Speed record holders: which horses are the fastest. The fastest horse A horse named frisky story

Born in 1933, an unprepossessing English thoroughbred. After a rocky start to his career, Seabiscuit became a champion and symbol of hope for many Americans during the Great Depression.

Seabiscuit failed to win in his first ten races. And after that they lost all interest in him. At the age of two, Sukhari jumped 35 times, of which he was first 5 times, and second 7 times.

Seabiscuit was sold to automobile entrepreneur Charles Howard for a record low price at $7500.

Sukhari is used to losing, but he new coach- Tom Smith, who almost resigned, was able to do the impossible - he put the horse on his feet, brought him out of the depressive state of a broken horse, thanks to a gentle individual approach. Tom Smith sensed extraordinary potential in the horse.

Seabiscuit's jockey was John Pollard, better known as Red Pollard. Pollard was not considered a good jockey, and his height, which exceeded the height standards for jockeys, did not contribute to his popularity at all. But Smith decided to give him a chance because he believed that he and Seabiscuit were similar and there was some kind of unusual connection between them.

However, after winning the first race at Santa Enita, Seabiscuit lost. Rosemont came first, and the newspapers began to full of headlines about how the half-blind jockey had ruined the horse's chance of winning. Pollard was indeed blind in one eye; he did not see Rosemont over his shoulder until the last moment. The jockey hid the fact of his blindness throughout his career. Despite this, Seabiscuit became a celebrity on the West Coast, featured on radio and television, and filled newspaper columns. Howard, with his business acumen, quickly began marketing activities to create a full range of products for fans. He then decided to move the horse to more prestigious races on the east coast.

In 1937, Seabiscuit won eleven of his fifteen races and was the leader in money won in the United States. However, he never became Horse of the Year. This title was given to the War Admiral, who won the Triple Crown that season.

During the autumn and winter of 1939, horse and rider made a full recovery, and Smith was eager to wipe the nose of the veterinary community by returning the horse to the races, and with an old jockey at that.

On February 9, 1940, Pollard rode Seabiscuit in the Santa Anita Handicap, but finished only third. Nevertheless, the return took place. The event grabbed a lot of headlines at the time.

On April 10 of that year, it was officially announced that Seabiscuit was retiring. He went to the Ridgewood Ranch near Willits, California. He lived there until his death, leaving behind 108 foals, two of which were quite successful - Sea Sovereign and Sea Swallow. The ranch received more than 50 thousand people who wanted to see Seabiscuit.

The burial place of the horse is kept secret to this day and is known only to the closest relatives of the Howard family.

Secretariat

Born in 1970, English thoroughbred, son of the famous Bold Ruler. The stallion, who in 1973 became the first Triple Crown winner in twenty-five years, set new records in the Kentucky Derby (1:59 2/5), and Belmont Stakes (2:24), which are still considered unbeaten. .

Secretariat's story began with a coin toss in 1968 between Christopher Chenery of Meadow Stables and Ogden Phipps of Whitley Stable. The idea for the coin toss came from Phipps, owner of Bold Rulera. The toss of a coin meant that Bald Ruler would mate the mare for two years in a row and they would divide the foals among themselves and the one who guessed right would be the first owner of the foal born. Ogden Phipps won the throw and took the first foal, a filly.

And on March 30, at 0:10, Somethingroyal gave birth to a bright red chestnut foal with three white socks and a narrow star on her forehead. Meadow Stables secretary, Elizabeth Ham, submitted 10 names to the Jockey Club, but they were all rejected for various reasons. Approval finally came with the 11th additional, a name chosen by Ham herself, chosen from the previous career association, Secretariat.

Secretariat won most of the company's two-year-old races, losing only the very first, and received the Eclipse Award for America's Best Two-Year-Old Stallion. However, many horse experts believed that he had no chance in a three-year-old company, because the children of Bald Ruler, who had exceptional agility, always lost in endurance.

Secretariat began his three-year campaign with an easy victory in the Bay Shaw Stakes at Aqueduct Race Course. In the next race, the Gotham Stakes, Secretariat won the standing race for the first time in his career. He covered the first 1200 m in 1:08:6 sec and finished the one-mile race in 1:33:4 sec, setting new record Hippodrome However, in his next ride he finished third in the Wood Memorial (1800m), losing to Sham, the Santa Anita Derby winner in the last final prep for the Kentucky Derby. From that moment on, the intense preparation for the Triple Crown prize began.

Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby in record time (1:59:4). In the Preakneys Stakes, Secretariat started last and took the lead going into the first turn. After this, the stallion continued the race to the end; none of the horses could resist him. Sham always followed him, finishing second and taking the place of second favorite in the race. After his victory, Secretariat began preparing for the final race of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, while simultaneously becoming a national hero for the country.

Only four horses joined Secretariat in the June 9, 1973 Belmont Stakes, including Sham. Secretariat was declared the favorite with odds of 1 in 10, with 67,605 people turning out to cheer for Secretariat.

Secretariat became the ninth Triple Crown winner in American horse racing history.

Overall, Secretariat won 16 of 21 races and earned $1,316,808.

At three years old (1972), Secretariat was again declared Horse of the Year.

An autopsy showed that his heart was significantly larger than that of an ordinary horse.

Frisky (Ruffian)

Born in 1972, English thoroughbred mare, legendary American horse, granddaughter of the famous Bold Ruler. She did not take second or third place - Raffian only won in good style. On July 7, 1974, she set a speed record (1 min. 09 sec.) Only the race, which became fatal, put an end not only to her victories, but also to her life.

Rezvaya made her first start at Belmont Park in New York on May 22, 1974. Her trainer, Frank Whiteley Jr., kept her agility a secret, so the stakes for the mare were not high. The race was only a thousand meters long, and the fast jockey was Jacinto Velasquez. From the very start, Rezvaya easily took the lead and won by 15 lengths, setting a new track record of 1.03. Rezva's race was later called "The most outstanding race for debutants."

Rezva’s performance in the Acorn Stakes turned out to be somewhat unusual for those who know her style. Rezvaya, who was usually always in the lead, at first allowed two mares to gallop alongside her. But in the last meters, Rezvaya caught up with such speed that all the other horses seemed like statues in comparison with her. The black filly showed an absolute track record of 1:34 2/5. The Mazer Goose Stakes turned out to be almost a copy of the Acorn Stakes, and Frisky again set a race record of 1:47 4/5. After winning the Coaching Club American Oaks in a record time of 2:27 4/5, there was no doubt which horse was the new “Queen of Mares.”

After winning the Triple Crown, Rezva was offered a duel with the stallions. Eventually the NYRA (New York Racing Association) announced a duel race with Rezva and Foulish Pleasure on July 6, 1975 with prize fund at $350,000.

At first Foulish Pleasure began to lead, but very soon Rezvaya put an end to his leadership, and the horses began to walk side by side. Before the finish line, the leader changed no less than five times. Closer to the finish, Rezvaya had already begun to overtake Foulish Pleasure by half a length. It seems that there is only a moment left before the black beauty’s victory, and the stands, filled with many fans, froze in anticipation. However, everything was ruined by a sound from behind, similar to the sound of a breaking stick or board. The outcome of the race was decided in an instant. Frisky, with her right front leg dangling unnaturally, slowed down, and Foulish Pleasure crossed the finish line in silence.

Spectators watched as a veterinary aid car rushed along the path, as doctors rushed towards the helpless Rezva. Both sesamoid bones of Rezva were smashed to pieces. She underwent surgery on her leg, during which the black filly lost her breath twice and was brought back to life twice. But when she came out of the anesthesia, she was so scared and in so much pain that clinic assistants were unable to get her to lie down. She struggled in the stall, broke the cast and caused even more serious damage to her leg, and had to be euthanized.

Voronaya Rezvaya was buried not far from the flagpole in Belmont Park, where her swan song was first performed.

Mill Reef

Born in 1968, talented bay English thoroughbred. Born in America, he belonged to one of the largest horse breeders in the United States - Paul Mellon. At the age of one and a half, Mill Reef was sent to England, where he first became famous as a phenomenal horse, and then became an outstanding sire, leaving a bright mark on the world horse breeding. Having competed on the same tracks with such outstanding personalities as Brigadier Gerard and My Swallow, he became the history of English horse racing during his lifetime. John Oxey, author of the wonderful book The History of Mill Reef, wrote: “Mill Reef has only had two racing seasons, but many men will never achieve more in their entire lives.”

However, Mill Reef's talent began to emerge as a two-year-old, when the colt won the American 5-furlong Salisbury Stakes, beating his nearest opponent by 5 lengths. Ian Balding becomes Mill Reef's trainer, and from that moment the colt's ascent to the heights of glory in English and world horse racing begins. True, his third start, Prix Robert Papin, he lost to another famous horse of that time, May Swallow, a stallion of exceptional agility, losing only a head.

By the following spring England had three horses top class. Mill Reef's abuser, Mai Swallow, as well as Brigadier Gerard, who won 17 of 18 starts throughout his career, share this title with Mill Reef.

The 1971 season was the pinnacle of Mill Reef's career. Britain applauded its favorite, he gathered crowds of fans. This bay colt became the first horse to win the Derby, Diamond Stakes and Arc de Triomphe in succession. Experts unanimously named him Horse of the Year. There was talk of a rematch race between him and Brigadier Gerard, whom they had never met as track rivals since the 2000 Guineas.

