Man O' War: The Greatest of Thoroughbreds Horses

Winner of 20 of 21 races, no other horse has erased the mystique of Man O' War, even though that notable animal died in 1947. Many fans living never saw him run- yet if asked "who is the greatest?" he is nearly unanimously the answer.

He was born in 1917 to the Rock Sand mare Mahubah, by the prominent sire Fair Play. Interestingly, his dam, Mahubah, was known as "Fair Play's wife because she was never bred to any other sire. Man O' War was bred by the notable racing family of August Belmont, Jr, the son of the man for whom the Belmont Stakes was named. However, because of World War I, Mr Belmont joined the Army and went to serve overseas. His wife named Man O' War to honor her husband, but soon after they made the decision to liquidate their racing stable, and Man O' War was sold at auction to Samuel Riddle. Riddle gave Man O' War's training into the hands of Louis Feustel, and Man O' War made his debut at Belmont Park on June 6, 1919. It was an amazing victory for a maiden, as he won by six lengths under jockey Johnny Loftus. Three weeks later, he won his first stakes race, the Keene Memorial.

Man O' War's only loss came in the Sanford Memorial Stakes at the hands of a horse named "Upset." According to the story, Man O' War was facing the wrong way when the starter dropped the barrier (back then, there were no starting gates), and thus got off to a slow start, well behind the field. Despite that, he still fought, and lost by a mere neck to the other horse. He finished out the rest of his 2-year old season by winning the rest of his races, and ended with a record of nine victories and one second out of his ten races.

His three-year old season did not begin with the Kentucky Derby, as many other horse's would have, as his owner did not believe in racing a young horse that early- rather, he was pointed to the Preakness, which he won easily. He set a record in the Belmont Stakes, beating Sir Barton's mark by over 3 full seconds, and winning the race by 20 lengths. He went on to capture such premier events as the Dwyer, the Travers, the Stuyvesant Handicap, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. As he entered the close of the racing season, he had so dominated his previous races that at the Lawrence Realization Stakes, only one horse entered to run against him. He trounced poor Hoodwink by over 100 lengths, while setting a new world record for a mile and five-eights.

His final race, the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup, was a match race against the first Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton. The mile and a quarter race was a challenge, but in the final few furlongs Man O' War managed to pull away to beat the great champion by 7 lengths to close out his three-year old season undefeated.

Man O' War was then retired, sent to Faraway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky to stand at stud, where he did something that was nearly as phenomenal as his racing record: he produced champions. From his approximately 400 foals, he produced 64 stakes winners, 200 champions, and a Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. He was also a sire of sires. His colt Hard Tack sired Seabiscuit. His sire-line influence is, incredibly, still felt today through Tiznow, Honour and Glory, and Bertrando. (Tiznow is probably the most successful of the three.)

After Man O' War's death in 1947, he was originally interred at Faraway Farm. However, in the 70s, his remains were moved to a new burial site at the Kentucky Horse Park, where his grave is marked with a statue created by sculptor Herbert Haseltine. He is, of course, in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (he was inducted not long after his death).

He is the shadow that looms over all the horses that come after him. When great horses appear, they are invariably compared to him- yet everyone knows...

There will never be another Man O' War.