RBI Snake

NORTHERN DANCER
It took him exactly two minutes to become a national hero in Canada. That was how long it took the stocky bay c**t, ridden by Bill Hartack, to run the mile and one-quarter distance of the Kentucky Derby May 2, 1964, defeating Hill Rise by a neck. Not only was it one of the most thrilling stretch runs in Derby history at Louisville’s Churchill Downs, it was also the fastest time in which the most famous horse race in the United States had been run, a record that was later surpassed by Secretariat in 1973.

November 1, 1947: Racing lost it's brightest star, as a heart attack finally felled the legendary Man o' War at the age of 30.The mighty and majestic chestnut lay in state for three days at Faraway Farm, where he had stood his entire career at stud. A specially sized casket, lined with his racing colors of black and gold, was created for him. He was embalmed and buried whole, a rare honor for a racehorse. His funeral was broadcast over the radio, and a nation mourned his passing. Man o' War was initially buried in a corner of his old paddock at Faraway, but he was later moved to the Kentucky Horse Park.

Years later, turf writer Steven Crist summed it up in an ESPN documentary: You're not supposed to score 100 points in a basketball game (like Wilt Chamberlain), you're not supposed to win the Masters by 12 strokes (Tiger Woods) and you're not supposed to win the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths. It's like God gave him wings and said Go!
Secretariat's stride at the finish was so powerful that it took jockey Ron Turcotte nearly two furlongs to pull him up. In fact, after Secretariat galloped out for 1/8 mile after the race his time for 1 and 5/8 miles including the cool down is alleged to be 2 minutes 37.6 seconds, which would have broken a world record set by the great Swaps in 1956 by three lengths. At the mile and 3/8 point, Secretariat had run faster than Man o' War's record from when the Belmont was run at that length. Secretariat's winning margin of 31 lengths in the long and grueling Belmont Stakes is remembered as one of the most dramatic events in thoroughbred racing history. TIME Magazine, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated] featured.
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Northern Dancer before the 1964 Preakness

Ron Turcotte brings Secretariat back to scale after their devastating 31 length win in the 1973 Belmont Stakes.
Having previously won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Secretariat’s Belmont Stakes win gave him the third leg of the elusive American ‘Triple Crown’ making him only the ninth horse to complete the treble. In the 51 years since Secretariat’s Triple Crown success in 1973, four more horses have gone on to complete the Slam.
Secretariat’s win in the Kentucky Derby that year gave Ron Turcotte back-to-back wins in the Classic, having piloted Secretariat’s Meadow stable-mate, Riva Ridge, to victory the previous year.
Five years after riding Secretariat to the greatest victory ever seen on an American racetrack, tragedy struck Ron Turcotte when he fell from his mount, Flag Of Leyte Gulf, on the way to the barriers at Belmont Park, ending his career and leaving him a paraplegic.
Ron Turcotte went on to become a strong ambassador and tireless fund-raiser for many disabled organisations, including the one closest to his heart, The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
In an interview with disability support group, 4inspiration in 2018, Turcotte spoke of his career and life-changing accident offering this observation.
“Being a jockey is a very dangerous profession, but that’s something that never entered our minds. If we thought about how dangerous it was, then we probably wouldn’t do it – but you’re young, you’re fearless.

Photo: Associated Press

The unforgettable Ruffian...

5-time Horse of the Year Kelso

CALIFORNIA CHROME ❤️

Barbaro and trainer Michael Matz walk at Fair Hill Training Center after the Kentucky Derby, 2006.

ZENYATTA THE QUEEN
Few 21st-century racehorses have stirred the imagination more than the great Zenyatta. A huge, nearly black mare, she combined extraordinary talent with dramatic flair and an appealing personality to such an extent that many experienced observers have judged her the equal or even the superior of the great Ruffian. Unbeaten through 19 starts, she gained even greater stature in her sole defeat, just failing to catch American champion older male Blame after seeming hopelessly beaten in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1). As a broodmare, she continues to be followed by thousands of fans.