Meanwhile, Mill Reef continued to win. In the Coronation Cup at Epsom, Mill Reef started as sole favorite and finished first. However, it was not long before the stallion's career ended.

On a clear, sunny morning on August 30, 1972, Mill Reef went out for his usual morning commute to his longtime hometown of Kingscle. Around the same time, Milton ordered three bronze statues of his favorite from one of the famous sculptors, John Skeaping. As Skiping later recounted, while removing wet rags from the clay model of the future statue that morning (they are wrapped around the model to preserve the moisture of the material), he noticed that the clay had slid off one of Mill Reef’s front legs, exposing the rods of the supporting structure. The sculptor later learned that on that strange morning, while galloping at Kingscle Mill, Reef had broken his front leg. The colt's racing career was over.

In 1973 Mill Reef began a new career as a sire at the British National Stables in Newmarket. Mill Reef was called twice the best manufacturer years, in 1978 and 1987. In the summer of 1985, the racing veteran already underwent heart surgery. However, the years take their toll, and in February 1986, at the age of 19, the racing legend left this world.

Absinthe, his son and grandchildren

Absinthe is a black stallion, belongs to one of the oldest breeds of riding horses - Akhal-Teke, multiple champion of the USSR (1959-1963)

Recently, researchers came to the conclusion that Absinthe was not a purebred Akhal-Teke, since his father was the gray stallion Arab (the army nickname Kazbek is one of Marshal Zhukov’s favorite horses) and his mother was the dun mare Bakkara.

The most famous horse of the USSR. In 1960 at Olympic Games in Rome he won the first highest medal in dressage Olympic medal in the history of Soviet equestrian sport. For the equestrian sport of the USSR, this award was as significant as the flight of the first man into space. Absinthe was raised at the stud farm of the Lugovskoy state farm (Merkensky district, Dzhambul region), where grateful people erected a monument to the horse. Soviet sports Absinthe served until the age of 18, then it was almost used to make kazy due to the negligence of stud farm workers. After such a strong moral shock, the horse ended up in the stables of the Moscow army. “Having been demobilized,” Absinthe returned to his homeland again, and then was transported to live out his life at the 54th stud farm, on the shores of Issyk-Kul. Absinthe's son, Abakan, also left his mark as a horseshoe in history: in 1976 he became a medalist at the World Dressage Championships and was a member of the national team for eight years. Absinthe's grandchildren and great-grandchildren are the strongest in the world and win prizes.

Lipizzaner horses

In Styria (Austria), learned horses are raised and trained to dance waltzes at the imperial residence in Vienna. They are born completely black, and after a few years they turn completely gray. They are equal to civil servants and, at the end of their artistic career, receive full state allowances, returning to the same stable of their native farm where they were born.

Arvaikheer

The monument to the stallion Arvaikheer is the pride of the residents of the small Mongolian town of Arvaikheer. Please note that the horse's name was not given by the name of the city, but the city received its name from the horse's name. And the stallion Arvaikheer became famous for the fact that for 20 years he defeated all his rivals at the races.

Eclipse

It was his name that history preserved under the title “Horse of the Century.”

He raced for twenty-three years and was never defeated, for which he received the title “horse of the century.” To this day, at the Derby races, the fastest-footed horses are awarded the Eclipse Prize.

The horse received this name because it was born on the day of Eclipse - a solar eclipse - April 1, 1764. The stallion's appearance was extremely strange: the rear was high, the shoulders were heavy and long, and when he galloped, he pulled his muzzle to the ground so much that jockeys often they knocked him down. Because of these physiological characteristics, not every jockey could sit on it during a race. And to be more precise - the only one. This man was John Oakley.

Eclipse subsequently became the ancestor of the most common and leading breed of horses - the English Thoroughbred.

Now, almost all the best horses in the world trace their roots back to Eclipse

However, Eclipsa also has its own Kinisem. This is the only horse that has won more race victories than Eclipse. She won for the first time in 1876. Then, for 4 years in a row, the thoroughbred mare won all races in a row.

Eclipse died of colic at the age of 24. It was here that the secret of his invincibility was discovered: the horse of the century had a phenomenal heart - weighing 6 kg 300 g (on average, the heart of a good racehorse weighs about 5 kg)! Eclipse also had huge lungs.

Today, every visitor to the Newmarket Hippodrome can see right at the entrance the bronze monument of Eclipse, cast in honor of the 200th anniversary of the death of the great horse.

Square

The famous Oryol trotter. The only horse in the country awarded two monuments during his lifetime, a two-time derbist, a record holder among Oryol trotters, the father of numerous breeding offspring and an enviable long-liver. He was the star of the Moscow hippodrome and set several all-Union horse racing records.

Square is an elegant stallion with a beautiful dry head, a moderately long neck and a harmonious, strong physique. He was handsome and agile, but his white-toed legs were weak. Despite this significant drawback, his future rider (Alexander Rodionovich Roshchin) decided to take this stallion for training.

The learning process turned out to be very difficult, since Kvadrat had a difficult character. It happened that Kvadrat would bite a person from whom he had just received a treat or could unexpectedly kick the rider.

Later it turned out that Kvadrat is not only a principled sissy, but also a malingerer. One day, before an important competition, he began to limp, but neither examinations helped to find the cause, nor treatment brought any results. But the next day the horse walked on all four legs, as if nothing had happened. But everything was forgiven to him for his services.

His triumphant year was 1950, when he won both the winter and summer trotter derbies and the open derby, in which he took the Grand All-Union prize and the Barça prize. At this moment the Square was reaching treadmill 30 times, won 19 absolute victories and came second 8 times.

One day, when, after a desperate struggle with strong rivals the rider, in order not to torment Kvadrat, lowered the reins, the trotter took off on his own, caught up with the leader and craned his neck so that the photo finish showed: Kvadrat’s nose was the first to cross the finish line!

After finishing his sports career, Kvadrat returned to his native Moscow stud farm. Before the end of his life, he managed to father 620 foals, many of which were sold to 14 countries.

Kvadrat is the only horse in the country in whose honor two monuments were erected during his lifetime. One is near the arena building of the 1st Moscow Stud Farm, and the second, installed at VDNKh, did not survive.

Aniline

Born in 1961, English thoroughbred, one of the most famous horses in the USSR

He had no equal in the USSR.

At the Voskhod stud farm in the Krasnodar region, one of the best stud farms in our country, a monument to the thoroughbred horse Anilin was erected. To the same Anilin who, like the wind, rushed through the hippodromes of Europe and America, Anilin won 22 races out of 28 in which he took part. He won 22 of the 28 races in which he took part. He had no equal in the USSR. It was on it that international category jockey Nikolai Nasibov won one of the largest prizes for three years in a row - the “Prize of Europe”, “Thrice Crowned”, according to foreign media. Foreign newspapers wrote enthusiastically about the Soviet horse, calling him a real Russian hero.

The horse was famous for its stellar habits. During his glory years, he had a whole staff of servants, from time to time he pretended to be sick and watched with pleasure how everyone fussed around.

Thumbelina and Radar

The smallest horse in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, whose height is only 45 centimeters and weighs 26 kilograms.

Tambelina takes part in a tour of America - visits kindergartens, hospitals and schools. How real star, takes all her property with her - she has her own bedroom and car.

The world's largest horse named Radar met the world's smallest horse named Tambelina. The height of horses at the withers is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records - 2 meters for Radar and 45 centimeters for Tambelina.

Force

Stallion of the Soviet draft breed. In 1951, he set a record for carrying capacity that has not yet been broken. He carried a load weighing 23 tons 35 meters.

Phar Lap

Purebred "lightning" of Australia

Born 1926

Phar Lap's life is full of drama; it was, one might say, tragic. And moreover, from birth to death it is shrouded in mystery. The names and fates of the “horses of the century” and “horses of the nation” are known in the hippological chronicles. Such for Australia was the famous “king of horse racing” Phar Lap.

He was born on October 4, 1926 in New Zealand. His father is Knight Reid, his mother is Entrity, and he was named Phar Lap, which means "lightning" in Sinhalese. The time of his triumph coincided with the Great Depression of the 30s; in four seasons (1929-1932), the stallion won 37 out of 51 starts. Bought for only 160 guineas (about $336), Phar Lap brought his owner a total of $135 thousand . The gold plate shows the result of his life - the total winnings are 66,783 pounds sterling. Several postage stamps are dedicated to this horse. Agree, not every hero, and not every ruler, receives such an honor.

A feature film about this stallion, entitled "The King of the Races", was created by Australian filmmakers in 1983, and immediately received three national prizes upon release. Badges, postcards, paintings and other souvenirs with his image are in great demand among collectors.

He began his performances in the spring of 1929, and in the fall of the same year he became the favorite of all the races in which he took part. Running in the Cup as a four-year-old, Phar Lap carried 4kg more weight than any horse his age had carried to date.

The death of Phar-Lap is mysterious and sudden. At a Californian private ranch in the United States, where he was brought to participate in American horse racing, early in April morning, groom Tommy Woodcock discovered that his charge was sick. And at noon the world learned of the death of the great Australian horse. An autopsy revealed intestinal inflammation. The version of deliberate poisoning of the stallion was considered. Although modern scientists believe that possible reason Phar Lap's death could have been due to an infection that often occurs in horses traveling long distances. The infection was caused by bacteria that were unknown to science in the first half of the last century.

