Quote:
Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS
Here was Shoemaker's take on the five best horses he ever rode....
He had to leave off a lot of greats because he rode so many - but naming Gallant Man over Damascus is sheer lunacy.
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Feelings of guilt might have kept the memory of Gallant Man at the forefront of Shoemaker's mind. That's the colt that Shoemaker cost a Kentucky Derby victory for when he misjudged the finish line. I like how he called him a great 12f horse. Guess he wasn't ready to admit he was a good 10f horse, too.
Gallant Man was part of a three-way rivalry back in the day along with the speedy Bold Ruler and the stout Round Table. So his race record may be obscured a bit kind of like a modern day horse such as Formal Gold (who had to deal with Skip Away and Gentlemen among others).
Likewise, Damascus may be buried in Shoemaker's mind because of high profile losses in the Kentucky Derby and I think also the Charles H. Strub as heavy favorite. Plus, Damascus is ultimately often overshadowed by rival Dr. Fager.