@Matty88K]

Where's Whirlaway? Triple Crown Winner and US Horse of the Year twice.

[@secondstring]

Yeah man....gotta be in the top 25!!

[@Kostly]

Two best in this era are female - Zenyatta and male - Afleet Alex These two were absolutely dominant.

[@redbrian3655]

I enjoyed listening to the Vivaldi while looking at your list... very relaxing and enjoyable

[@jblanche747474]

Secretariat..should be number 1........Won all the big races when needed to do so..that is what counts..case close.

[@loveme2568]

I agree

[@chancieacres]

Joseph Blanche And was retired early. Some of the others listed below him on this video were raced longer with brilliant careers. I agree that Sec was phenomenal and a racing machine, but I wish these lists would go on longevity and versatility than just impressive wins/records in one season.... All of these horses are incredible on this list of 25.

[@DaGuittarMan]

Joseph Blanche in the race Man o' War lost, due to the lack of gates, he started facing backwards and four lenghts behind. He lost that race by a nose. He was the greatest of all time.

[@petularandolph8856]

Danilo Moraes Secretariat set records, thats why he is better, he has a number you can put to his name. He was an amazing horse and has records still standing today, and his 2:24 record that is not only in the belmont but also any race of 12 furlongs in america. And while Man O War is a great horse, he only has records that are based off of the horses around him and not his own personal ability. I will not try to excuse Secretariats losses, but I can say a horse can have a bad day, I mean look at American Pharaoh, look at his maiden, and look at him now, anyway… While I think Man O War is a great horse I think Secretariat is just a smidge better. But of course this is one of the biggest questions in horse racing, it is just my opinion.

[@jblanche747474]

I truly agree with that

[@TheAvenstar]

To whoever decided Secretariat is NOT #1. Are you insane or just drunk?

[@marysueeasteregg]

This list is taken from the 1999 Blood-Horse publication, "Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century."* A committee of seven racing experts -- turf writers, track stewards and racing executives -- voted, anonymously, in compiling the list. *Someone voted Secretariat 14th,* which is how he placed second to Man o'War. I personally rank Secretariat GOAT of American-raced horses, but there are a couple of horses I acknowledge can arguably be placed ahead of him. Man oWar is definitely one; that argument is not based on insanity, delusion or ignorance, though as I said, I disagree with it. But ranking Secretariat 14th (!!!) was a total farce. Secretariat biographer Bill Nack said he would have placed Man o'War 14th if he had known someone else was putting Secretariat that low. *The title of the book is also a farce. It is a list of the 100 greatest, in that committee's eyes, Thoroughbreds who ran on the flat in North America during the 20th century. I'm American, but the actual title is arrogantly U.S.-centric.

[@marysueeasteregg]