Milton

This great show jumper was named Milton after the English epic poet John Milton. He was born near Oxford in 1977 from the steeplechase stallion Marius.

Caroline Bradley bought Milton as a six-month-old foal. At first they competed, like their father, in barrier racing, and then Caroline trained Milton in show jumping. The horse was unusually talented. But suddenly Caroline fell ill and died, leaving a will not to sell the horse, but to give it to the best show jumper in Great Britain, John Whitaker.

The couple were phenomenal. They were both nicknamed John Milton and this constant duo has a huge number of victories to its credit. In a subtle soul beautiful horse there lived a great artist. When winning the Grand Prize, the horse always displayed elements worthy of the Viennese school. Milton's last competition was won in 1994. in Glasgow.

Only three showjumping horses, Milton, Japelou and Canada's Big Ben, had the honor of making a farewell world tour to mark the end of their racing careers.

Zenyatta

Born 2004

Zenyatta is an American champion thoroughbred racehorse, undefeated in 19 of 20 races. Her nickname is "Queen" or "Queen Z", also known as "Dancing Lady". This horse was named after The Police's album "Zenyatta Mondatta". Zenyatta was born on April 1, 2004 in Kentucky.

Zenyatta's character is two-sided. On the one hand - melancholic, calm. Not afraid of any flashes or crowds. Doesn't rear up. Dance - yes, break out - yes. But never rear up. And on the other hand, the champion’s character affects her.

Zenyatta was ridden by American jockey Mike Smith in 17 of the 20 races, and David Flores rode the mare in the first three races. Zenyatta's height is 183 cm, weight 552 kg. One and a half was sold at the Keeneland auction for the small sum of $60,000 due to ringworm, but despite this Zenyatta earned $7,304,580 during her career.

Zenyatta began her career as a three-year-old at the end of the season.

From 2007 to 2010, this mare was invincible; no one could overtake her. She had wonderful technology. The mare always found herself in last position from the start and only before the last turn did she approach the group of leaders and win the race by a small margin.

Zenyatta won 17 Stakes races, including 13 Group Ones.

In 2009, Zenyatta won the most prestigious prize: “peeder's Cup Classic.” This was a real sensation, because before that, for many years, not a single mare had managed to win it.

On October 2, 2010, Zenyatta set a new North American record for the most Group 1 races won by a mare (previously held by two-time champion Bayacoa). In addition, Zenyatta set a new North American record for the amount of winnings by a mare (previously it belonged to Oyujia Board $6,312,552). Zenyatta had already won $6,404,580.

He has the titles of Horse of the Year 2010 and Horse of the Century, as well as the best older horse of 2008, 2009, 2010.

Considered in the past to be unbeatable, Zenyatta's horse ended his career with a loss in the $5 million Breeders Cup. Her loss was only half a head.

The stallion Blame snatched victory from her with his claws. Nobody expected this. After all, this race was Zenyatta's last race. After Breeders they planned to retire her.

It should be noted that this news brought disappointment not only to trainers and animal owners, but also to connoisseurs of GUINNESS beer.

Many news sources report that GUINNESS, the producer of strong Irish beer, has previously officially announced that if Zenyatta wins the Breeders Cup competition, he is ready to invite Zenyatta, her trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Anne Moss Ann Moss to the Saint James Gate Brewery in Dublin. Here, according to representatives of the Diageo press service, it was planned to celebrate the end of Zenyatta’s career and pay tribute to the quality beer GUINNESS.

Shirreffs, Zenyatta's trainer, said more than once that he poured a bottle of GUINNESS beer into the trough every day - and the horse drank it with pleasure. She preferred this particular brand.

“It was all a fairy tale, but it didn’t end the way everyone wanted,” Shirreffs told the press on Sunday, November 7. - “That’s why I’m filled with frustration. However, Zenyatta is happy no matter what and will remain happy.”

Przewalski's horse

A subspecies of wild horse native to Central Asia.

As you know, Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky went to Tibet for the truth, but found a horse. Modern scientists have found that Przewalski's horse is not the ancestor of the modern horse, as was previously thought. Modern horses originated not from this unsightly steppe horse, but from another - the tarpan. Tarpans were already rare in the last century, but were still found in Poland and southern Russia.

Frisky (eng. Ruffian) - A purebred mare, the legendary horse of America. She did not take second or third place - Raffian only won in good style. Only the race, which became fatal, put an end not only to her victories, but also to her life. On July 7, 1974, she set a speed record (1 min. 09 sec.)

Father: Reviewer
Paternal grandfather: Bold Ruler
Mother: Shenanigans
Maternal grandfather: Native Dancer
Gender: mare
Color: black
Date of birth: April 17, 1972
Date of death: July 7, 1975
Record (races won): 11: 10-0-0 (in the last race, Rezvaya broke her leg and, as a result, came last)
Income: $313,428

Story

Rezvaya was born in America on April 17, 1972. A year and a few months later, she and other horses were brought to a farm called "Laurel Hill Farm", this was in November. She differed from other horses in that she was slightly larger and taller.

First training

Rezva’s first training took place at the Belmont park racetrack in New York. She was given a task: she had to run 3/8 of the distance. The result amazed coach Rezva, 34.37 seconds.

Racing career
Rezvaya made her first start at Belmont Park in New York on May 22, 1974. These races were called Maiden. In the racing “society” this is what they call the very first race for a horse. That is, a horse can try to win the Maiden even before the end of its racing career, but without winning it, the horse does not have the right to participate in allowances and graded races.
The race was only 5 and a half furlongs (i.e. 1000 meters) long and took place on dirt rather than turf. Rezvaya was ridden by her regular jockey Jacinto Velasquez. Under him, the black filly easily took the lead at the first time, breaking away from the main group of horses by as much as fifteen lengths, and set a track record of 1.03. The future champion’s excellent agility remained a secret until the very finish, of course, not without the efforts of her trainer Frank Whiteley Jr., because the bets on her were not very high, only 9:2, so the stable received a good win from the bookmakers. Later Rezva's race was called "The most outstanding race for debutants."
The now famous two-year-old filly Rezva's next race was the Fashion Stakes on June 12, 1974. Rezva’s main rival in this race was considered Copernica from Nijinsky II, who became famous on the green paths of England. Koernike's pedigree promised a good career, but not in the battle with Rezva. She easily took the pace offered by Copernica and won by 6 1/2 lengths.
With each jump, Rezvaya became faster and faster. In the Astoria Stakes, Rezvaya finished in 1:02. 45 by 5 1/2 furlongs (1000 meters); then in the Sorority Stakes for 6 furlongs (1200 meters) Rezvaya shows a time of 1:09; in Spinoway Stakes for the same 6 furlongs - 1:08 3/5. Two-year-old Rezva's next races were scheduled to be the Frisette and Champagne Stakes. The last race was supposed to be very tense, because there Rezva would have to meet stallions for the first time, but a crack in the bone prevented Rezva from setting new two-year records.
The new goal for Rezva was the “Triple Crown” for mares, otherwise known as the Triple Tiara. These were three races: Acorn Stakes (mile), Mather Goose Stakes (9 furlongs, i.e. 1800 m) and Coaching Club American Oaks (1 1/2 miles).
Rezva’s performance in the Acorn Stakes turned out to be somewhat unusual for those who know her style. Rezvaya, who was usually always in the lead, at first allowed two mares to gallop alongside her. But in the last meters, Rezvaya caught up with such speed that all the other horses seemed like statues in comparison with her. The black filly showed an absolute track record of 1:34 2/5. The Mazer Goose Stakes turned out to be almost a copy of the Acorn Stakes, and Frisky again set a race record of 1:47 4/5. After winning the Coaching Club American Oaks in a record time of 2:27 4/5, there was no doubt which horse was the new “Queen of Mares.”

Great Duel

After winning the Triple Crown, Rezva was offered a duel with the stallions. At first it was proposed to conduct a duel race with Rezva, Foolish Pleasure and Master Derby, but Foolish Pleasure's trainer, Leroy Jolly, opposed the meeting of the three horses. He rightly noted that the Derby Master gains some advantage due to the fact that both Rezvaya and Foulish Pleasure start very quickly. NYRA (New York Racing Association) eventually announced a duel race with Rezva and Foulish Pleasure on July 6, 1975, with a prize fund of $350,000.
At first Foulish Pleasure began to lead, but very soon Rezvaya put an end to his leadership, and the horses began to walk side by side. Before the finish line, the leader changed no less than five times. Closer to the finish line, Rezvaya had already begun to overtake Foulish Pleasure by half a length. It seems that there is only a moment left before the black beauty’s victory, and the stands, filled with many fans, froze in anticipation. However, everything was ruined by a sound from behind, similar to the sound of a breaking stick or board. The outcome of the race was decided in an instant. Frisky, with her right front leg dangling unnaturally, slowed down, and Foulish Pleasure crossed the finish line in silence.
Spectators watched as a veterinary aid car rushed along the path, as doctors rushed towards the helpless Rezva. She underwent surgery on her leg, during which the black filly lost her breath twice and was brought back to life twice. After the operation, Rezvaya, waking up from anesthesia, began to rush around the box and suffered a fracture in another leg. Of course, a horse cannot live a normal life with two broken legs. So Rezvaya was put to sleep on July 7, 1975.
Voronaya Rezvaya was buried not far from the flagpole in Belmont Park, where her swan song was first performed.
In memory of Rezva, it was filmed in 2007

infinity eyes of the Masonic bird

A very difficult top for me, because reducing the number of horses important to me and to history to 10 is almost impossible. I don’t even know what motivated me by leaving these particular celebrities. Probably personal affection. Let's see what happens.

