Derby Trail Forums - Which horses were truly great?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

I'm already having this debate on another forum and it seems as good a time as any to bring it here. Which horses were truly great? For the purposes of this thread great means they were both brilliant and accomplished and the elite of the elite. Ghostzapper was brilliant but not accomplished enough to fit the definition. Cigar was accomplished but not brilliant enough to fit the definition. Here is who I believe fits the truly great label. Who would you remove or add?

Hindoo (1878)
Kingston (1884)
Salvator (1886)
Colin (1905)
Man o War (1917)
War Admiral (1934)
Count Fleet (1940)
Citation (1945)
Tom Fool (1949)
Native Dancer (1950)
Nashua (1952)
Swaps (1952)
Round Table (1954)
Kelso (1957)
Buckpasser (1963)
Dr Fager (1964)
Damascus (1964)
Secretriat (1970)
Forego (1970)
Seattle Slew (1974)
Affirmed (1975)
Spectacular Bid (1976)

I'm only talking North American based horses and not giving anyone a break cause they are a filly. If their biggest accomplishment is that they beat the boys and are great "for a filly" that doesn't count. All of these horses beat the boys every race and would be otherwordly if they were fillies.

Ok I'll weigh in,

I never understood that saying Cigar was not brilliant enough. He was brilliant enough from what I saw of him. Perhaps he didn't have that one electrifying performance that would elevate him to freakish great, however in an age of early retirements, fragile horses, horses that call 4-5 race campaigns tiring. He was one of the greatest from what I have seen.

But I perhaps undertstand your point, Candy Ride-Ghostzapper short term brilliance or Cigar longevity steadiness.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gander

Sunday Silence was the better horse. Gales is always bias when it comes to NY teams and horses. Hes a smart man but loses his rational side while pimping anything NY.

........thats why i love new yorkers......ateam fits that bill, what is very clear is that sunday silence and easy goer were 2 giants......they were the best rivalry in horse racing since 1978

Quote:

Originally Posted by alysheba4

........thats why i love new yorkers......ateam fits that bill, what is very clear is that sunday silence and easy goer were 2 giants......they were the best rivalry in horse racing since 1978

Yes indeed they were. I miss them.

I'm reading a book about the 10 Greatest Derbys.

Citation ran a 1 mile prep on TUESDAY before the Derby.

He ran 8 races in Feb of his 3 year old season

The stories of the great horses of 40 and 50 years ago make it not even debatable that racing and stock have changed.

I/L