Unforgettable..... best vs favorite
 

Out of all the races you've seen in person, online or on tv, if you could only pick one..... that's ONE, un, uno, одно, ein, ένας (are we clear? :D ), which would you say was your personal favorite? Not the best race, mind you..... just the one that was the most special to you for whatever reason.....

I know it's a hard question, so just tell me the first that comes to mind and why. :)

Easy for me: AP Indy's BC Classic win. I'm still not over his scratching on the eve of the Derby; he might have won the TC. He won the Classic under a hand ride......beautiful.

Honorable mention: Tempera's BC because she was Indy's first BC winner and, given that she died next year, it's bittersweet. Thunder Gulch's Derby win -my first "win" by a horse that I actually rooted for.

Easiest question anyone could ask me. Personal Ensign's BC win in 1988 at CD when she ran down Winning Colors to retire undefeated.
Shes my favorite horse of all time.

well, since oracle picked that one....

genuine risks derby. no doubt, that was what truly hooked me! slew was just ahead of my time, altho i vaguely remember all the slew crew brouhaha...and i liked alydar over affirmed. the bids trainer put me off him, and i liked general assembly....seems i was suffering from seconditis those couple years.

but then there she was, a beautiful blaze-faced fiery chestnut filly, but she was tough as the boys. my first derby winner. she reminded me of....well, me! a tomboy!! lol i was 13, and wanted so badly to kick angel corderos butt after the preakness that year!!:D

Easy one for me. Sept 1973, Marlboro Cup, Belmont Park. It was my first time to attend live races. A pretty darn good 3yo won the race against a field of older champions in world record time. The winner was famous, a big red horse as I recall, but I can't remember the colt's name right now. :D

First one that came to my mind (with apologies to Rakti) was Powerscourt winning the Arlington Million..... for the SECOND time.

Talk about redemption.....

Breathtaking and lovely to watch, and thank God he had a proper jockey. :D

arazi sluicing thru the field in the BC juvi. un bloody believable!!!

Personal Ensign's race in the BC Distaff still gives me chills - unfortunately, I have it on a lousy tape and the quality is poor........

My also wish I could have picked Gulch's win in the BC Sprint. The horse was as game and classy as they come, and he always ran well even at distances beyond his capabilities. He deserved to win a race like the Sprint -although, winning back to back Met Miles is a real accomplishment. He's an underrated champion.

Tiznow in the BCC at BELMONT!

2005 VA Derby...first time I ever laid eyes on "the man" in person.

There are so many, but
My all time favorite race
that I watched on TV was
Funny Cide's Derby.
My favorite that I saw in
person was
Funny Cide in the JCGC

Affirmed
 

I missed Secretariat and Ruffian but started going to Belmont and saw Forego, Affirmed, Alydar, Seattle Slew, Spectacular Bid.

I was fortunate to be at Belmont on Belmont Stakes day when Affirmed beat Alydar....

My favorite...

Paul

Safely Kept in the 1989 B.C. sprint.She ran her heart out.:p I gave birth to my daughter 3 days before the '89 B.C. and my husband brought me a DRF instead of flowers. He knew me well!

Whitmore's Conn winning the Sword Dancer and sending me to my first National Handicapping Championship in 2003.

Paul

ok personal favorite and not the best.

For me it was War Emblem winning the derby. It had been more than two decades since i had picked a derby winner. I had watched him race at Sportsmans Park and was blown away. At the OTB on derby day i was the only one talking him up, no one thought he could wire the field. When he straightened for home with a full head of steam and scampered home by five, oh man. I was screaming the whole stretch. I'm sure i annoyed many around me. He got that derby monkey off my back.

I was proud of him especially due to his rather humble beginning at arlington.

My personal favorite was Sunday Silence over Easy Goer in the Preakness. Tactics, brilliance, and a thrilling stretch run.

Next best was Cigar's win in Dubai. I thought Soul of the Matter was going to go by him, but nooooooo.

--Dunbar

in person, alysheba winning the 1988 big cap ( his move on the backstretch )
was unbelievable.

17 october 2002,
punchestown.com
european breeders
fund maiden
since someone
already said
the million.
;)

yes the Euros were having a great day, brought over some nice horses too for the Classic, and not to say they are anti-American, but right after 9/11, and in NY, to so see Tiznow step up and "win one for America", just a great moment!

Thunder Gulch 1995 Ky Derby.

Runners up-
Silver Charm holding off Captain Bodgit
Silverbulletday's breathtaking move on the turn to sieze control of the Ky Oaks.

Gee, that wouldn't be Powerscourt's first win, would it? :cool:

Glad you made it over..... :)

(The JCGC always depresses me..... last race for The Cliff's Edge but yeah, nice that he won).

I was at the finish line on Whitney Day and that race with Invasor and Sun King battleing nose for nose was one of the most exciting races I have ever seen live.

Concern's Classic win. I can't remember who he beat or anything. Just remember that little Broad Brush son running his heart out and catching them. "always a bridesmaid and never the bride" Well he was the bride that day!

The Wood...Bellamy Road. New record. 'Nuf said.

1984 at Fairplex Park a little maiden allowance first time starter named "Paba". She was a 2yo that drew the 1 hole and went wire to wire with Kenny Black aboard. That was the first race horse we ever owned and our first starter. She payed $17.20

I love stories like that..... special memories that no one else would remember.

How exciting! :)

My most special race was the last race on the Turfway card on Sept 25th 1996. That was the last race I ever got to see with my father. He passed away the very next day.

daylami's BC turf in 1999...just the first one that popped into my head.

1978 Marlboro Cup: The elder statesman Seattle Slew put the young phenomenon Affirmed in his place.:cool: Fittingly, the old warrior Forego was paraded for the crowd before he officially retired that day.

barberos derby....never in doubt....

Got a best friend? Need one?:cool:

How touching..... thank you for sharing it.

I'm with ya BR.
I also liked Point Given's Travers, but I had to only pick one race...geesh.

Cigar's 1995 BCC. When I'm blue, I love to watch the little clip of it on the NTRA archives. Listening to the call always gives me chills.

I'm not being sarcastic..... were you there?

My personal fave was Sunday Silence and EASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSY Goer's derby. I wanted Easy Goer to win SO BAD, but it was an exciting race for sure.

He tied Riva Ridge's track record, I'm not disagreeing with you about how impressive he was, I think I just have a real soft spot when it comes to Riva Ridge...lol