1. Seabuscuit
Born in 1933, an unprepossessing English thoroughbred. After a rocky start to his career, Seabiscuit became a champion and symbol of hope for many Americans during the Great Depression.

Young Seabiscuit was nothing special, he was short, stocky, had problems with his legs, knobby wrists that did not fully straighten. Despite his good pedigree, no one expected great victories from Sukhari. Jim Fitzsimmons, the first owner of Seabiscuit, saw potential in him, but was never able to overcome the laziness of the horse, and did not want to do this, since he already had an almost ready favorite - Omah.
Seabiscuit failed to win in his first ten races. And after that they lost all interest in him. At the age of two, Sukhari jumped 35 times, of which he was first 5 times, and second 7 times.

Seabiscuit was sold to automobile entrepreneur Charles Howard for the record low price of $7,500.

Seabiscuit and Charles Howard

Seabiscuit was used to losing, but his new trainer - Tom Smith, who almost resigned - was able to do the impossible - he put the horse on his feet, brought him out of the depressive state of a broken horse, thanks to a gentle individual approach. Tom Smith sensed extraordinary potential in the horse.
Seabiscuit's jockey was John Pollard, better known as Red Pollard. Pollard was not considered a good jockey, and his height, which exceeded the height standards for jockeys, did not contribute to his popularity at all. But Smith decided to give him a chance because he believed that he and Seabiscuit were similar and there was some kind of unusual connection between them.

Seabiscuit and Red Pollard

Having won several victories, Charles Howard seriously set his sights on winning the most prestigious horse race - the Santa Anita Handicap with prize money of more than 100 thousand dollars. By that time, all the newspapers were following the racing career of an unsightly, previously unknown horse, which had found its feet and was steadily moving to the top from the very bottom. During the Great Depression, Rusk was like an outlet for ordinary working people, a symbol of hope for a better future.
However, after winning the first race at Santa Enita, Seabiscuit lost. Rosemont came first, and the newspapers began to full of headlines about how the half-blind jockey had ruined the horse's chance of winning. Pollard was indeed blind in one eye; he did not see Rosemont over his shoulder until the last moment. The jockey hid the fact of his blindness throughout his career. Despite this, Seabiscuit became a celebrity on the West Coast, featured on radio and television, and filled newspaper columns. Howard, with his business acumen, quickly began marketing activities to create a full range of products for fans. He then decided to move the horse to more prestigious races on the east coast.

Seabiscuit and Tom Smith

Throughout 1937 and 1938, the media speculated about a duel between Seabiscuit and the invincible Admiral. This was one of the most anticipated sporting events in US history. The owner of Admiral did not agree to the fight for a long time, not wanting, as he explained to the press, to humiliate his horse by competing with a native of California. However, on November 1, 1938, Sukhari and the Admiral finally met on the path. Distance - 1.91 km. Trains brought fans from all over the country. And about 40 million radio listeners joined the 40,000 spectators on the track. All of America watched the races. Almost everyone unanimously bet on the Admiral, except for the California faithful.
The owner of the Admiral insisted that the races would be held according to his rules, but Howard agreed without hesitation. By then Pollard had received serious injury legs and could not be Seabiscuit's jockey. He became John's old friend, George Woolf.
When the gong rang, Seabiscuit ran away from the Triple Crown winner. But after 20 seconds, Wulf caught up with the Admiral. Following Pollard's advice, Wolfe eased his pace and made it so that Seabiscuit could see his opponent from the side, see his gaze, and then took the lead. Sukhari reached the finish line having won 4 corps from the Admiral.

After the victory, Sukhari was awarded the well-deserved title of “Horse of the Year.”

In 1939, Sukhari was injured, ruptured ligaments in his front left leg. It would seem that his racing career was over, but... He was sent for recovery to the Charles Howard ranch, where Red Pollard was already after his injury. The appearance of the horse gave him hope. And slowly, horse and rider began to recover.
During the autumn and winter of 1939, horse and rider made a full recovery, and Smith was eager to wipe the nose of the veterinary community by returning the horse to the races, and with an old jockey at that.
On February 9, 1940, Pollard rode Seabiscuit in the Santa Anita Handicap, but finished only third. Nevertheless, the return took place. The event grabbed a lot of headlines at the time.
On April 10 of that year, it was officially announced that Seabiscuit was retiring. He went to the Ridgewood Ranch near Willits, California. He lived there until his death, leaving behind 108 foals, two of which were quite successful - Sea Sovereign and Sea Swallow. The ranch received more than 50 thousand people who wanted to see Seabiscuit.

The burial place of the horse is kept secret to this day and is known only to the closest relatives of the Howard family.

2. Secretariat
Born in 1970, English thoroughbred, son of the famous Bold Ruler. The stallion, who in 1973 became the first Triple Crown winner in twenty-five years, set new records in the Kentucky Derby (1:59 2/5), and Belmont Stakes (2:24), which are still considered unbeaten. .

Secretariat and Hostess Penny Chenery

Secretariat began his three-year campaign with an easy victory in the Bay Shaw Stakes at Aqueduct Race Course. In the next race, the Gotham Stakes, Secretariat won the standing race for the first time in his career. He covered the first 1200 m in 1:08:6 sec and finished the one-mile race in 1:33:4 sec, setting a new racecourse record. However, in his next ride he finished third in the Wood Memorial (1800m), losing to Sham, the Santa Anita Derby winner in the last final prep for the Kentucky Derby. From that moment on, the intense preparation for the Triple Crown prize began.

From the start, Secretariat and Sham were 10 lengths ahead of the other horses. After 6 furlongs (1200m) Sham began to tire and eventually finished last. Secretariat surprised viewers by continuing to build fast pace and opening further and further away from the horses. Viewers heard the surprised cries of CBS Television announcer Anderson Schick as he described the horse's pace: "Secretariat is going further and further! He moves like an incredible machine!"

Secretariat won by 31 lengths (setting a new record by 25 lengths, set by Triple Crown winner Cat Fleet), as well as a new world record, covering 2,400 meters of sand in 2:24 seconds. Secretariat's world record is still considered unbeaten.

Secretariat became the ninth Triple Crown winner in American horse racing history.
Overall, Secretariat won 16 of 21 races and earned $1,316,808.
At three years old (1972), Secretariat was again declared Horse of the Year.

In 1989, Secretariat fell due to laminitis, an often incurable hoof disease. After a month of treatment, it was clear that the disease was progressing and Secretariat was euthanized on October 4 at the age of 19 years. Triple Crown winner Secretariat was mourned by millions and buried at Claiborne Farm in Paris.
An autopsy showed that his heart was significantly larger than that of an ordinary horse; thanks to tests, it was found that it was 2.5 times larger than that of an ordinary horse.

3. Frisky (Ruffian)
Born in 1972, English thoroughbred mare, legendary American horse, granddaughter of the famous Bold Ruler. She did not take second or third place - Raffian only won in good style. On July 7, 1974, she set a speed record (1 min. 09 sec.) Only the race, which became fatal, put an end not only to her victories, but also to her life.

Since childhood, the black Raffian was somewhat different from her peers in her height and larger physique. And even in the very first training session, she was able to impress her coach, covering 3/8 of the distance in just 34 seconds.
Rezvaya made her first start at Belmont Park in New York on May 22, 1974. Her trainer, Frank Whiteley Jr., kept her agility a secret, so the stakes for the mare were not high. The race was only a thousand meters long, and the fast jockey was Jacinto Velasquez. From the very start, Rezvaya easily took the lead and won by 15 lengths, setting a new track record of 1.03. Later Rezva's race was called "The most outstanding race for debutants."

With each jump, Rezvaya became faster and faster. And, after several victories, her goal was the Triple Crown for mares. These were three races: Acorn Stakes (mile), Mather Goose Stakes (9 furlongs, i.e. 1800 m) and Coaching Club American Oaks (1 1/2 miles).
Rezva’s performance in the Acorn Stakes turned out to be somewhat unusual for those who know her style. Rezvaya, who was usually always in the lead, at first allowed two mares to gallop alongside her. But in the last meters, Rezvaya caught up with such speed that all the other horses seemed like statues in comparison with her. The black filly showed an absolute track record of 1:34 2/5. The Mazer Goose Stakes turned out to be almost a copy of the Acorn Stakes, and Frisky again set a race record of 1:47 4/5. After winning the Coaching Club American Oaks in a record time of 2:27 4/5, there was no doubt which horse was the new “Queen of Mares.”

