1973 Preakness (UPDATE: Maryland accepts 1:53.0)

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Man O' War was blown way out of proportion.

He was not nearly as fast as people might think. Old Rosebud looked a little faster as a 2yo and Old Rosebud's Kentucky Derby was much, much faster than any Man O' War race except his Belmont.

Man O' War was by far and away the least tested of all the famous horses. His winning times in the Preakness and Travers were in fact, relatively weak compared to other races on the card. His competition he beat was brutally bad.

It's not MOW's fault that he was born into that crop at a time when horse racing was falling apart here because of diminishing purses and gambling outlawed in some key places -- but his connections campaigned him in an extremely unsportsmanlike fashion and most of his wins proved absolutely nothing.

it seems to me that the legends book on MOW said his first 6f time (in the travers) was the fastest internal time with the horse setting it still managing to win. it was something to that effect...some of his records stood for decades. he probably belongs somewhere between the deity he's taken to be, and the horse you take him to be. i don't think a horse would remain so highly thought of decades after racing if he was as over-rated as you suggest.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Danzig

it seems to me that the legends book on MOW said his first 6f time (in the travers) was the fastest internal time with the horse setting it still managing to win. it was something to that effect...some of his records stood for decades. he probably belongs somewhere between the deity he's taken to be, and the horse you take him to be. i don't think a horse would remain so highly thought of decades after racing if he was as over-rated as you suggest.

Regarding his Travers win ... Upset was 2nd beaten 2.5 lengths. That means Upset ran a figure 4 points less than Man O' War's.




Take a look at Upset's past performances and tell me if he looks like a fast horse?


The only other route race on that card was a selling race won by a filly with dismal form (race went 27 points slower than MoW's) and that filly (Marion Hollins) came back and finished a distant 6th in her next two starts, both in claimers.

Man O' War: 108
Upset: 104
Marion Hollins (cheap claiming filly) 81