secretariet

[backwoodsbob]

the greatest athlete to ever live

[Brother Buzz]

1. Seabiscuit gets my vote

He was undersized, knobby-kneed, and given to sleeping and eating for long periods. I'm a sucker for the underdog.

[Flaxbee]

2. the Belmont race is just awe-inspiring.

And Penny Chenery was one tough woman.

But as noted below, Seabiscuit was an incredible athlete, too.

[magical thyme]

3. Man O'War

the first Big Red. IIRC, nearly lost to the flu as a yearling (flu is *very* serious in horses). Seabiscuit's grand-daddy, War Admiral's daddy, and found in many pedigrees today.

He not only mopped up his competition, he was the sire and grand sire of many top race horses. So he passed along what he had, the mark of a truly great horse.

Although Sea Biscuit wins having the *best* movie! Loved that. The scene of the horse falling over backwards on his jockey...I was nearly crushed some years ago when my now deceased gelding flipped. I managed to jump free (sprained my knee badly in the process...the most athletic feat I've ever managed was getting free of a thousand pound horse falling backwards. the momentum against you is enormous). My horse landed next to me and before I could crawl away, he rolled on top of me and then dug his elbow into my back, between my shoulder blades, as he hoisted himself back to his feet. For about 15 minutes or so, I was a quadriplegic, no feeling or movement below my neck. Gaaaah. Fractured sternum. Deep tissue bruises in my thighs that surfaced months later. Lots of pain when feeling returned.

Anyway, the first time I saw that scene in the movie...it was so realistic I flashed back and melted down. Nearly had to leave the theater.

[backwoodsbob]

4. man o war was awesome

man o war was awesome

I would place him two behind secretariot

[magical thyme]

5. How have Secretariat's children done?

2 lengths? 2 horses? 2 generations?

[Doctor_J]

6. Please provide some connection between this post and the OP

Thanks In Advance

[magical thyme]

10. that post wasn't in response to the OP

It was in response to the post comparing Man O'War to Secretariat. (Or, in that instance, Secretariot.)

[u4ic]

8. He was a very good broodmare sire

Lady's Secret was wonderful. General Assembly was a pretty good runner. He didn't have much success with his colts, only fillies/mares. They carry the large heart gene.

[LWolf]

12. Secretariat

was a broodmare sire. His abilities, in part, were do to his very large heart, able to pump more blood and oxygen through his system, giving him the stamina to outrun the rest.

<snip>

Today, the normal weight of a horse’s heart is 8.5 pounds. Even though Secretariat’s heart was not weighed at autopsy, Dr. Thomas Swerczek, head pathologist at the University of Kentucky, estimated it at 22 pounds after finding the second-largest heart in Sham (Secretariat’s Triple Crown rival) and weighing it at 18 pounds.

http://www.horsesonly.com/crossroads/xfactor/heart-1.htm

The large heart factor is carried on the x chromosome. A stallion receives it from his dam and passes it only to his daughters. Secretariat's daughters produced many champions.

Weekend Surprise, Terlingua, Secrettame...his abilities passed down through the female line.

[Doctor_J]

7. Here's his view of the last few seconds of his career

"Where is everyone"?

[u4ic]

9. That was the Belmont

The last race of the Triple Crown. He had a number of races after that, including a couple of losses. If I recall correctly, the Canadian International at Woodbine was his last race. Both his trainer and jockey were Canadian.

[backwoodsbob]

11. yep you call it right

he actually lost to Sham once....still the undisputed champ.I wouldnt trade a sham/allidar/seattle slew,seven bells slaw of awesome for him.

The undisputed champ of all time..secretariot

[u4ic]

13. He lost twice, to Angle Light and Onion after the Belmont

[Arctic Dave]

14. Pfft.

Iditarod sled dogs all the way.

Runs barefoot in the and howls at the

[talkingmime]

15. And here I thought that was the name you picked for your new St. Bernard.

[backwoodsbob]

16. may be a good name

I'll have to think about that.

nah...Buddy Guy will remain the name

Anywho...more of the greatest athlete to ever live