@wolfyheartxox Sigh. I've addressed this question previously. Many people ask why Seabiscuit isn't higher. The list, btw, was compiled back in 1999 by a panel of 7 racing experts; I have the Bood-Horse book from which is taken, "Top 100 [North American -raced] Racehorses of the 20th Century." Seabiscuit is pretty much where he belongs. Compare his career record of 33 wins in 89 starts to that of the other horses. (Btw, his career record is listed incorrectly here. It was actually 89:33-15-13.) So, *SHORT ANSWER to your question: Seabiscuit won only 37% of his starts, easily the worst winning record of the 25 horses listed here.* Only 4 horses in this top 25 did not have at least a 60% winning record: Cigar (#18) 58%; Equipoise (#21) 57%; John Henry (#23) 47% wins; and Seabiscuit himself, with a 37% winning percentage. Long Answer: people are going to say that Seabiscuit's abusive 2-yr-old record should be taken into account. Valid point. It obviously *was* taken into account in determining his ranking. I say "obviously" because even if you do that, even if you count only the races Seabiscuit ran while ably and responsibly handled by trainer Tom Smith, his "adjusted" 44:25-7-8 win/loss (57% wins) record remains inferior to almost every horse on the top 25. People have the mistaken impression Seabiscuit was almost unbeatable under Smith. Hardly. He became one of the best horses in the country, yes, winning two handicap championship titles and a Horse of the Year title, but he was still losing more than 40% of his races. Some of that was due to injury, but many horses on this list lost races because of injury or illness, or just plain bad racing luck. Cigar, listed well above Seabiscuit, also surely benefitted from an "adjusted" record by experts who would have known his history. His career record was 33:19-4-5, with a 58% winning percentage very similar to Seabiscuit's "adjusted" record. But -- after Cigar's second trainer Bill Mott switched him from grass to exclusively dirt -- Cigar's record was 20:17:2-1, an 85% winning percentage much surpassing Seabiscuit's record under trainer Tom Smith. Similarly, John Henry, who started out as a claimer, became highly successful under his third trainer, Ron McAnally. Seabiscuit set quite a few stakes/track records. But -- he was racing mostly on newly opened California tracks. It's a whole lot easier to set records in races which had been run for 4 to 6 years instead of 50+ like some of big stakes races of the east coast tracks had been. And something many fans of Seabiscuit do not know, because Laura Hillenbrand left it out of her otherwise excellent bio of the horse, and it was left out of the 2003 film for dramatic reasons: *Seabiscuit was probably allowed by another jockey to win his final race,* the Santa Anita Handicap, which along with his match race is the most remembered of his victories. It is known that Seabiscuit was "declared" prior to that race by his owner: in a practice which was allowed at the time, owner Charles Howard told the stewards ahead of time that the jockey of Kayak II, a horse whom he also owned and who was Seabiscuit's biggest rival in the race, was under orders to let Seabiscuit win if they were vying for the win at the end. Kayak II finished second, and there were eyewitnesses who thought he could have won if pushed in the stretch. Seabiscuit beat Triple Crown winner War Admiral, people point out. Doesn't that make him better than War Admiral? Heck, no, especially in match race, which is a very artificial situation. All of the Triple Crown winners prior to the prematurely retired Justify got beaten. Most of the horses who beat Triple Crown winners aren't on the list, or the list of the top 100. Most are forgotten, just like the many horses who beat Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit was beaten by Heelfly 3 times, by Rosemont twice. They weren't better than Seabiscuit. No one claims Angle Light and Onion or Prove Out were better than Secretariat. Exceller beat both Seattle Slew and Affirmed in the same race. Exceller was a great horse -- not a top 10, but great -- and no one says he was better overall than Slew and Affirmed. Blame was not a better horse than Zenyatta. It is COMMONPLACE for athletes, equine and human, to get beaten by less talented competition. War Admiral's record, overall, is better than that of Seabiscuit: much better win-loss record, won more important races overall against what was likely better competition overall. He deserves to be ranked quite a bit higher than Seabiscuit. And it's not just on the basis of War Admiral having been a Triple Crown winner -- Triple Crown winners Omaha (#61), Sir Barton (#49), Assault (#33), Gallant Fox (28) and Whirlaway (26) are all ranked below Seabiscuit by the panel, though several are, obviously, closely ranked with Seabiscuit. Such lists always have an arbitrary element. Seabiscuit is, along with Man o'War and Secretariat, the most remembered American Thoroughbred. It's not because he was the 3rd or 4th or 5th best TB in American history. He's remembered because he was the most POPULAR horse who ever ran in this country. Seabiscuit was an underdog horse, the people's horse, during the Depression, which was the height of racing's popularity in the U.S. He benefitted from having a compelling story (as did his handlers); multiple books and multiple movies have kept his memory alive in the popular imagination. His place in the public imagination also benefitted from having a savvy businessman owner who did a terrific job marketing the horse. Seabiscuit was great and gutsy and popular, and a clear-cut Hall of Fame horse. But not one of the top 10 greats. When you think about how many horses ran in North America during the 20th century (probably over a million TBs were foaled during that period), being ranked 25th is a great honor.

[@emmabesko4124]

Al Anton I mean they put Phar Lap in here. He’d never touched American soil

[@nikolatesla5553]

Joe. While all that may be true. Secretariat posted faster times in all three of the Triple crown races than any other horse that ever ran in them. That alone makes him the greatest horse in US history.

[@greggallucci607]

The time was CORRECTED 40 years after the race, you moron!

[@sofiabroberg7489]

Guys, you have to remember, that although secretariat beat so many track records, and was really fast, you have to remember, that man o' war didn't have the technology that secretariat had, like advanced tracks, aluminum shoes,ect. Also, man o' war won pretty much all of his races under a very snug hold, no one really saw him run full out for an entire race. They are both amazing horses, and idk what I would give to see a match race between the two

[@badgerstate3451]

Secretariat was the greatest racehorse of all time. Period.