After winning the Triple Crown, Rezva was offered a duel with the stallions. NYRA (New York Racing Association) eventually announced a duel race with Rezva and Foulish Pleasure on July 6, 1975, with a prize fund of $350,000.
At first Foulish Pleasure began to lead, but very soon Rezvaya put an end to his leadership, and the horses began to walk side by side. Before the finish line, the leader changed no less than five times. Closer to the finish, Rezvaya had already begun to overtake Foulish Pleasure by half a length. It seems that there is only a moment left before the black beauty’s victory, and the stands, filled with many fans, froze in anticipation. However, everything was ruined by a sound from behind, similar to the sound of a breaking stick or board. The outcome of the race was decided in an instant. Frisky, with her right front leg dangling unnaturally, slowed down, and Foulish Pleasure crossed the finish line in silence.
Spectators watched as a veterinary aid car rushed along the path, as doctors rushed towards the helpless Rezva. Both sesamoid bones of Rezva were smashed to pieces. She underwent surgery on her leg, during which the black filly lost her breath twice and was brought back to life twice. But when she emerged from the anesthesia, she was so scared and in so much pain that clinic assistants were unable to get her to lie down. She struggled in the stall, broke the cast and caused even more serious damage to her leg, and had to be euthanized.
Voronaya Rezvaya was buried not far from the flagpole in Belmont Park, where her swan song was first performed.

4. Barbaro
Born in 2003, English Thoroughbred, a stallion with a remarkable pedigree, who was a contender for the Triple Crown prize, but broke his leg during the start and was euthanized after an eight-month fight for life.

Barbaro was born quite large, so two men helped his mother during the birth. He was large and long-legged, had good physical characteristics and wonderful intelligence, but was no longer different from hundreds of other foals.
Gretchen and Roy Jackson, the young horse's owners, matched him with an unknown trainer, Michael Matz (with his assistant Peter Brett), but then they had no idea how similar the two were to each other - both with an unyielding will, with an unshakable desire for life.
Barbaro was trained gradually, with great patience. The first race in which Barbaro participated was Delaware Park on October 4, 2005. The distance was one mile, and only horses of 2 years old, who had never won, could participate in it. For half a mile Barbaro stayed close to the leaders and then he just took off. It was stunning - there was so much power in this jerk, pulsating brute force that left clouds of dust behind it. He was 8.5 lengths ahead of his rivals.

Barbaro ran the Laurel Futurity on November 19, 2005, and this race was a replica of the previous one at Delaware Park. He also stayed close to the leaders and after about half a mile he fired again. He then competed in the Tropical Park Derby in early 2006 in Florida, winning by a lightweight 3 and a quarter lengths. And this was the first victory of the first category scale. They started talking about him. The prospect of winning the Kentucky Derby, and even winning the Triple Crown, loomed ever brighter.
The Florida Derby, set for April 1, was Barbaro's first real test as a Grade 1 racer.
According to the draw, Barbaro received number 10, which meant that he would start in the outer circle. Since 1989, no horse has won the Florida Derby starting from the outside track. Another bad sign happened a little later - while Matz was washing Barbaro in the morning, the excited stallion kicked Matz, hitting him in the hand. However, all the signs turned out to be empty - Barbaro won the race with a lead of half a length.

May 6, 2006 was the day of the Kentucky Derby, which had been the Jacksons' goal for so long. It was a busy day. Matz was accused of improperly training Barbaro, because in his entire life he had ridden only 5 races and it was obvious that the horse could have overstayed, having lost its sports uniform after a long rest. For Gretchen Jackson, this was also supposed to be a great day - after all, before Barbaro, the 68-year-old cavalry had not had horses that won races of the first category.
Barbaro's jockey that day was the skilled Edgar Prado. And many believed that Barbaro had every chance of winning. And they were right. Without so much as a touch of the whip, the stallion raced the course to win the race by 6.5 lengths, the fifth-largest margin in Derby history.

They started talking about the greatness of Barbaro. Much was expected of him, and winning the Preakness seemed a given.
Barbaro was in great shape that day. He seemed calmer than at the Kentucky Derby and was clearly determined to win. However, then, a few minutes before the start, Barbaro suddenly escaped from the box, leaning his whole body on the gate. Of all the racing signs, this was the worst, and in his entire career Prado could not remember a single case when a horse won after such a start. The veterinarian found no injuries and the horse was placed back in the starting box.

Barbaro started quite well in a group of nine horses, but they prevented him from developing a speed that was convenient for him, which they themselves did not possess. Then, about a hundred meters later, Edgar Prado heard a crash somewhere below.
And then, in front of those who were in the stands and in front of millions of people on their television screens, thousands of different images flashed: the sight of Barbaro still trying to run for a second or two, leaning on his back right, which no longer worked as it should, and every step only hurt her more and more harm. Barbaro hugging the sidewalk while Bottom part his legs dangled helplessly in the air at an odd angle. Then, as if with the speed of lightning, Prado jumped off Barbaro, and then he, already covering his face with his hands, while tears ran down him.
Veterinarian Scott Palmer, who examined Barbaro's leg, came to disappointing conclusions. He dealt with fetlock fractures and also dealt with sesamoid fractures. But the comminuted fracture of the long metatarsal bone was the most dangerous. And here on one leg there were all three fractures. However, the Jacksons decided not to euthanize the horse, leaving him and Matz's skilled veterinarian friend Don Richardson a chance.

Barbaro was taken to New Bolton the next day. The horse behaved very calmly, as if he understood what was happening around him. Experienced surgeon Richardson performed the operation in five hours, literally collecting the stallion's fetlock bone piece by piece.
Barbaro was full of desire to live. He spent six weeks in the post-operative box, keenly interested in what was happening around him, learning to eat grapes and oranges, learning to sit like a dog on a special winch that helped rest his front legs. The whole world watched his recovery.
On June 13, another operation was performed under general anesthesia, during which the plaster was changed for the first time. And Richardson was very optimistic. But on July 5, everything began to collapse before our eyes. After another operation to change the plaster, recovering from anesthesia, Barbaro behaved violently for the first time, and, hitting the wall with his jaw in the recovery room, broke two of his baby teeth. On July 8, he underwent surgery to relieve an infection in his right leg. Jackson was told it may have been ingested when Barbaro knocked out his teeth. Another source of infection could have been the plates and screws in Barbaro's leg. It also became clear that the plate no longer held the leg in place: the screws that held it in place were bent, so that too had to be replaced, along with many screws. The plaster was changed, and two days later it was changed again. This was already the fifth cast in the last seven weeks.
Soon, Barbaro developed severe laminitis on his back left leg. As a result, 90% of the entire hoof wall would have to be removed. But there was still hope, and they decided to fight to the end for the stallion’s health.

By the middle of the month, the left rear only needed bandages. On Sept. 26, Richardson said the right hind was mostly healed and the left hind was beginning to grow a healthy hoof horn. In early November, the plaster cast was removed from Barbaro's leg, and many already said with confidence that he would soon be able to leave the hospital. Barbaro's story spread throughout the country and went far beyond its borders. Thousands of letters came to him from all over the world, a huge number of postcards from schoolchildren, fans even came to New Bolton from Panama City. Every newspaper from Alaska to Australia followed his recovery.
However, during the Christmas holidays, Barbaro became noticeably worse. There was no change for the better on the left leg. He carried so much weight on her that he ended up with a strange, clumsy gait. As a result of this, the right leg fused at an angle.
On January 10, hospital officials announced that Barbaro was seriously deteriorating and Richardson would have to remove more of the hoof wall from the back left because she was still suffering from laminitis.
On January 13, Michael Matz visited Barbaro for the last time. The horse lost a lot of weight, and Matz realized that he was very ill. He was lying there when Matz came into his stall.
Gretchen visited him very often, and Richardson continued to fight for his life, but the horse gradually faded away. He has been very bad in recent days. Laminitis also affected the rest of his legs; he could not lie down and kept shaking his head. On January 29, it was decided to euthanize Barbaro.

5. Mill Reef
Born in 1968, talented bay English thoroughbred. Born in America, he belonged to one of the largest horse breeders in the United States - Paul Mellon. At the age of one and a half, Mill Reef was sent to England, where he first became famous as a phenomenal horse, and then became an outstanding sire, leaving a bright mark on the world horse breeding. Having competed on the same tracks with such outstanding personalities as Brigadier Gerard and My Swallow, he became the history of English horse racing during his lifetime. John Oxey, author of the wonderful book The History of Mill Reef, wrote: "Mill Reef has only had two racing seasons, but many men will never achieve more in their entire lives."

From childhood, Mill Reef (“Mill Reef” was the name of a narrow strip of coast near Mellon’s house in Antigua) had a sweet disposition and amazing performance, but no one predicted a great racing career for him.
However, Mill Reef's talent began to emerge as a two-year-old, when the colt won the American 5-furlong Salisbury Stakes, beating his nearest opponent by 5 lengths. Ian Balding becomes Mill Reef's trainer, and from that moment the colt's ascent to the heights of glory in English and world horse racing begins. True, his third start, Prix Robert Papin, he lost to another famous horse of that time, May Swallow, a stallion of exceptional agility, losing only a head.
By the following spring England had three horses of the highest class. Mill Reef's abuser, Mai Swallow, as well as Brigadier Gerard, who won 17 of 18 starts throughout his career, share this title with Mill Reef.

