Horse of the World

[Calzone Lord]

Obviously earning such a title has never been a goal for a race horse in an extremely long time.

That title was the goal for Reigh Count -- owned by John Hertz (Hertz-rent-a-car)

Reigh Count won 7 of 8 starts at age 3 in 1928 and dominated the Kentucky Derby as the favorite. He defeated elders later in the year in races like the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Saratoga Cup.

He was sent to Europe as a 4-year-old to "win the title of Horse of the World" and managed just one win in five starts on the Turf. However, he did win the Coronation Cup and finish 2nd in the Ascot Gold Cup in those five starts -- both races are still Euro Group 1 races to this day.

How many horses have we seen who could have possibly earned such a title if campaigned to do so?

Sakhee obviously was the type of performer who could have done it -- but he was fragile.

Swain was as tough and consistent as horses come -- he was voted champion older horse in England at age 5 and 6 and champion older horse in Ireland at age 6 -- and in his lone two career dirt starts he was beaten a dirty nose by good Hall of Famer Silver Charm in the Dubai World Cup and should have won over the deepest BC Classic field ever if not for a bizarre ride from Dettori.

Giant's Causeway, Dubai Millennium, and Singspeil are the only three other Euro's I can think of who showed that they had the ability to do it.

Recently, our best dirt horses rarely get a shot on turf -- and it seems doubtful any of them could just show up in Europe and establish themselves as a top grass horse.