Gun Bow - maybe the fastest ever

[keithting]

Great Stuff.

I don't know much about Gun Bow, but I'd be curious at how the career of Damascus compares. I believe that Damascus broke Gun Bow's track record at 1 1/4 miles at Aqueduct that stands to this day (1:59.20).

Particularly, of all races that I wish I could have seen in person, the 1967 Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct comes to mind. Damascus blew away Buckpasser and Dr. Fager to easily win by 10 lengths. I have read that the Damascus of 1967 was "a horse for the ages".

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by keithting

Great Stuff.

I don't know much about Gun Bow, but I'd be curious at how the career of Damascus compares.

I projected a 111 for Damascus in the Preakness. 116 for Dr. Fager in the Jersey Derby - both of those days I had a whole lot to work with.

I would bet those two both improved a good deal and lived in that mid to high 120 range as older horses. I just don't have enough to work with from 1968 to say that though.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

For Spectacular Bid - I have his 2yo top at 119 (LRL Futurity) - 3yo top at 127 (Malboro Cup) - he has five races at age 4 in a 127-to-132 range.

Len Friedman of the Ragozin Sheets: "In my opinion, for sheer ability and consistency over a period of time, Spectacular Bid is the best horse of all time. As a 4-year-old, he got down to a minus-3. Over a three-year period, nobody has done what he has."

[keithting]

Thanks. That really says alot about Gun Bow's racing career. Very impressive indeed.

[richard]

His pedigree...
http://www.pedigreequery.com/gun+bow
He was sent to Japan after 8 years at stud in USA, it states .
I find that Harlan's Holiday http://www.pedigreequery.com/harlans+holiday and
Menifee http://www.pedigreequery.com/menifee2 have Gun Bow in the first 5 gens of their pedigrees due to both having the same sire , Harlan . It appears that Menifee was sent to Japan also . So to cross Gun Bow HH is the only one left standing in the US .

How about some mares with Gun Bow ?

[hockey2315]

The great Pocus Hocus? But who cares? He wasn't a good sire.

[richard]

That mating would result in Gun Bow 4dx5s at the top of the line breeding chart.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

The '64 Woodward where Gun Bow beat Kelso by a nose under a hand ride:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E29sSeEKyNo

By this point - they felt Gun Bow ran better when you didn't use the whip on him - no idea if that's the case or not - but that jockey had a lot of guts to stick to a hand ride after Kelso passed him... and he somehow came back on and nipped him. This was a great race.

[richard]

It doesn't get any better than that .
It's hardly possible to re-create a similar Gun Bow cross today (Hyperion tail male /Man O War tail male) . You cannot find a Hyperion tail mail line stallion of any note.

Kinda like the Gun Bows, Swaps, Forlis, Forgoes and Chateaugay's of the world were somehow wiped out after the 70s.

[Merlinsky]

The first photo finish picture I ever saw was the shot of the Woodward finish line in a book about Kelso. Whenever I see them now, I think about Gun Bow's nose win.