What is (was) a race horse?

...................

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Dixie Porter

Answer: Carry Back

Breeding - Saggy/Joppy
Trainer - Jack Price
Racing: Ran and won everywhere against all comers. Beat Kelso @ his best, fair and square.
Retired: Sound as a bell of brass.

I like the quote Billy Turner made posted by Pup. "Good horses and good sires can't be bred, they just show up". Wish I said that first.............

Fred Hooper: "Good horses make good trainers" Damn right Hoop.........

I would like to see some opinions of who were REAL race horses.

Hopefully the Grand Master will help me out here.

BTW, there are TWO reasons and ONLY TWO reasons why today's thoroughbreds are a sad joke.

1) Inbreeding
2) Drugs

Skip Away was a real racehorse.

[timmgirvan]

How about John Henry?

[sham]

Bold Ruler - as racehorse and sire, maybe the best of them all

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by sham

Bold Ruler - as racehorse and sire, maybe the best of them all

naaaah.
northern dancer or slew. i think i'd give the nod to the former, he's world-wide!!

[sham]

Originally Posted by Danzig188

naaaah.
northern dancer or slew. i think i'd give the nod to the former, he's world-wide!!

Now there is a potential topic for debate. Which was the best racehorse...which was the best sire...which was best overall, between Bold Ruler, Northern Dancer, and Seattle Slew. Perhaps Native Dancer also belongs in the discussion. BTW, any of these four probably fit Dixie's criteria for real racehorses.

[paisjpq]

ruffian was a real racehorse. I don't know if she meets all of dixie's criteria but she was a real racehorse none the less.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by sham

Now there is a potential topic for debate. Which was the best racehorse...which was the best sire...which was best overall, between Bold Ruler, Northern Dancer, and Seattle Slew. Perhaps Native Dancer also belongs in the discussion. BTW, any of these four probably fit Dixie's criteria for real racehorses.

i'd say all around, i'd give it to northern dancer. when you look at what he accomplished (and the lack of mares in his book, much like bold ruler) it's just amazing. and then to have the top stakes producers all come from him--danzig with the north american record, danehill with the world record, and then sadler's wells....the diminutive stallion was a huge success--both on and off the track. and got short or long, dirt or turf...
altho seattle slew was successful (i give him the edge track-wise) i don't think he has made as big of a mark as the dancer.
i think native dancer fits as well, a fabulous runner, and raise a native has added to his legend.
bold ruler was outstanding as well...

but if you have to choose one for all around--i'd give it to the canadian sensation.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by paisjpq

ruffian was a real racehorse. I don't know if she meets all of dixie's criteria but she was a real racehorse none the less.

she was that!

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by paisjpq

ruffian was a real racehorse. I don't know if she meets all of dixie's criteria but she was a real racehorse none the less.

What are Dixies criteria? From what I can see its merely "ran and won everywhere against all comers".

Hard for me to put Smarty Jones in with that criteria considering how little he raced.

[Danzig]

actually smarty raced a fair amount for the amount of time he was actually active. he was just getting started...and of course he ran over several tracks, at differing distances each time.
shame they couldn't bring him back for another year.....
where are people like the wolfsons, the meyerhoffs and the turners these days????

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by Danzig188

actually smarty raced a fair amount for the amount of time he was actually active. he was just getting started...and of course he ran over several tracks, at differing distances each time.
shame they couldn't bring him back for another year.....
where are people like the wolfsons, the meyerhoffs and the turners these days????

true but when I see the term all-comers I take that to mean that the horse at least must have won in open company against the best of the day, and not only in age restricted races.

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

Spectacular Bid wasn't the greatest sire, but he was a real racehorse on the track.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by kentuckyrosesinmay

Spectacular Bid wasn't the greatest sire, but he was a real racehorse on the track.

Agree, great example I think of a real racehorse. Raced and won everywhere over several years against anyone and everyone.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by Dixie Porter

I KNEW this was gonna happen. Trying to start something that people on here can follow and UNDERSTAND is like "herding cats".

NOT ONE horse mentioned FITS the criteria. They were all bred in he purple, high priced or fashinably bred (again) had good trainers and in most cases were from top flight outfits.

Bold Ruler/Ruffian - I GIVE UP.

You could have been more clear about what your criteria were.

[Cajungator26]

I would say that Cicada was a real racehorse as well. I definitely wouldn't call her breeding fantastic, but she was a game filly...

[Cajungator26]

And let's not forget Exterminator.

[Linny]

Bid and Affirmed were professional race horses. Moderately bred they outran pedigree.
Skip Away was another, more recent example. John Henry fits as does ol' Spooky Mulder who has yet to win a graded stakes but he's a pro, no doubt. I think that Lava Man fits and his connections have been quite sporting, including a trip to Japan last fall.
The sad reality is that in today's world the only horses who stick around long enough to "take on all comers" are those of modest parentage for whom the breeding shed doesn't becon. Had Skippy been by A P Indy or Mr P or Danzig, he'd have had a much shorter career.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Linny

Bid and Affirmed were professional race horses. Moderately bred they outran pedigree.
Skip Away was another, more recent example. John Henry fits as does ol' Spooky Mulder who has yet to win a graded stakes but he's a pro, no doubt. I think that Lava Man fits and his connections have been quite sporting, including a trip to Japan last fall.
The sad reality is that in today's world the only horses who stick around long enough to "take on all comers" are those of modest parentage for whom the breeding shed doesn't becon. Had Skippy been by A P Indy or Mr P or Danzig, he'd have had a much shorter career.

That's very true... I agree completely.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by Dixie Porter

The Grand Master is back. I appoint him to take over. I'm not gonna play teacher around here. ONLY because it's Bethani I will make this one last comment.

Ruffian was bred in DEEP PURPLE (Reveiwer/Shennanigans by Native Dancer) owned by a Blueblood, and trained by an excellent horseman (Frank Whitely).

It wasn't exactly a surprise when she could run.

The above being said, she was the GREATEST horse to ever set foot on a race track. I saw every one of her races and saw her 100's of mornings.

I knew she didn't meet your modest pedigree requirement...But I still think she deserved mention.