"fan favorite all-time Thoroughbreds bracket challenge"

[Calzone Lord]

Horses who haven't raced in almost 100 years like Man O' War and Exterminator don't have "fans" -- scarecy anyone still alive has even witnessed them.

And if they are included, where do you draw the line?

Salvator ("the horse of the century") from the 1890's -- he had negro folk songs about him, one of the great writers in the DRF used his name as a pen name, he always attracted huge crowds.

Old Rosebud "the courages cripple" was at least as popular with racing fans than any horse from his time period (Man O' War and Exterminator included) Equipoise was also very popular.