The 2000 Guineas race was approaching - one of the five classic prizes for three-year-olds in England and the first step towards the title of "thrice crowned". At the start of the one-and-a-half-mile course, Mill Reef came out only to win, but... In the final furlongs, Brigadier Gerard flew past Mill Reef and May Swallow like two statues. This was Mill Reef's second and final defeat. No other horse could beat the little colt.
The 1971 season was the pinnacle of Mill Reef's career. Britain applauded its favorite, he gathered crowds of fans. This bay colt became the first horse to win the Derby, Diamond Stakes and Arc de Triomphe in succession. Experts unanimously named him Horse of the Year. There was talk of a rematch race between him and Brigadier Gerard, whom they had never met as track rivals since the 2000 Guineas.
Meanwhile, Mill Reef continued to win. In the Coronation Cup at Epsom, Mill Reef started as sole favorite and finished first. However, it was not long before the stallion's career ended.
On a clear, sunny morning on August 30, 1972, Mill Reef went out for his usual morning commute to his longtime hometown of Kingscle. Around the same time, Milton ordered three bronze statues of his favorite from one of the famous sculptors, John Skeaping. As Skiping later recounted, while removing wet rags from the clay model of the future statue that morning (they are wrapped around the model to preserve the moisture of the material), he noticed that the clay had slid off one of Mill Reef’s front legs, exposing the rods of the supporting structure. The sculptor later learned that on that strange morning, while galloping at Kingscle Mill, Reef had broken his front leg. The colt's racing career was over.

A long struggle began, not for access to the racetrack, but simply for the life of a brave fighter and a real personality. Ian Balding immediately opposed any attempt to transport Mill Reef from Kingscle to a veterinary hospital. The operating room was done there, in the stables. A great specialist and master of his craft, Charles Allen flew in specifically to perform surgery on the limb. Mill Reef showed courage and patience, which is not always found even among people. Hundreds of people sent cards and gifts for their idol. The strength of spirit and love of those around him helped the courageous bay cope with the disease.
In 1973 Mill Reef began a new career as a sire at the British National Stables in Newmarket. Mill Reef was named Sire of the Year twice, in 1978 and 1987. In the summer of 1985, the racing veteran already underwent heart surgery. However, the years take their toll, and in February 1986, at the age of 19, the racing legend left this world.

6. Eclipse
Born 1764
There were at least 15 ancestors of questionable origin in his family tree. He was far from handsome, and when he galloped, he was so drawn to the ground that the jockey needed considerable skill not to fall off. But it was his name that history has preserved under the title - Horse of the Century, and modern horse breeders are proud if the treasured Eclipse is written at the very beginning of the pedigree of their beautiful thoroughbred horses.

Eclipse was born on April 1 on the day of a solar eclipse, which is where he got his name (English: Eclipse - solar eclipse). Despite the fact that the horse's family included quite a few horses of unknown origin, several of its ancestors are quite noticeable. Eclipse's grandfather is Regulus, son of Godolphin Arabian, and his great-great-grandfather is the famous Oriental stallion Darley Arabian - the second of the three founders of the breed of thoroughbred horses imported to England at the beginning of the century.
While the foal was growing, no one expected great victories from him - Eclipse's exterior was far from perfect. The appearance of the horse was rather strange: a high rear in relation to the withers, heavy and long shoulders. Because of these physiological characteristics, not every jockey could sit on it during a race. And to be more precise - the only one! The man who was able to adapt to the style of racing, and not only stay in the saddle, but also cope with Eclipse’s hot temperament, was John Oakley.

Eclipse's racing career began at the age of 5. After the first race, on May 3, 1769 at Epsom Racecourse, the world heard a phrase that later became fateful. Captain Denis O'Kelly said: “Eclipse is first, the rest are nowhere.” This was fair, because the fastest of the pursuers was 240 yards (219 meters) behind Eclipse!

For all my sports career Eclipse competed in 18 races and won 18 victories. He has 11 “Royal Cups” - the highest awards for the best horses in Great Britain. In order to take the coveted prize, John Oakley never had to beat it with a whip or spurs. His earnings in all races are 2149 guineas (about 4513 USD).

Co sports arena the horse left in 1771. After finishing his racing career, Eclipse became a sire, and here he got far from the last role. He made a tremendous contribution to the development of the new Thoroughbred riding breed. The Royal Veterinary College confidently states that 80% of modern horses have Eclipse blood.

Eclipse died of colic on February 26, 1789 at the age of 24. It was then that the secret of his invincibility was revealed. If the heart of a good racehorse weighs on average about 5 kg, then Eclipse’s heart was noticeably larger - 6.3 kg.

Today, every visitor to the Newmarket Hippodrome can see right at the entrance the bronze monument of Eclipse, cast in honor of the 200th anniversary of the death of the great horse. To this day, at the Derby races, the fastest-footed horses are awarded the Eclipse Prize.

7. Phar Lap

Born 1926
Phar Lap's life is full of drama; it was, one might say, tragic. And moreover, from birth to death it is shrouded in mystery. The names and fates of the “horses of the century” and “horses of the nation” are known in the hippological chronicles. Such for Australia was the famous “king of horse racing” Phar Lap.

In the early 30s of the twentieth century, the purebred red giant had no equal both in his homeland and on the American continent. This is believed to have been the reason for his sudden mysterious death. The Australians did not consign the great horse to oblivion. An effigy of Phar Lap, a legend of the fifth continent, is installed under glass in the lobby of the National Museum of Australia. The frantic writer and reporter Egon Erwin Kisch wrote about him in his book “Landing in Australia”: “Surprised and excited, we stand in front of him, looking into his glass eyes, mentally stroking his golden fur.
He was born on October 4, 1926 in New Zealand. His father is Knight Reid, his mother is Entrity, and he was named Phar Lap, which means “lightning” in Sinhalese. The time of his triumph coincided with the Great Depression of the 30s; in four seasons (1929-1932), the stallion won 37 out of 51 starts. Bought for only 160 guineas (about $336), Phar-Lap brought his owner a total of 135 thousand dollars. The gold plate shows the result of his life - the total winnings are 66,783 pounds sterling. Several postage stamps are dedicated to this horse. Agree, not every hero, and not every ruler, receives such an honor.
A feature film about this stallion, entitled "The King of the Races", was created by Australian filmmakers in 1983, and immediately received three national prizes upon release. Badges, postcards, paintings and other souvenirs with his image are in great demand among collectors.
He began his performances in the spring of 1929, and in the fall of the same year he became the favorite of all the races in which he took part. Running in the Cup as a four-year-old, Phar Lap carried 4kg more weight than any horse his age had carried to date.
The death of Phar-Lap is mysterious and sudden. At a Californian private ranch in the United States, where he was brought to participate in American horse racing, early in April morning, groom Tommy Woodcock discovered that his charge was sick. And at noon the world learned of the death of the great Australian horse. An autopsy revealed intestinal inflammation. The version of deliberate poisoning of the stallion was considered. Although modern scientists believe that a possible cause of Phar-Lap's death could be an infection that often occurs in horses traveling long distances. The infection was caused by bacteria that were unknown to science in the first half of the last century.

8. Zenyatta

Born 2004
Zenyatta is an American champion thoroughbred racehorse, undefeated in 19 of 20 races. Her nickname is "Queen" or "Queen Z", also known as "Dancing Lady".

This horse was named after The Police's album "Zenyatta Mondatta". Zenyatta was born on April 1, 2004 in Kentucky.
Zenyatta's character is two-sided. On the one hand - melancholic, calm. Not afraid of any flashes or crowds. Doesn't rear up. Dance - yes, break out - yes. But never rear up. And on the other hand, the champion’s character affects her.
Zenyatta was ridden by American jockey Mike Smith in 17 of the 20 races, and David Flores rode the mare in the first three races. Zenyata's height is 183 cm, weight 552 kg. One and a half was sold at the Keeneland auction for the small sum of $60,000 due to ringworm, but despite this Zenyatta earned $7,304,580 during her career.

Zenyatta began her career as a three-year-old at the end of the season.
From 2007 to 2010, this mare was invincible; no one could overtake her. She had wonderful technology. The mare always found herself in last position from the start and only before the last turn did she approach the group of leaders and win the race by a small margin.

Zenyatta won 17 Stakes races, including 13 Group Ones.
In 2009, Zenyatta won the most prestigious prize: “Breeder`s Cup Classic.” This was a real sensation, because before that, for many years, no mare had managed to win it.

He has the titles of Horse of the Year 2010 and Horse of the Century, as well as the best older horse of 2008, 2009, 2010.

Considered unbeatable in the past, Zenyatta ended his career with a loss in the $5 million Breeders Cup. Her loss was only half a head.
The stallion Blame snatched victory from her with his claws. Nobody expected this. After all, this race was Zenyatta's last race. After Breeders they planned to retire her.

It should be noted that this news brought disappointment not only to trainers and animal owners, but also to connoisseurs of GUINNESS beer.
Many news sources report that GUINNESS, the producer of strong Irish beer, has previously officially announced that if Zenyatta wins the Breeders Cup competition, he is ready to invite Zenyatta, her trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Anne Moss Ann Moss to the Saint James Gate Brewery in Dublin. Here, according to representatives of the Diageo press service, it was planned to celebrate the end of Zenyatta’s career and pay tribute to the quality beer GUINNESS.
Shirreffs, Zenyatta's trainer, said more than once that he poured a bottle of GUINNESS beer into the trough every day - and the horse drank it with pleasure. She preferred this particular brand.

