Does a race horse have rivals???

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I'm not a believer that they know they are running against a certain rival and try harder or less based on that fact.

You are probably right about this......but I have to make one sentimental exception to this logical rule.
1989 - Sunday Silence and Easy Goer. Watch the '89 Preakness again. After that race.......I think those two horses knew each other pretty well, and were competing against EACH OTHER the next two times they met.
Now that may not be true in fact. But I was 12 years old at that time and those two (particularly my all-time favorite Sunday Silence) brought me into being a fan of the sport. I like to believe they were truly battling each other in those 4 spectacular races they gave us that year.
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