The best race you have witnessed
 

What is the best race you have ever witnessed from the track. No races you have just watched from the comfort of your home, but when you have actually been there.

Mine would have to be one of these two:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DWGiJ8njuWQ - Montjeu winning the King George back in 2000. For anyone who has never seen this, he is breathtaking.

Or this...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oe3ipnDu7DY - The atmosphere at Santa Anita (especially when he won) was nothing i have ever witnessed before.

Most stunning: Sarava winning the 2002 Belmont

Exciting: Left Bank..winning the Whitney

I had never seen that Montjeu race -- wow, so effortless. Thanks for sharing that.

I couldn't believe how easily he won. He was hardly blowing after that race, you could be forgiven for thinking he had just beaten a bunch of claimers, but to go past Fantastic Light and Daliapour as if they were standing still was just unbelievable.

A mare named All Along, trained by Bianconne, about 25 years ago. I think it was the Big A, maybe Belmont. Incredibly impressive and beat the boys if I remember. I think it was before the Big A had an inner dirt and had two turf courses.

paint that canoe~~~~ 4 weeks prior ateamstupid...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtq652Uxlqc

then the bc off the hook great time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7TMXjyb6io

and this shut everyone up..jaws on ground..doh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qEsD...elated&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P52NFHzAtGw
The 2007 NZ Stakes.

It had been a really disappointing Cup Week for me, with an average Aussie horse coming over and making my favourite race of every year look really low-quality when he won the Derby, then there was a ridiculous Miami Herald-esque "silver device" controversy about that race, then the weather was disgusting on Cup Day.

This race on the last day of the week made up for all of that.

Given the enrgy in the crowd before and during the race, I would say that the '04 Belmont Stakes (Birdstone & Smarty Jones) was probably the most exciting one I've seen in person.

Affirmed/Alydar @ KY. Derby - 1st and only time i've been @ Churchill Downs.
I was a kid and My dad took me saying the derby was the top race to watch.

That race got me hooked on horse racing and i've been a fan ever since:D :D

For me, the best race I've ever seen was also one that I saw live -- the 2002 Arlington Million. Forbidden Apple, Falcon Flight, Paolini, Beat Hollow -- amazing race.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uA7JB_V-8Bc

dixie doodle's 62 lifetime start!

Both times I saw Ghostzapper run live ('06 Woodward, '07 Met).

Premium Tap and Corinthian won those races I think.

Now there's an honest to goodness race horse if I ever saw one!

Damn you, you know what I meant. I don't know what I was thinking.

'04 Woodward, '05 Met.

He's the Best! The Whitney

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XiQnVrzj0c

Barbaro's Derby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6PacUirYuQ

and then there was HER!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URl70...elated&search=

Funny Cide winnng the JCGC.
Thought he was beat and came
back like the "Gutsy Gelding"
that he is. I am going to miss
him racing, love him so much.

#1 Afleet Alex Preakness :D
#2 Curlin Preakness

'78 Marlboro. Seattle Slew vs Affirmed. First time two TC winners met. Won't happen again.

The Test Stakes with You and Carson Hallow would certainly be the best I've seen in person.

Point Given's Travers though I would have to say it was more the build up in the saddling area.

Tiznow wins it for America!

In person - Hidden Lake win in the Go for Wand over her stablemate Flat Fleet Feet...she had lots of guts in that victory.

Live, Smarty Jones in the Arkansas Derby, he was awesome that day. Bellamy Road just blew me away in the Wood. Between those two.

whatever happened to good ol dixie doodle?

was he one of those premature retirements that people always are talking about? or was he run and run until he could run no more?

That Montjeu King George is simply unbelievable beating the likes of Fantastic Light like that. Ive many races but one of the best races I witnessed was High Chap beating Falbrav Islington et al at Leoparstown- cracking race!

I don't get to many great races live but the last MassCap with Funny Cide, Evening Attire and Offlee Wild in a near blanket finish was my best live race.

http://www.jockeysite.com/jphotos/fotos/masscap_lt.jpg

Someone said it already, but Tiznow and Sakhee in the '01 Classic was something else.

That day was the first time I saw live racing. Good race.

#1 would have to be the 1987 Haskell with Bet Twice holding off the oncoming Alysheba with Lost Code another half length back. In winning Bet Twice equaled the Stakes Record of 1:47.

#2 would have to be Rags to Riches winning the Belmont this year. That was an awesome stretch run by both her and Curlin.

#3 would have to be the thrilling stretch duel between Invasor and Sun King in the 2006 Whitney at Saratoga.

#4 2004 Belmont with Smarty Jones & Birdstone. When they hit the top of the Strecth I though I was going to see history being made. Moments later I was kicking my self for not betting on Birdstone. After all "he finished 8th not 18th in the derby."

This year's Belmont. Rags to Riches

I guess the best in terms of big performances combined with an exciting finish that I've seen live would have to be the Saint Liam/Commentator Whitney, the Invasor/Sun King Whitney, and the Preakness and Belmont from this year.

Seattle Slew vs. Affirmed - The atmosphere was electric, like it was the 7th game of the World Series.

Seattle Slew vs. Exceller when Slew came again to just miss.

Arazi taking the Breeder's Cup Juvenile. His move was breathtaking even if it came against a moderate group and he was only a 2YO.

Go for Wand in the Test.

Light Light vs. Meadow Star when Hammer made a massive wager on LL in the last few seconds and lost a thrilling stretch drive to MS.

There were plenty of other great ones I saw live, but these are the first I thought of.

I saw this race live also, the excitement as Smarty Jones took the lead and was still in front as they turned for home was unbelievable, 120,000 people screaming. When Birdstone passed him in the final 70 yards, you could hear a pin drop. Everyone around was in stark disbelief.

Of those that I've seen live, the ones that I remember most include the following top 10. Those that didn't have a photo finish certainly had a "wow" factor:

1987 Whitney (Java Gold)

1991 Breeders Cup Juvenile (Arazi)

1994 Travers (Holy Bull/"... but there's cause for Concern...")

1996 Test (Capote Belle)

1997 Belmont (Touch Gold)

1998 Belmont (Victory Gallop nails Real Quiet)

1999 Breeders Cup Turf (Daylami)

2004 Belmont (Birdstone beats Smarty Jones - without question the most electric atmosphere I've ever experienced at the racetrack)

2004 Vanderbilt (Speightstown)

4th race at Saratoga on September 2, 2004 (our filly Wateree wins at Saratoga).

you've witnessed MANY very good races.

Lucky you.


Seems to me you get much better queality finishes over in the states, especially of your big races. Over here we usually get one horse so much better than the rest. For good finishes, we are better off watching a maiden claimer.

1977 Grand National
Red Rum winning his 3rd Grand National. I went with my Grandpa, god rest his soul. He used to sneak me into the bookies with him, every Saturday afternoon.
:)

It was awesome. We were in the "Javier, don't fall off" mode!