[@theOlLineRebel]

Secretariat set 6 records total in his 12 3yo starts. Man O’War set 8 records in his 11 3yo races. 3 were unqualified world records, 2 more unqualified American, and 3 more track records including the best tracks. Man O War was the first horse ever to simultaneously hold 3 American records, and by the end of the season he would be likely the only horse ever to have held 5 American records simultaneously. Research of 1965 and 1973 shows this would hold to be true but needs to be verified. Swaps held 3 world and American records simultaneously still in 1965. I doubt looking through my ARMs I will find another horse to duplicate MOW’s feat. Sec only appears at most 2x on the American list that year, but that may be qualified by surface.

[@scottlambert8891]

Big red was the man.. give him his due...he was the ultimate champion 🏆

[@commenter2446]

Wikipedia: The 1973 Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown winner Secretariat holds the mile and a half stakes record (which is also a track and world record on dirt) of 2:24. ....WORLD RECORD HOLDER for that distance. No other horse ever in recorded history has ever run as fast for so long. He possessed unprecedented and yet to be matched endurance and speed.... Wonderful workmanship of God.

[@marysueeasteregg]

commenter Are you aware the grass world record is faster than Secretariat's dirt record? At least one (and I believe several horses) have run faster for so long. However, I seriously doubt any of those horses did so after running the first 6 furlongs in 1:09 4/5. So I agree with your last sentence. : ) : ) : )

[@aniranch]

And, remarkably, every quarter mile of the Belmont was faster than the previous one. Secretariat just got faster and faster... And I have to add, I am a huge fan of both Man O' War AND Secretariat. Champions of different racing eras.

[@georgeratkovich7161]

@@aniranch commenter marysue.... the main reason there is resistance to crowning Secretariat as the Greatest ever is because his dominance was short lived. It is not even possible to believe he could be beaten when watching the Belmont, yet he raced 6 more times and lost twice. Also, he never again came close to showing the dominance he displayed in the Belmont. So, the historians will likely contend he ran the greatest race ever, but that alone does not qualify for the best horse ever,

[@jeraldhawkins7939]

@@georgeratkovich7161 are you smoking weed

[@jeraldhawkins7939]

@@georgeratkovich7161 he ran three of the greatest races i think its called the triple crown

[@Witchplato]

Man O' War and Secretariat......Both GREAT horses! Taking into consideration the hard clay tracks back in the 1920's and the heavier steel shoes, and no mechanical starting gates. compared to the soft loamy tracks and light aluminum shoes of our racehorses today, many including myself feel Man O' War is the greatest horse of all time. He was a beast, a freak of nature. Winning one race against rival Hoodwink by over 100 lengths in the Lawrence Realization in 2:40.8, I doubt that record will ever be beaten! Too long and tough of a race and that distance is NOT run in our current day races. Well, in my opinion, he is the greatest horse of all time, and VERY many agree with me after looking at the statistics. His race against John P Grier in the Dwyer was Man O' War's greatest race! Also, his prodigy was MUCH more successful as well both in their careers as racers and also later as Stallions than Secretariat's prodigy. However, in MY generation, watching Secretariat run and win the Triple Crown, which Man O' War never did, ( His owner Sam Riddle, thought it was too early to run a horse with still growing soft bones in the Kentucky Derby in early May.) A very well thought out decision for a very big and still developing horse. ( More Owners/Trainers today should take this into consideration) deprived him of his Triple Crown chance. Well watching Secretariat brought goosebumps to any of us horse racing fans in our generation! He did NOT disappoint us either, set records that still stand and gave us all the thrill of a lifetime in the 1973 Belmont Stakes! Both GREAT horses, just from different generations. If a match race today in fantasy land could be held with the two contenders..... My bet would be on the "Original Big Red" (De Mostest Hoss) In groom Will Harbut's description of him. That is just MY opinion, but I have the UTMOST respect for both beautiful stallions! Here is the BOTTOM line folks.... Secretariat's stride was measured at 24.3 feet. Man O' War's stride was measured at 29 feet! When a horse strides 5 times a second, there is your ultimate answer!

[@dennisflynn5045]

All the horses over time and in the past that come and go deserve credit for the best they give. Best and the least.

[@balletcat]

beautifully done .... i agree with all ..... and the beautiful footage of precious Ruffian