The history of horse racing is full of incredible victories, amazing feats of athleticism and shocking upsets. Every race has the potential for history making jockeys and horses. Races offer thrills such as the potential for immortal fame, beating records and becoming a true champion. There have been many remarkable moments over the many years these prestigious races have been held. Horse racing is full of amazing memories, from races where the underdog defeated the champion to those in which a horse was admired by the entire world or when rivals met in a thrilling showdown. Below is our selection of favorite horse racing races. Although there was no Triple Crown at the Belmont Race it was an upset for the favorites. Creator did not finish in the top four positions for the entire race. He was only at the end of the race when he ran past the leaders. Exaggerator, Stradivari and Stradivari were the favorites but they didn’t finish in the top 3. Creator, despite his position at the back of track, won the Belmont victory by one nose. He ran an exciting sprint with Destin.
Another racing upset was the Belmont Stakes. War Emblem had won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes prior to this race. This meant that a Triple Crown victory was in his sights. War Emblem, however, stumbled at the start, effectively ending his chance at winning, finishing eighth. After trailing the main pack, Sarada won the race and sprinted to victory. He is the longest long shot to win the Belmont at odds of 70-1. Another race with the Triple Crown winner on the line, this thrilling finish to the 1998 Belmont Stakes was one of the most close races in history. Victory Gallop was the ultimate leader and narrowly defeated Real Quiet, the Preakness Stakes winner and Kentucky Derby winner. Bob Baffert was attempting to win the Triple Crown for the second time, with Real Quiet losing by the smallest margin ever recorded at Belmont. Victory Gallop came in second at both the Preakness and Derby. The thrilling finish at the final confirmed the loss of another Triple Crown potential victor.
Kentucky Derby winner, was a long shot. He was born in Kentucky and sent to Venezuela to race before returning to Kentucky for the Derby. He managed to win the Derby by three lengths despite seemingly impossible odds. Although he is not an exceptional horse, his win at the Derby shows that he can overcome any obstacles. Easy Goer beat Sunday Silence, the Horse of the Year, by eight lengths in the Belmont Stakes. Easy Goer, who had lost in the Derby and Preakness to Sunday Silence, won the Belmont Stakes and denied Sunday Silence the Triple Crown. He was second behind Secretariat, who posted was interesting to note that Easy Goer, the son of Alder and the only horse in history who finished in second place in all three Triple Crown races, was Easy Goer.
Although it was hoped that Easy Goer might follow his example, his upset at Belmont ended that possibility. Although not considered a Triple Crown race, the Breeder’s Cup Classic is widely considered to be North America’s premier horseracing event. Predictions are very volatile due to the competitive nature of this race. The 1993 Cup victory by AR cangue, with odds of 133-1 is the largest upset by an underdog. AR cangue, a French horse, had never raced on grass tracks in Europe and the Classic was his first experience in American racing. The five-year-old horse, who was only five years old, was in the back for the majority of the race. However, he sprinted past the leaders and won the race in the final strides. He is still renowned for his victory over Bertrand, which is considered one of the greatest horseracing upsets.
The nearly seven-length victory of Mine That Bird, which was a shocking feat for most observers, came at a staggering 50-1 odds. Although he was close to the last in the race, he won the Mile by beating the Pioneer of the Mile. Mine That Bird broke records for having the longest odds of winning the Derby in 85 year and also the largest lead in a Derby victory in over 60 years. This is still a remarkable finish to the Derby race. No one could have predicted the horse’s performance. American Pharaoh broke a 37-year-old Triple Crown drought in remarkable Belmont Stakes performances. He is currently the fastest Belmont time in history. Although his start was not ideal, he quickly rose to the top and won by five and half lengths. His time is second in Triple Crown history behind Secretariat.
His Belmont performance is notable for the fact that American Pharaoh won the Triple Crown in an era where most thought it was impossible. Belmont Stakes saw the end of one of the most famous horse racing rivalries in the history of horse racing: Affirmed & Alder. Alydid attempted to win the final leg of the Triple Crown races after coming in second at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Affirmed won the race by one nose. In a neck-to-neck race, the pair dominated the pack and won by a nose. It’s still one of the most exciting races in racing history. Affirmed won the 11th Triple Crown in racing history. However, it is remarkable that Alder has been the only horse to finish second in every Triple Crown race. Since this epic encounter, we haven’t seen a pair of horses so close.
Belmont Stakes
Secretariat is often regarded as the second-best racehorse after Man-O-War. However, his incredible finish at the 1973 Belmont Stakes remains the most historic Belmont time. He won by an incredible 31 lengths, absolutely blowing out his competitors. His incredible story is remarkable not only because he still holds the Belmont track record, but also because he has still set the records in every Triple Crown race. He solidified his status as a champion racer by winning the Belmont.