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Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind
Yeah, that rivalry is almost hard to believe when you think about today's racing. While they met in a couple early season races ( Alydar debuting in the Youthful, and being favored, with Affirmed winning and then turning the tables in the Young American ), it wasn't until later that the rivalry became intense. After Alydar won the Sapling, I believe, and Affirmed won a stake at Hollywood and the Sanford in Saratoga they hooked up for four knock 'em dead battles in just two months. The Hopeful was the only one I saw in person but I can still remember them all. Then, to carry it into the TC races the way they did was just incredible.
The incredible thing is that those two horses ( and Alydar was an awesome animal that should never be forgotten in Affirmed's wake ) is they were sandwiched between Seattle Slew and Spectacular Bid.
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Bernadini couldn't have warmed up Holy Bull for that matter, those 47:4 and 48 half miles would only have had him about 15 lengths behind the big grey Bull.
One of my earliest remembrances was watching Affirmed and Alydar in the belmont with my grandfather and father. I was 9 years old, and only understood that it was a famous race, etc. But I stil remember my grandfather wanting Alydar to win and just saying the other horse is better after they hit the line. I wasn't a fan yet though and I didn't truly understand or appreciate what I was seeing.