Keywords: Affirmed, Alydar, Breeders Cup, horse racing, Personal Ensign, Secretariat, Sham, Thoroughbred champions, Tiznow
Remembering Thoroughbred Champions
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January 24, 2009
Jan Hoadley
Remembering Thoroughbred Champions
Thoroughbred champions are remembered forever. Or are they? History shows that while many beloved names stand the test of time there are others that are not remembered for their accomplishments. Sometimes the also-rans are equally beloved for their attempts to stop an equine freight train that other horses could not. Such is the case of Sham as he tried desperately to end Secretariat's bid for the Triple Crown and in any other year would have been a likely Triple Crown winner himself. Affirmed and Alydar, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer are among the names that are linked forever.Sham never had a chance at a Horse of the Year title or 3 year old champion due to the overwhelming dominance of Secretariat. Secretariat and Sham in the Belmont Stakes raced head to head on the backside with Sham sticking a head in front and looming as an upset. Secretariat toyed with him pressing him over 10 lengths ahead of the nearest horse before Secretariat pulled off a move that the racing world has not ever seen before or since, leaving the entire field reeling and opening up with every stride, leaving Sham leg weary and trailing the field at the end of the race of his life. Secretariat romped that June day by 25 lengths and shattered the race record by 2 3/5 seconds after a gruelling campaign that shattered the Kentucky Derby record and unofficially set the Preakness record also, although a timer malfunction denied him that officially. Many peole considered Secretariat a failure at stud for not doing the impossible. He did not reproduce himself but it's hardly considered a failure to sire a Horse of the Year and he did that also, siring champion Lady's Secret. "The Iron Lady" was not big in stature but in the 1986 Breeders Cup Distaff she was in a strong field of fillies including Twightlight Ridge, Outstandingly and Fran's Valentine. Lady's Secret opened up on the backside by 5 1/2 length and as they approached the turn it seemed they would catch her but like her sire she was not done. She found another gear and opened it up twice putting distance between her and the rest of the field. At the time that placed her fifth on the all time money earning list and she was considered up with champions Precisionist for the big prize of Horse of the Year.It is impossible to think of past champions without arguably the greatest bargain in Thoroughbred history at $17,500. In the only meeting of Triple Crown winners he triumphed as well as one of the greatest sires in the world. He is t he only undefeated Triple Crown winner. He made the Sure-win popular on appearance. Seattle Slew was unchallenged and eased to his early three year old wins. He was discounted but despite being bumped hard and trapped behind horses at the start he made the other horses in the field forgettable. J.O. Tobin was an English champion but could not stay with Slew in the Preakness. In the Belmont he faced an uphill battle with an off track and an undefeated mount that swept the Crown. J.O.Tobin exacted revenge in California in Slew's last race as a three year old. Health issues interfered with his four year old season. After a head defeat by one of those forgotten horses Slew headed to the Marlboro Cup to take on that year's Triple Crown winner Affirmed. Slew and Affirmed drove to the wire overwhelmingly ahead of the rest of the field then defeated Exceller in the next race. Those three went on to the Jocky Gold Cup with much anticipation. During the race Affirmed's saddle slipped and his race was over but Exceller and Seattle Slew fought head to head, nose to nose and at the wire Exceller's nose was in front. Slew was later retired and sired champions Swale and Landaluce.Although those champions are still brought to mind others have been forgotten. Traditionally there are races named after our champions and one of these is the Roseben Handicap. Roseben is one of those horses who does not have a legacy to pass along. As a gelding he didn't have a breeding career and at the time of his birth in 1901 there was little reason to make note of him. Without a breeding career the gelding continued doing what he knew - racing. He a start in the Manhattan Handicap which he won by five lengths and today people brush that off. Pshaw...five lengths is nothing. Look at Arazi and Secretariat and Smarty Jones with larger margins. There is one big difference. Roseben did it carrying 42-49 pounds more than his rivals, something absolutely unheard of today. Can you imagine the reaction if, say, Curlin had carried over 160 pounds to his wins? Roseben set an American weight record *AND* set a world record to boot! A week and a half later he shattered the track record by a second and a half from the previous record and three seconds faster than the course record. This stood at Belmont until 1957 when the great Bold Ruler topped the mark. Coming back again at age six he was entered in a six furlong with fully 60 pounds more weight than his runner up and still came close to record time with daylight between him and second place. Roseben left a lifetime record of an incredible 111 starts with 52 wins, 25 second and 12 times third with $75,110 in earnings (remember this was 100 years ago!). After retirement he was said to be a saddle horse and humiliated more than one horse that dared challenge him on the New York bridle paths. The gallant gelding died in 1918 and is now holding a place befitting of a champion in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.Along with the champions that dominated there's others memorable for their gutsy determination to not give up under pressure and the stories around them. Cecilia Straub owned Tiznow and watched her "baby" Tiznow triumph in the Breeders Cup against her doctor's orders. Three days later she passed away from cancer and as if to pay tribute Tiznow returned the following year to become the first and only back to back Breeders Cup Classic winner. In 2001 America was reeling from the terrorist attack when Tiznow took on outstanding horses challenging from other countries such as Galileo and Sakhee. This was not a case of dominance with many capable of taking it but Tiznow blazed to the front with Sahkee pressing him desperately and at the wire it was "TIZNOW WINS IT FOR AMERICA!" as the call with a short head win.Another race, often called one of the greatest races of all time, was the 1988 Breeders Cup Distaff as Kentucky Derby winner and champion Winning Colors met a tough field of fillies like Epitome and a gritty undefeated filly making her last start and Personal Ensign was determined she would not have her record tarnished. Winning Colors appeared to be home free with a runaway but in the last 1/8th of a mile Personal Ensign made a determined and gutsy run to win by the narrowest of margins. Personal Ensign took on all comers her entire career and did it with every effort a winning one. Now pensioned in Kentucky this Thoroughbred queen earned the title of champion.It is moments like these that keep the quest for the next champion a tough task. It is what racing fans treasure and hopefully will never let be forgotten.
Posted by Jan Hoadley
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