Famous Horses in History

Just like any Hall of Fame, horse lovers can easily name off some of their favorite famous horses of all time. In this two-part blog post, we will be talking about some of the most famous horses of all time and why they changed the world of horse racing as we know it. 

Horse lovers through time, no matter their age or background, can name off some of the most famous and important horses of all time. Each one of them will have their own opinions on why they believe their top four or five took those places. But there are a few who always make the top ten list. These beautiful creatures helped change history, shaped the country when they were needed the most, and gave people something to celebrate in desperate times throughout history itself. Even if you've never ridden a horse, we are sure that you could name at least one famous horse. We are going to be celebrating some of these incredible animals and celebrate their legacies! 

1. Secretariat 

Secretariat​ was born in 1970 to owner Penny Tweedy at Meadow Stable. He was at first considered too pretty to race in the beginning, but Penny, following in her father's footsteps, saw something very special in this magnificent animal. Once he reached his full size, he weighed 1,200 pounds and stood at 16'2 hands. Along with his jockey, Ron Turncott, he changed everything when two years later he got his first taste of winning. This incredible horse won the North American Triple Crown in 1973, with the fasted rerecorded time in each of the three races that make up the Triple Crown. His debut race was when he was just two years old, finishing 4th in a maiden special weight race at the Aqueduct. Once he got a taste of placing, he won all other races that year. This made him the second horse ever to win these races at two years old. He went on to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths and won by 31 lengths ahead of any competitor at the Belmont Stakes. This was the fastest race any horse had ever had on this 1 1/2 mile race on dirt. His lifetime winnings amounted to $1,316,808. At the time of his death, his heart weighed 22 pounds. This is nearly twice the weight of a normal horse's heart. Many believed that this contributed to his speed and the fact that he was able to run so much harder and faster than his fellow horses. Many books and movies have been written and made about this amazing horse, have you seen or read any of them? 

1. Man O' War 

One of the many things Man O' War is remembered for is the fact that he rescued horse racing in the 1920's. He also helped the country through WWI. He gave hope in a dark and dreary time for our country. This incredible horse was born in 1917, and just three years later he won three stakes in a row in just 17 days with his jockey Johnny Loftus. He made his official debut at Belmont Park on June 6, 1919. He came from exquisite breading lines and was an incredibly strong and stubborn horse. His trainer, Louis Feustel, had it made it out for him. He was known for his violent disposition. He was very powerful, hard to ride, and hard to keep focused on the track. But with this incredible background, it might surprise you to know, that he was almost not known to history.

 His owner, Samuel Riddle, was a very private man, and almost decided not to race him. His career was cut short after just three incredible years, and his owner didn't allow him to race in longer events. This included the Kentucky Derby and the other famous races that if he would have won, made up what became known as the Triple Crown. Even still, he established three world records, two American records, and seven track records. He was the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes champion in 1920 and defeated the 1919 Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton, by 7 lengths in 1920. In his whole career, Man O' War lost just one race at the Sandford Memorial Stakes but still came in second. It was a story that haunted his whole career and the rest of his life. He was so popular during his race years, that everywhere he went he had an armed guard protecting him.

 After he retired into sire life, he produced over 64 stake winners and 200 champions. One of his offspring sired Seabiscuit, who we will be talking about in our next blog! His total record earnings when his career came to an end was $249,465. Which during a time of war, was pretty incredible. After his death, he laid in state for several days as thousands came to pay their respects to the incredible horse. He is now buried at the Kentucky Horse Park. 

Who is your favorite famous horse of all time? We still have a few more horses to introduce you to, but those will have to wait until next time! 

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