Born in 1952, black Akhal-Teke, one of the most famous horses in the USSR
There were legends about him in the equestrian world, famous artists painted portraits of him, a documentary was made about his life, he became the hero of a book about himself and the great sport, they even erected a monument made of forged copper to him. He is a black Akhal-Teke with the loud and intoxicating name Absinthe, an Olympic gold medalist.

From birth, great hopes were placed on Absinthe, because his father was the famous horse Arab, a show jumping star and the favorite of Marshal Zhukov.
Thanks to his natural beauty, stateliness and refined movements, Absinthe became the breed record holder in 1958. At the same time, the horse fell into the hands of Sergei Ivanovich Filatov, and only 2 years remained before the fateful Olympics in Rome. In just a year, Filatov and Absinthe became the country's leaders in dressage: they became champions of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR in the individual competition and took second place in the pre-Olympic competitions in St. Gallen in Switzerland.
September 5, 1960. Rome. On the huge arena of Piazza di Siena, 17 stars of the world equestrian sport competed for the Grand Prize of the Olympics. At that time, such celebrities as Henry Saint-Cyr (Sweden), Neckermann and Springer (Germany), Patricia Galvin (USA), Fischer, Chammartin (Switzerland) did not consider participants from Soviet Union serious competitors. But when Filatov and Absinthe entered the arena, the hubbub of voices died down, the performance took place in complete silence, and after it, a flurry of applause did not subside over the stadium for a long time. The judges' decision on who to award the title of Champion was unanimous.
After an absolute victory at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Absinthe, under the saddle of Filatov, took 3rd place at the Olympics in Tokyo in 1964, and at the Olympics in Mexico City in 1968, he took 4th place under the saddle of I. Kalita.

The name of Absinthe literally thundered throughout the country. He was admired, immortalized in works of art and... in numerous offspring. Over ten years, Absinthe became the father of more than 70 children, many of whom also received high titles. And if you carefully study the pedigree, you can find the blood of Absinthe in the modern Russian riding breed.
At the age of 18, Absinthe left big sport. The most famous horse of the USSR died on February 2, 1975 at the age of 23 years.

10. Aniline

Born in 1961, English thoroughbred, one of the most famous horses in the USSR
He had no equal in the USSR. It was on it that international category jockey Nikolai Nasibov won one of the largest prizes - the “Prize of Europe” for three years in a row. “Thrice crowned,” according to foreign media.

Anilin's career began in the hands of the famous international category jockey Nikolai Nasibov. Despite the obvious disadvantage - Anilin had enlarged joints in his legs since childhood and was noticeably limping - Nasibov did not give up training, not paying attention to the ridicule of his colleagues. At the end of May 1963, he started in an ordinary race of 1200 meters. Aniline won it easily. Some people decided that this was just an accident, but Nasibov himself felt the power of the forces inherent in Aniline. But only he knew about this.

Gradually, victory after victory, Nasibov and Anilin moved towards glory, and the horse’s lameness completely disappeared. But on international competitions Anilin set off without his usual rider. Having got to another jockey, Anilin refused to obey him, became nervous and, as a result, lost the most important race. He returned to Moscow very tired and thin. Without giving him any rest, Anilin was sent to the next races, and as a result he came only fourth. Many experts have the opinion that Aniline is a low-class horse. But Nasibov did not believe in it.
But then 1964 came, and with it the victorious march of Anilin began. One after another, he easily and confidently won big prizes at home. Particularly noteworthy was the victory in the Grand All-Union Prize (the so-called derby). Aniline left his peers far behind.

A year has passed, and as part of the Soviet team, Nasibov and Anilin go to the GDR. There, in Berlin, at the Hoppegarten Hippodrome, he finished first in the race for the Bucharest Prize and won the Grand Cup of the Socialist Countries. He covers a distance of 2800 meters in 2 minutes 56.5 seconds. A little later, he races in Germany at the Cologne Hippodrome and just as easily wins one of the international prizes. Two months later, Nasibov successfully finishes on Aniline at one of the French racecourses.
After this, he decides to test the horse’s strength in the race for the “Prix of Europe”. This prize - 250 thousand marks - is considered one of the largest on our continent. Jockeys from all over the world on horses over the age of three years can participate in its draw.
Aniline emerges victorious and wins the “European Prize”. And then repeats his success twice. Thus, the Soviet horse, having won the “European Prize” for the third time, became one of the fastest horses on the continent. The international press called him “thrice crowned” for this. Foreign newspapers wrote enthusiastically about the Soviet horse, calling him a real Russian hero.

The fastest horse in the world is the English thoroughbred. In its natural habitat, a horse can reach speeds of up to 18 km/h. Some selective ones can set incredible speed records, for example, 60 km/h - this is not the limit for English purebred breeds.

The fastest horse in the world is an English thoroughbred

Thoroughbred horse.
Arabian horses.
French riding horses.
Trotters (Russian, American, French, Oryol).

The palm in terms of agility rightfully belongs to purebred riding horses. These beauties most recently were called English horses, since they were bred only in England. But now they are popular and in demand all over the world, because of this they even had to change the name of the breed. A good thoroughbred horse can reach speeds of up to 63 km per hour over not very long distances; over longer distances (up to 28 km), the speed of a horse of this breed will be 55 km per hour.

In its natural habitat, a horse can reach speeds of up to 18 km per hour

Second place was given to Arabian breeds. In terms of their agility, they will not stand any comparison with the leaders of the rating, but they will be able to compete among themselves for championship in agility.

Well, the French proudly sat on the bottom step of the pedestal. Most often, stallions of this breed take part in competitions in various types jumping, but if they happen to compete in speed with riding thoroughbreds, they will be able to show themselves with dignity. Many types of trotters are capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 km per hour.

Gallery: the fastest horses in the world (25 photos)

The fastest horse in the world (video)

Characteristics of thoroughbred riding horses

The fastest horses are purebred riding horses. The striking features of this breed are the following:

Big heart (in terms of heart size, purebreds also hold the record). The most a big heart(6.3 kg) belonged to a horse of this particular breed. Due to its size, the heart of animals of this breed can withstand a more serious load.
Special body structure (lean, muscular, with long legs, large elongated head and long neck). All these features have a beneficial effect on the development of increased speeds.
Color - red or dark bay, less often gray, black.

The type of gait and running, that is, the gait, also influences the speed of a horse. We are interested in gallop, since this is a type of running in which the animal develops maximum speed. In their natural habitat, these graceful animals use this type of running to escape from dangerous pursuit and cover a fairly short distance. This gait is not suitable for long distances.

The fastest record-breaking horses are thoroughbreds

Gallop is divided into two types: slow gallop (here the indicators can be on average no more than 20 km per hour) and fast gallop ( possible results-up to 65 km per hour and even more).

An interesting fact is that the leg with which the horse begins to move in a given gait is important for the rider. This fact is important when turning at a distance. If the horse starts galloping with the right leg, then it will be easier for him to turn to the right, and vice versa - starting the gait with the left leg makes it easier to turn to the left.

The fastest horse (video)

Speed record holders

Perhaps the fastest horse in the world is a stallion named Beach Rackit. He set a speed record that no horse has been able to surpass to this day. Back in 1954, the handsome purebred covered 409 m, reaching a speed of 69.6 km per hour.

In 1993, the eminent champion, a horse named Onion Roll, was only able to repeat this striking record. Another high result belongs to a champion horse named Siglevy Slave. His record is 63.9 km per hour over a distance of 804 m. But the stallion was without a rider, which greatly facilitated his task.

One cannot ignore the result of the famous horse John Henry, who galloped long distance(2.4 km) at a gallop, reaching a speed of 60.7 km per hour. The rider driving the favorite weighed 57 kg - this important fact doubles the horse's record, making him a record-breaking champion in terms of endurance.

All the horses described are some of the brightest representatives of the fastest breed of thoroughbred riding horses. But even they have to achieve high performance and record speed results need proper care and regular training.

Rezvaya (Raffian) stood out for her height and stature since childhood. She was born from eminent parents and initially high hopes were placed on her.
The grown and mature filly, along with other two-year-olds, was sent to training with Frank Whiteley Jr. at Belmont Park. Among the yearlings in Marion du Pont Scott (South Carolina), where Whiteley's pets usually spent the winter, Raffian stood out for her large size. According to the rules adopted in the stable, none of the staff knew the nicknames of the newcomers before their first start. Therefore, among the workers who found it as comfortable to sit on as on a sofa, Raffian received the nickname “Sophie.”

The best of the best

In the spring, before the racing season, all the horses trained by Whiteley usually returned to Belmont Park. 1974 was no exception: in April, Raffian took to the racetrack for the first time for some frisky work. Without special effort The filly showed a speed of 35 4/5 seconds. at a distance of three furlongs, and a little later, under the saddle of Jacinto Velasquez, she covered half a mile in 47 seconds.

Raffian made her official debut on May 22 in the 5 1/2 furlong Maiden Special. Under the saddle of Velasquez, the filly quickly took the lead and easily increased the lead from the main group to fifteen lengths, “at the same time” setting a track record of 1.03. Thanks to the efforts of Frank Whiteley, the mare's remarkable agility remained a secret until the race itself, so the bets on her were not particularly high - 9:2, so the stable workers received a good win from the bookmakers. Raffian's impressive performance would later be called "the most outstanding race ever for a debutant."

