Modern horse racing has a rich history full of legendary performances as well as stunning upsets, making it one of the most thrilling spectator sports in the world. The unpredictable nature of horse racing has given rise to some truly amazing moments, and these 5 stand out as among the most unforgettable events on racing’s gilded track, within the past century.
Three the Hard Way
After matching up in two classic confrontations on the first two legs of the Triple Crown, top thoroughbreds Affirmed and Alydar found themselves in a familiar position heading down the homestretch at the Belmont Stakes. Alydar finally seemed to get the upper hand coming around the last turns to deny Affirmed the 11th of 12 Triple Crown seasons in the history of the sport, but a last minute effort from 18-year old jockey Steve Cauthen scored his horse the win and a spot in history with one of the closest finishes ever to take place at Belmont.
Stellar Secretariat
Arguably the most celebrated champion in horse racing, Secretariat gained global acclaim for his unmatched speed and power. In fact, the horse made an unmistakable exhibition of his quality during his win at the Belmont Stakes of 1973, where an astounding 31-length victory yielded a course record time and required two full furlongs to quell the explosive momentum afterward. Onlookers were so impressed by the exceptional victory that over 5,000 winning tickets from the race were never turned in, and instead kept as mementos.
From the Ashes
Another singular event to take place at the volatile Grand National event involves longshot horse Foinavon and his improbable 1967 win. The horse, who carried 100/1 odds into the race along with his jockey, took his expected position at the rear of the pack and set a course for a last place performance.
However, the jockey of highly favored Popham Down was thrown from the horse mid-race, causing chaos at the first fence and ensnaring more than 20 horses. John Buckingham, the alert jockey of Foinavon, saw his opportunity, using the horse’s significant deficit to his advantage as he steered the horse around the quagmire and made his unprecedented run for the winner’s circle.
American Dreams
Far from becoming the first winner of the American Triple Crown in nearly 40 years, American Pharaoh became the first horse to win the “Grand Slam” of American horse racing. Making the achievement especially noteworthy, American Pharoah sealed the accolade in spectacular fashion by winning the Breeder’s Cup classic event by a track record 6 ½ lengths.
Red Rum Reversal
The Grand National was the backdrop for yet another twist of fate when Red Rum, a three-time winner of the event, made what was perhaps his most impressive conquest. The horse’s first championship came in 1973, when he was matched up against fellow phenom, thoroughbred Crisp, in what turned out to be a race for the ages.
Crisp was cruising to an apparent victory as he moved past the penultimate fence, riding a 20 length lead, but inexplicably began to pull up as the finish line approached. It was at this point that Red Rum showcased the stamina that has etched his name into history books, quickly erasing the ostensibly insurmountable lead and going on to win by three-quarters of a length.
Now that we’ve run you through some of the Top Moments in Horse Racing, if you are an avid horse race betting fan, be sure to check out Connecticut’s leading horse race betting agent MyWinners. Who knows if you’re confident about your bets, you may just strike it lucky, stay tuned to MyWinners and remain abreast of all horse race betting news, events and race track information.