Jon White on the Best Horses of the last 50 years...

[smuthg]

http://www.xpressbet.com/columns.asp...uthor=JonWhite

Sharpen your pitch forks...

[TouchOfGrey]

Originally Posted by smuthg

http://www.xpressbet.com/columns.asp...uthor=JonWhite

Sharpen your pitch forks...

Xpressbet is blocked here at work. Could you or someone please post the list?

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by TouchOfGrey

Xpressbet is blocked here at work. Could you or someone please post the list?

TOP 10 MALES OF THE PAST 50 YEARS

1. Secretariat
2. Kelso
3. Spectacular Bid
4. Dr. Fager
5. Seattle Slew
6. Forego
7. Affirmed
8. Buckpasser
9. Damascus
10. John Henry
In the March 17 edition of this column, I asked the question, “Where does Zenyatta fit among America’s all-time greats?”

I emphasized that I was not talking about Zenyatta’s proper place among female Thoroughbreds. I was talking about where she ranks among the greatest Thoroughbreds to have ever graced the American racing stage.

I began the exercise by asking, “Does Zenyatta belong in the Top 10?” At first, I thought she probably did. But, after considering who would be on such an all-time Top 10 list, I came to the conclusion that Zenyatta did not belong on it, at least not yet.

This is my list of the 10 best Thoroughbreds ever to have raced in this country:

1. Man o’ War
2. Secretariat
3. Citation
4. Kelso
5. Spectacular Bid
6. Dr. Fager
7. Native Dancer
8. Seattle Slew
9. Count Fleet
10. Forego

However, I do put Zenyatta in my next 10:

11. Ruffian
12. Zenyatta
13. Tom Fool
14. Affirmed
15. War Admiral
16. Buckpasser
17. Colin
18. Damascus
19. Round Table
20. Swaps

My Top 20 list of all time certainly helped me begin the process of compiling my list of the Top 10 males of the last 50 years. And then, as I turned my attention to constructing my list of the top 10 fillies of the last half-century, I started it with the only two fillies, Ruffian and Zenyatta, that I had put on my Top 20.

TOP 10 FILLIES OF THE LAST 50 YEARS

1. Ruffian
2. Zenyatta
3. Personal Ensign
4. Rachel Alexandra
5. Ta Wee
6. Shuvee
7. Lady’s Secret
8. Go for Wand
9. Azeri
10. Princess Rooney

[Antitrust32]

oh my god.

Shoot, 7, 8 & 10 on the female list would have beat the snot out of #2 and #4 on a consistant basis.

I do, however, believe that Zenyatta is a million times better than Affirmed, War Admiral, Buckpasser, Damascus, Round Table, Swaps, etc.


I could name 50 horses in the past 20 years that have been better than Zenyatta & Rachel.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

TOP 10 MALES OF THE PAST 50 YEARS

1. Secretariat
2. Kelso
3. Spectacular Bid
4. Dr. Fager
5. Seattle Slew
6. Forego
7. Affirmed
8. Buckpasser
9. Damascus
10. John Henry
In the March 17 edition of this column, I asked the question, “Where does Zenyatta fit among America’s all-time greats?”

I emphasized that I was not talking about Zenyatta’s proper place among female Thoroughbreds. I was talking about where she ranks among the greatest Thoroughbreds to have ever graced the American racing stage.

I began the exercise by asking, “Does Zenyatta belong in the Top 10?” At first, I thought she probably did. But, after considering who would be on such an all-time Top 10 list, I came to the conclusion that Zenyatta did not belong on it, at least not yet.

This is my list of the 10 best Thoroughbreds ever to have raced in this country:

1. Man o’ War
2. Secretariat
3. Citation
4. Kelso
5. Spectacular Bid
6. Dr. Fager
7. Native Dancer
8. Seattle Slew
9. Count Fleet
10. Forego

However, I do put Zenyatta in my next 10:

11. Ruffian
12. Zenyatta
13. Tom Fool
14. Affirmed
15. War Admiral
16. Buckpasser
17. Colin
18. Damascus
19. Round Table
20. Swaps

My Top 20 list of all time certainly helped me begin the process of compiling my list of the Top 10 males of the last 50 years. And then, as I turned my attention to constructing my list of the top 10 fillies of the last half-century, I started it with the only two fillies, Ruffian and Zenyatta, that I had put on my Top 20.

TOP 10 FILLIES OF THE LAST 50 YEARS

1. Ruffian
2. Zenyatta
3. Personal Ensign
4. Rachel Alexandra
5. Ta Wee
6. Shuvee
7. Lady’s Secret
8. Go for Wand
9. Azeri
10. Princess Rooney

It's an illness.

Maybe he can get a video blog on PR too.

[slotdirt]

I don't know, Zenyatta better than Affirmed? War Admiral? I don't think I can buy that.

[slotdirt]

P.S. - I was also shocked Pioneer of the Nile wasn't on here at least somewhere.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I don't know, Zenyatta better than Affirmed?

Oh for sure.
Affirmed had a good record but he got it by running against mules like Spectacular Bid, Alydar, Seattle Slew, Exceller, Sensitive Prince, etc. He couldn't have handled the horses Zenyatta has faced.

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

T

This is my list of the 10 best Thoroughbreds ever to have raced in this country:

1. Man o’ War
2. Secretariat
3. Citation
4. Kelso
5. Spectacular Bid
6. Dr. Fager
7. Native Dancer
8. Seattle Slew
9. Count Fleet
10. Forego

What, no Colin? Sysonby? Domino? Salvator? Lexington? American Eclipse? Sir Archy? When you say "ever to have raced in this country", you are covering a lot of time and a lot of types of racing. I think this list covers only the "modern era", post-WWI, but even then, it is heavily weighted to the post-WWII era.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

What, no Colin? Sysonby? Domino? Salvator? Lexington? American Eclipse? Sir Archy?

I believe he had Salvator #2 on his 'men I want to cuddle with' list.

[Thunder Gulch]

So they both choose to ignore "grass" horses that have impacted the sport for generations, but they make no such limitations on synthetic specialists? And while they exclude grass horses, where exactly does John Henry rank with just the dirt efforts?

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

What, no Colin? Sysonby? Domino? Salvator? Lexington? American Eclipse? Sir Archy? When you say "ever to have raced in this country", you are covering a lot of time and a lot of types of racing. I think this list covers only the "modern era", post-WWI, but even then, it is heavily weighted to the post-WWII era.

The article did say "in the last 50 years", for what it's worth.

It's still a laughable ranking for a horse that has largely faced nothing. Part of that isn't her fault- there isn't quality competition for her to face right now in ANY division. But in my humble opinion, you gain the level of "greatness" required to be on this type of list by facing, and beating, horses that are either on this list as well or would be under some consideration. If none of those are available, then dominance can be looked at as a proxy- and despite winning 17 in a row, only a few times has she been dominant on a Ruffian type level.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by philcski

If none of those are available, then dominance can be looked at as a proxy- and despite winning 17 in a row, only a few times has she been dominant on a Ruffian type level.

Workouts and dance move dominance do not count.