The main rival of the dark bay daughter of Reviewer in the next race was considered to be Copernica by Nijinsky II. Pedigree and Copernicus's previous performances gave her a good chance of winning the Fashion Stakes on 12 June 1974. However, out of the six horses registered for the race, the audience chose Raffian as their favorite - and they were not mistaken. In the same style, the mare took the lead in the first meters of the distance, easily accepting the rules of the game proposed by Copernica. Maintaining a 6 1/2 length gap at the finish, Raffian repeated his May record. Copernicus's closest pursuer is as much as thirteen lengths behind!

It becomes obvious that Jenny's family has a completely unique creation. Another victory and another record for Raffian - Astoria Stakes at Aqueduct at 5 1/2 furlongs in a speed of 1.02 4/5. Due to a temporary disqualification for rough riding, Jacinto Velasquez got into the saddle. Imagine the amazement of both him and the spectators in the stands when the stable pony Trace Dog appeared on the track to accompany Raffian to the start, on which sat... Velasquez! As it turned out, only under this condition did Whiteley agree to leave Jacinto as Raffian’s main jockey. The race itself was not so shocking to observers - the gap between the winner and the second prize-winner, Laughing Bridge, was nine lengths. The rest of the field finished another twelve lengths behind.

With each start, Raffian became faster and faster. In the Sorority Stakes over 6 furlongs she showed a speed of 1.09, then in the Spinaway Stakes over the same 6 furlongs she showed a speed of 1.08 3/5. In the first of these prizes she was matched against Hot n Nasty, who won her novice race in style by thirteen lengths and then went on to win two traditional West Coast prizes. Hot N Nasty's owner Dan Lasater believed that the mares were nominally equal competitors and had the same chance of success. Indeed, when the horses were level after the first quarter, it seemed that Raffian's invincibility would be a thing of the past...

But this appearance lasted only until the last furlong. And before the start of the Spinaway Stakes, meticulous reporters decided to ask Raffian's groom Minnor Massey how many lengths his pet would win. Without thinking twice, Minnor named the number thirteen and turned out to be absolutely right - it was precisely this advantage at the finish line that she retained young star, having carried out a race “from place to place.”

Raffian's next two starts were the Frizette Stakes and Champagne Stakes. The drawing for the second of these prizes promised to be all the more interesting, since for the first time Raffian's rivals were also to be stallions, including the previously unbeaten Foolish Pleasure. But on the morning of the Frizette Stakes, there were half-eaten oats left in her feeder. Alarmed, Whiteley took his charge's temperature, and his worst suspicions were justified - the mare was not feeling well. After an immediate examination, the veterinarian returned his verdict - a bone fracture in the right tailstock. There was now no question of any races until the end of the season.

The best of the best

After two months of treatment, Raffian and the rest of Whiteley's horses returned to South Carolina for the winter. And in November, Frank Whiteley had a visitor, the editor of Blood Horse, who decided to clarify one of the comments about Raffian attributed to her trainer. Knowing Whiteley’s caution in speaking about his horses, the journalist simply could not believe that the phrase about “ best horse, which he has ever coached" belongs to Frank. However, Whiteley not only confirmed his words, but also added that this two-year-old, who has started only five times, is the best racehorse he has ever seen. It's not hard to guess after this who was named 2-Year-Old Mare of the Year at January's Eclipse Awards in San Francisco.

Raffian returned to Belmont Park in April 1975. On Saturday, April 13, Whiteley, having once again looked at the spirited gallop of the mare, was finally convinced of her readiness for the season and signed her up for the race on the next race day at Aqueduct. Perhaps trainers of other horses would have felt differently about applying for Caltha Purse if they had known about Raffian's participation. But Whiteley masterfully hid his plans from his rivals, allowing the horse to jokingly win his first start of the new season. Although the speed did not set another record (1.9 2/5 at 6 furlongs), Jacinto Velasquez, riding Raffian for the first time since the Sorority Stakes, was amazed at her increased power over the year.

The gap with her closest rival was four and a half lengths. An interesting moment - after the next victory in the Comely Stakes (distance 7 furlongs, margin of 7 3/4 lengths), Jacinto Velazquez left to compete in the Foulish Pleasure in the Kentucky Derby. The failed rival Raffian became Jacinto's first derbist. It seemed that the jockey’s most cherished dream had come true - to win the main start of the season! And it is impossible to convey the amazement of the reporter who received the question: “When does Mr. Velazquez plan to return to New York?” answer: “I’ll be at the stables on Monday morning!” “Which stable?” - asked the perplexed journalist. “What do you mean - which one? In Mr. Whiteley's stable, of course! - Jacinto exclaimed.

Triumph and tragedy

Raffian's new goal was the Triple Crown for mares. The series includes the Acorn Stakes (1 mile), Mother Goose Stakes (9 furlongs) and Coaching Club American Oaks (1 1/2 miles).

Raffian's performance in the Acorn Stakes, for those who knew her style, looked, perhaps, somewhat unusual. Usually in the lead from place to place, in the first half mile the mare allowed two rivals to stay close to her. But in the final furlongs, Raffian increased her speed so much that the rest of the horses seemed to have stopped... When the bay lightning crossed the finishing post in a record time for the prize of 1.34 2/5, her closest pursuer remained 8 1/4 lengths behind. And the start of the race at the Mother Goose Stakes pleased both the trainer and jockey Raffian - the mare completed the first half of the distance very quietly for herself, in 47 3/5 seconds. This gave hope that she would learn to start slower, saving more energy for the finishing throw - such a “skill” could become a decisive factor in competition with such horses as Foulish Pleasure or Forego. However, a quiet start did not stop Raffian from setting a new prize record - 1.47 4/5.

And here is Coaching Club American Oaks. More than thirty thousand spectators came to admire Raffian's performance and, perhaps, witness the birth of a new Queen. Following Whiteley's instructions, Jacinto held the mare until a real competitor appeared on the horizon. And when Equal Change closed to within one and a half lengths of Raffian, Velazquez allowed his horse to show his best! A gap of almost three lengths with a prize record of 2.27 4/5, another nine lengths behind the third prize-winner Let Me Linger and an offer to fight instead of Avatar in the comparison race of prize winners from the Triple Crown series - the result Coaching for Raffian. Foulish Pleasure's trainer Leroy Jolly opposed the idea of a meeting between the three horses. He reasonably noted that in such a race the third runner, Master Derby, gets a certain advantage, given the habit of frisky starts of both Foulish Pleasure and Raffian. Eventually, the NYRA (New York Racing Association) announced a $350,000 match between Foulish Pleasure and Raffian for July 6th. And Jacinto Velasquez was faced with a dilemma about which saddle he should sit in, a derby rider or a queen. In the end, Foulish Pleasure came to the start under the saddle of Brolio Baza.

A crowd of fifty thousand packed the stands at Belmont Park for one of the greatest horse races of the century. Foulish Pleasure took the lead from the start, but Raffian quickly put an end to his lead - and the horses went side by side. Before the finish line, the leader of the race changed five times, and when the horses appeared in the last turn, the spectators froze... Now Raffian took the lead a little, now she is half a length ahead of Foulish Pleasure... It seemed that there was only a moment left before the bay beauty's victory! The stands roared joyfully in anticipation of this miracle.

...But at the one-mile mark, as both jockeys later said, a sound was heard “like the crack of a breaking board”... The outcome of the race was decided in an instant - the great Raffian fell onto the track, and her opponent in deathly silence passed the finishing post with a canter, becoming winner.

In horror and confusion, the spectators in the stands watched as the veterinary aid car rushed along the track, as doctors rushed to the helplessly lying Raffian... The mare’s chances of a successful outcome were estimated at no more than 10%, but for a long twelve hours a team of five specialists fought for her future. Twice during this time she was brought back to life after stopping breathing. Finally, the operation was completed. But the worst, as it turned out, was yet to come. Raffian, who woke up after anesthesia, began to rush around the box, receiving an even more severe fracture. She would not have been able to endure another operation, and therefore the doctors made a difficult but inevitable decision - to euthanize the mare...

After this incident, a movement began around the world protesting against horse racing, due to the fact that racing competitions often become a way for people to earn big money, and not a test of the horses’ agility; owners and trainers do not care about the health of the horse and force training. Horses often suffer both mental and physical injuries.

Recently, a fashionable clothing brand (Ruffian) was created in the USA, which quickly gained popularity.

...She was buried near the flagpole at Belmont Park, where Raffian first entered the world of horse racing and where her swan song was performed.

Speed ​​record holders: which horses are the fastest. The fastest horse A horse named frisky story

Secretariat

Frisky (Ruffian)

Mill Reef

Absinthe, his son and grandchildren

Lipizzaner horses

Arvaikheer

Eclipse

Square

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Thumbelina and Radar

Force

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Milton

Zenyatta

Przewalski's horse

Gallery: the fastest horses in the world (25 photos)

The fastest horse in the world (video)

Characteristics of thoroughbred riding horses

The fastest horse (video)

Speed ​​record holders

Speed record holders: which horses are the fastest. The fastest horse A horse named frisky story

Speed record holders