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DAN FARLEY |
Weblog: From Kentucky to the World Wide Web
Simply the best - and my favourite as well
LAST time I nominated the five best horses I have seen. Now it's time for my own personal favourites, which may not necessarily mean the same thing.
Except that in this instance it does, and the number one is the same horse. Who else?
The greatest single factor in determining just who those favourites are is a simple one - just who did you most look forward to seeing run.
Other factors are at work, too, including heart, consistency and a plain old will to win. They all, of course, play a part in any sort of listing one might compile - and I found it hard to confine myself to just five, so we've gotan extensive ‘bubbling under' category as well.
My top five personal favourite horses
1. Secretariat
You just never knew when the next great performance was going to come along.
It is a real shame that family tax considerations made it necessary to retire him at the end of his three-year-old season. My, what a four-year-old he would have made. It would have taken human error, poor racing luck or ridiculous weight assignments to defeat him.
My favourite memories of the big chestnut are of him breaking into a jog coming out of the post parade, those moments when he literally floated effortlessly over the track. Poetry in motion, as they say.
2. Spectacular Bid
Some consider him to have been superior to Secretariat, and I believe it is indeed a thin line between them. His connections could stir a variety of emotions, but his quality was never in doubt.
3. Ruffian
She's the best filly I ever saw, one blessed with incredible speed, heart and that aforementioned will to win.
Sadly, she proved once again that match races prove nothing, all those qualities combining to tragically end her life.
4. John Henry
This tough old bugger always gave it his best long beyond the point when most other experienced runners have lost the will to do so.
5. Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta
Though the former clearly is not whatshe was a year ago, I can't separate them in my heart and don't wish to. I just want to thank them both for what they have done for US racing.
Bubbling under:
Dark Mirage
She weighed in at only 750 pounds, but she was tough as nails and honest as the day is long. She won 12 of her 27 starts including the 1968 Kentucky Oaks and what was then called the New York Filly Triple Crown - the Acorn and Mother Goose Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks - by a combined 28 lengths.
Dahlia
I have never since seen a finishing kick from any other filly or mare like she had but sadlyI saw her race just once in the flesh, in the 1974 Washington DC International at Laurel when she was a fast-closing third as the 3-5 favourite under Lester Piggott. She had extraordinary determination and toughness.
Swing Rex
In the 1960s this old boy, ridden regularly by Angel Cordero, specialised in what we in the US call starter handicaps for claimers. He won so often that he ended up carrying 10st 9lb in those races, a burden unheard of here. Always had to have a bet on this one.
Sarita and Sarene Queen
These two consistent fillies, both of allowance or minor stakesquality, were contemporaries of Swing Rex. I've never forgotten them after all this time and could never pass up a chance to wager on them.
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