Man O' War

From AlexBrownRacing

Wikipedia page The FIRST and original "BIG RED" (The great Secretariat was also nicknamed "Big Red")

Man O'War pedigree is considered by many to be the greatest US thoroughbred racehorse of all time. During his career just after World War I, he won 20 of 21 races. Man O' War was owned and bred by August Belmont, Jr. (1851-1924), whose father's accomplishments were recognized through the naming of the Belmont Stakes. However, Belmont Jr. joined the United States Army at age 65 to serve in France during World War I. While overseas, his wife named the new foal "Man o' War" in honor of her husband.

At Saratoga yearling sale in 1918, Man O' War was sold to Samuel D. Riddle for $5,000.

In the early 1900s, there were no starting gates. Jockeys circled around but then gathered their horses in a line behind a flimsy piece of webbing, known as the barrier and were sent away when it was raised. In Man O' War's only loss, the Sanford Memorial Stakes, he still was circling with his back to the starting line when the barrier was raised. Despite this, he still came close to winning, losing by a half-length as he charged across the finish line in second. The horse that won was Upset, whose name is sometimes thought to have popularized a new phrase in sports - "upset" - meaning an upstart beating the favorite.

In 1920, Man O'War won the Preakness and the Belmont (with 20 lengths), but was not entered in the Kentucky Derby because his owner did not like racing in Kentucky and believed it was too early in the year for a young horse to go a mile and a quarter. The previous year, Sir Barton had won the first-ever U.S. Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, though it was not yet called that at the time...

Man O'War at age 3 Man o' War in the 1920 Stuyvesant Handicap

As the racing season wound down, no one wanted to race his horse against the seemingly invincible Man O' War, who had easily won every race he entered. At the Lawrence Realization Stakes, no other horse was willing to go up against him until finally a horse named Hoodwink was persuaded to enter. Man O' War won by an astonishing margin in excess of 100 lengths while setting a new world record of 2:40 4/5 for a mile and five-eighths. He lowered the record by 6 full seconds! His record still stands today at the track.

The final start of Man O' War's illustrious career came in Windsor, Ontario, Canada in the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup, a race that for the first time was filmed in its entirety. For this 1¼ mile match race, Man O' War was up against the great Sir Barton but easily drew away in the final quarter-mile to defeat the Triple Crown champion by 7 lengths.

As a sire, Man O' War was impressive as well; producing more than 64 stakes winners and 200 various champions. Among the most known offsprings are American Flag, Crusader, Battleship, War Admiral[1] (1937 Triple Crown winner). Man O'War's son War Relic was his most successful sire and another of his offsprings, Hard Tack, sired Seabiscuit.

Man O' War died in 1947 at the age of 30 of an apparent heart attack only one month after his longtime groom, Will Harbut. He was originally interred at Faraway Farm[2] [3], but in the early 1970s his remains were moved to a new burial site at the Kentucky Horse Park[4]

Video on youtube!!! Real footage!

More youtube of Man O'War

Man o' War - Classic Video Footage Bloodhorse archives collection

Man O'War's Funeral Including Radio Broadcast!

Man O'War Weanling Man O'War age 24 Man O'War age 30

Man O' War was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957. In the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Man O' War was ranked No. 1.

Major Racing Wins

Tremont Stakes (1919), Sanford Stakes (1919), Hopeful Stakes (1919), Futurity Stakes (1919), Youthful Stakes (1919), Preakness Stakes (1920), Belmont Stakes (1920), Travers Stakes (1920), Jockey Club Gold Cup (1920), Lawrence Realization Stakes (1920), Withers Stakes (1920), Potomac Handicap (1920), Dwyer Stakes (1920),

Racing Awards

United States Horse of the Year (1920)

Leading sire in North America (1926)

Honours

U.S. Racing Hall of Fame (1957)

#1 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century

Life-size statue at Kentucky Horse Park

Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park

Man o' War Boulevard in Lexington, Kentucky

Man O War Road in Riddlewood, Pennsylvania

GREATEST OF THE GREAT Icon of horse racing died 60 years ago this month Article in the Lexington Herald-Leader 11/23/07

The following poem is by Joseph Alvie Estes, well- known editor of The Blood Horse, was first published in that magazine October 23, 1937. It is entitled,

"Big Red."

The days are long at Belmont.

Speed they never learn.

And it's many a day since Man o' War

Has looped the upper turn.

The guineas stopped their rubbing,

The rider dropped his tack

When the word went round that Man o' War

Was coming on the track.

The crowd was hoarse with cheering

At ancient Pimlico

The day he won the Preakness-

But that was long ago.

The dust is deep at Windsor,

The good old days are gone.

And many a horse is forgotten,

But they still remember one.

For he was a fiery phantom

To that multitudinous throng-

Would you wait for another one like him?

Be patient: years are long.

For here was a horse among horses,

Cast in a Titan's mold,

And the slant October sunlight

Gilded the living gold.

He was marked with the god's own giving

And winged in every part;

The look of eagles was in his eye

And Hastings' wrath in his heart.

Young Equipoise had power

To rouse the crowded stand,

And there was magic in the name

Of Greentree's Twenty Grand.

And Sarazen has sprinted,

And Gallant Fox has stayed,

And Discovery has glittered

In the wake of Cavalcade.

We watch the heroes parading,

We wait, and our eyes are dim,

But we never discover another

Like him.

A foal is born at midnight

And in the frosty morn

The horseman eyes him fondly

And a secret hope is born.

But breathe it not, nor whisper,

For fear of a neighbor's scorn:

He's a chestnut colt, and he's got a star-

He may be another Man o' War.

Nay, say it aloud--be shameless.

Dream and hope and yearn,

For there's never a man among you

But waits for his return.