Best horses of the 1980's by division

[Revidere]

Originally Posted by keithting

You definitely seem to have done your homework on this list - though I can't argue with your list of older male horses - I dislike the fact that Winter's Tale or Fit to Fight did not make it. Though there speed figures might not be as high, I held them in that high a regard.

Also, I always thought that Groovy was slightly over-rated...

I'd take Shimatoree or Cure the Blues in a match race at 6 furlongs any day of the week.

Good stuff though....

At 6 furlongs I would take Jones Time Machine.

At 7 furlongs A Phenomenon

[Cannon Shell]

While the 4 turf fillies all obviously belong, April Run is a forgotten filly who was tremendous in her US starts. Her connections almost never bothered to run against fillies.

Also forgotten is the 3 yo campaign of filly De La Rose who lost at least twice because of poor rides. After a sluggish start of the season on the dirt in FL, she just missed to her stable mate in the KY Oaks. Once switched to the turf she won an alw over boys easily, the Saranac(G2) (then run at Belmont) over boys by 6, the Long Branch (gr3)(then run on turf)by 8, followed by a debacle in the CCA, then a bad ride 2nd against colts in the Lexington (gr2). She then beat older mares in the Diana, ran 2nd in the Flower Bowl with another bad ride, won an overnight stakes, the Athenia(gr3) easily, the EP Taylor over older mares handily and finished up the season with a win in the Hollywood derby(Gr1) over colts again.

Sunshine Forever's three year old season was great but he gets forgotten because he stunk as a 4 yo and as a sire.
As a 3 yo he:
Broke his maiden on April 25th
won an allowance race
ran 2nd in the Saranac (Gr2) to Posen with a troubled trip
won another allowance race
Won the Hill Prince (Gr 3)by 6
Won the Lexington (gr2)
Ran 2nd to olders in the Sword Dancer (gr1)
Ran 3rd in the AP million (gr1) (at Woodbine)
Won the Man O War (gr1) over olders (gr1)
Won the Turf Classic (gr1) over olders by 4
Won the DC International over olders (gr1)
Ran 2nd beaten less than a length by Great Communicator in the BC Turf.