Posted on 04/30/2014 10:12:44 AM PDT by Oldpuppymax
In the spring of 1921, Texas oil baron William Waggoner offered thoroughbred breeder and racing veteran Samuel D. Riddle $500,000 for his peerless, 4 year old chestnut colt, Man o’ War. Riddle politely turned him down. When on the very next day the oil man raised his offer to $1 million, Riddle was said to have replied, “Mr Waggoner, many men can have a million dollars, but only one can have Man o’ War. I’m not interested in parting with him.”
Determined to own the greatest thoroughbred the racing world had ever known, an exasperated Waggoner exclaimed, “Come, Mr. Riddle, everything has its price.” A bit perturbed by the man who would not take no for an answer, Riddle offered the persistent Texan the following advice: “Go to France and bring back the sepulcher of Napoleon from Les Invalides, then to England and buy the Crown Jewels, then to India and buy the Taj Mahal – then I’ll put a price tag on Man o’ War.”
Foaled in 1917, Man o’ War was purchased by Riddle as a yearling for $5,000 (the equivalent of $78,000 in 2014) and taken to...
(Excerpt) Read more at coachisright.com ...
The Derby is Saturday and I have nothing about a favorite or any horse that might be running. Wonder why?
The name of the horse?
"Upset". It is said to be how the word got it's meaning in the modern sports era.
Must agree that Secretariat was the better pure racing animal. His times in winning each jewel of the Triple Crown are STILL the records, which is astonishing.
The high school in which I teach is named after him.
Agreed, Secretariat is the best.
This was a great story. Thanks for posting it.
We had a TB once with MOW in her pedigree. That’s not uncommon but the fact made this story extra meaningful.
The horse I know as "Big Red" (I was born in the 60s) almost didn't get credit for the record for the Preakness - the morons at Pimlico (and I'm from Baltimore) screwed up the timer. Replays have shown that he ran in record time, but it wasn't until 2012 that it was officially recognized.
There’s a stretch of space in that pic.
Don’t believe that nonsense. It was logical usage before then. And it was only MOW’s 6th race, as a 2yo. He would not be absolutely solidified as legend until 3.
Not I. Registered MOW fan.
MOW set 7 records and equaled 1in the space of 1 season of 11 races. 3 world, 2 Anmerican and 2+1track. From 1mi (WR) to 1-5/8mi (WR). Often with big weight concessions. He never, ever spat out the bit.
Article is wrong in several places. MOW did not set 5 WRs but 3, and did not set a record in the Preakness, his first 3yo race.
Also mentions that top weight today of 3yo is 124, which is untrue; even the TC series is now based on126 lbs.
Most likely he also did not quite face the wrong way at the Sanford, more Lille just caught off guard, as were the other outer 2 horses.
Secretariat did - and at 1 1/2 miles to boot [Belmont Stakes] !!!
Secretariat was a God ...
Uh, yes.
WR time in the Lawrence Realization over a poor horse too far back to know. Estimated 100 lengths but that is just because they didn’t know. MOW broke the TR by almost a shocking 7 seconds.
He won the Belmont by 20 lengths over a good horse when the race was shorter at 1-3/8mi. Set WR by about 3 seconds.
The horse was pure racing beast and never spat out the bit with excuses.
Did MOW EVER defeat the rest of the field by 31 1/2 lengths in a race?
Secretariat did - and at 1 1/2 miles to boot [Belmont Stakes] !!!
Secretariat was a God ...
Before you rate Secretariat as the “Second Coming,” remember that he was still be driven by his jockey, all the way thru the finish line although the race had been over at the far turn. Mon o’ War was never ridden that way. In fact, Man o’ War was famous for galloping while other
horses were racing. NEVER was he driven thru the finish in order to set time records or defeat other horses by a greater margin.
All anyone really need look at is the stride of horses like Citation, Secretariat and Man o’ War. Sec.’s stride was 26’, Citation about the same. But Man o’ War had the longest stride in racing history at 28’. For every stride taken on the track, he gains 2’ on Secretariat and 4’ on the average thoroughbred.
By the way, of 21 races run, the same number as Man o’ War, Secretariat’s record was 16-3-1.
MOW also ran STAKES EVERY RACE, EXCEPT his maiden. Unbelievable, but neglected.
He basically set a record as a 3yo 75% of the time. Secretariat, 50%. IOW, while Sec ran a record (of some kind) every other time he ran that year, MOW set 3 records every 4 times he ran! No horse ever came close to that rate.
The horse was a shocker. I can’t get around it no matter how much I look into his history and the history of racing even back then.
Might have something to do with the fact that I refuse to pay for the local left wing rags they call newspapers here in Ky and that I got rid of my tv about 3 years ago. Thanks for the link. Usually though here you will hear people talking about their pick but not this year. Lack of discretionary money to blow maybe? Still having Derby parties though.
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