Spectacular Bid

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Looking at the 70's the best I could - I have to think for sure he's the top rated horse since 1970.

He had that sprinter/miler pedigree and was basically a machine between the distances of 7 furlongs to 10 furlongs.




A perfect 24-for-24 record at 15 different tracks - 23 of the 24 wins coming by 1.5 lengths or more. 14 Grade 1 wins - a slew of track records set - a great champion at ages 2, 3, and 4 who ran in all regions.

Certainly faced a lot of quality competition in all regions. A consistantly great speed figure horse as well. He was faster than Affirmed and Seattle Slew on Ragozin at both 3yo seasons VS 3yo seasons and 4yo seasons VS 4yo seasons. Secretariat was faster than the Bid in his three triple crown wins vs Bid's 3 triple crown races .. but overall .. he was as fast and a lot more consistant than "Big Red" at age 3 .. and unlike Secretariat - he actually came back for a 4-year-old season - improved and dominated.

As we all know - that type of progression from age 3 to age 4 doesn't always happen.

[The Bid]

Thanks for posting that freaks PPs

[slotdirt]

Two things:

1. He lost.
2. Ergo, he stinks.

Plus, come on, did he run in the last 40 years? Then he really couldn't have done much for horse racing, 24-24 between 7-10f or not.

[cakes44]

Some of those fractions and final times are amazing. I can't imagine how much time a Pletcher horse would have to take off after any one of those efforts in California.

I guess they never heard of the "bounce" back then.

[Indian Charlie]

Can you please post Zenyatta's PPS to show just how much better she is than Spectacular Bid?

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Can you please post Zenyatta's PPS to show just how much better she is than Spectacular Bid?

Zenyatta has a great cut in terms of her PP's ... she falls a long way short in a lot of different other areas though.

Here are cuts of a few good in-form So. Cal horses The Bid dismantled when he went out West.

* Beau's Eagle (19-9-3-4 lifetime) didn't fare so well in his two meetings:



* Flying Paster (13-for-27 lifetime and voted California horse of the year in '78) he was basically owned by The Bid. Aaron Hesz swears Flying Paster was a sensationally good horse.



* Relaunch (not exactly the best of horses - but a damn good sire. He sired a Breeders Cup Classic winner in Skywalker - and was the dam sire of BC Classic winner Ghostzapper) He got destroyed by the Bid in two meetings.



* Valdez (8-for-16 lifetime classy Grade 1 winner)




Obviously, The Bid faced a lot better competition in the East ... but he just shipped out to So. Cal and absolutely curb stomped all of the best horses out there. He went 1:20 flat in the Malibu off a layoff.

[smuthg]

thanks for posting; pretty f'n amazing!

how far was the Jockey Club Gold Cup he lost to Affirmed in 1979?

[The Bid]

The spacing of the races is amazing. I mean he just ran, took zero out of him and hed come back and jerk them again. Monster

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by smuthg

thanks for posting; pretty f'n amazing!

how far was the Jockey Club Gold Cup he lost to Affirmed in 1979?

1 1/2 miles

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by smuthg

thanks for posting; pretty f'n amazing!

how far was the Jockey Club Gold Cup he lost to Affirmed in 1979?

As mentioned earlier - it was 12 furlongs.

It was also a 3-year-old Spectacular Bid VS a 4-year-old Affirmed.

Len Ragozin wrote a book many years ago called 'The Odds Must Be Crazy' - it was a very good read - but he comes across as a braggart of epic proportions. I'm talking multiple 100/1 shots winners - scoring huge on an imposter horse at 57/1 in a famous betting coup - and even making a $51,000 boxing bet against his idol Muhammed Ali in the fight Holmes destroyed him.

Anyway, he writes about proposing a deal with Affirmed's owner for a $50,000 bet between the two - double booking - with Ragozin taking The Bid. He mentioned that Spectacular Bid was actually consistently faster as a 3yo than Affirmed was as a 4yo...and Affirmed was obviously one of the great 4yo's of all-time.

Spectacular Bid's dam was a Northern Cal sprinter - and he was shockingly beat at 12fs in the Belmont by horses he owned. If you watch the race with Affirmed - it was a total tactical defeat and Bid really ran the better of the two. Affirmed was allowed unpressed on the lead through a 25 flat first quarter. Basically, the trainer and jockey of the Bid were more worried about him getting the distance than they were about Affirmed.

Pincay rode a brilliant race and floated the Bid out on both turns .. he actually seemed to cross into his path turning for home..and the Bid had to dive inside of Affirmed for the stretch run despite being floated wider both turns .. he made up some ground through the stretch but came up less than a length short.

Secretariat and Affirmed both suffered defeats to older horses at age 3 on two occasions each. Seattle Slew put in a non-effort in his only start after the triple crown when drubbed out West in the Swaps. A great 4-year-old should be able to beat a great 3-year-old the majority of the time.

[richard]

His wins were almost all by open lengths . He is laid to rest in his entirety at Milfer Farm, atop a scenic, windswept hill in upstate NY.

Feb 17, 1973 - June 9, 2003

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

As mentioned earlier - it was 12 furlongs.

It was also a 3-year-old Spectacular Bid VS a 4-year-old Affirmed.

Len Ragozin wrote a book many years ago called 'The Odds Must Be Crazy' - it was a very good read - but he comes across as a braggart of epic proportions. I'm talking multiple 100/1 shots winners - scoring huge on an imposter horse at 57/1 in a famous betting coup - and even making a $51,000 boxing bet against his idol Muhammed Ali in the fight Holmes destroyed him.

Anyway, he writes about proposing a deal with Affirmed's owner for a $50,000 bet between the two - double booking - with Ragozin taking The Bid. He mentioned that Spectacular Bid was actually consistently faster as a 3yo than Affirmed was as a 4yo...and Affirmed was obviously one of the great 4yo's of all-time.

Spectacular Bid's dam was a Northern Cal sprinter - and he was shockingly beat at 12fs in the Belmont by horses he owned. If you watch the race with Affirmed - it was a total tactical defeat and Bid really ran the better of the two. Affirmed was allowed unpressed on the lead through a 25 flat first quarter. Basically, the trainer and jockey of the Bid were more worried about him getting the distance than they were about Affirmed.

Pincay rode a brilliant race and floated the Bid out on both turns .. he actually seemed to cross into his path turning for home..and the Bid had to dive inside of Affirmed for the stretch run despite being floated wider both turns .. he made up some ground through the stretch but came up less than a length short.

Secretariat and Affirmed both suffered defeats to older horses at age 3 on two occasions each. Seattle Slew put in a non-effort in his only start after the triple crown when drubbed out West in the Swaps. A great 4-year-old should be able to beat a great 3-year-old the majority of the time.

it was also the bid's final defeat. he was an amazing, awesome, truly great horse who belongs on any top ten list. it's because of horses like him that i shake my head when people say the same about zenyatta. they don't know exactly what they're saying when they make comments like that. he ended one of the greatest decades in the sport, and racing hasn't been the same since he left the scene.

[FATPIANO]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Looking at the 70's the best I could - I have to think for sure he's the top rated horse since 1970.

He had that sprinter/miler pedigree and was basically a machine between the distances of 7 furlongs to 10 furlongs.




A perfect 24-for-24 record at 15 different tracks - 23 of the 24 wins coming by 1.5 lengths or more. 14 Grade 1 wins - a slew of track records set - a great champion at ages 2, 3, and 4 who ran in all regions.

Certainly faced a lot of quality competition in all regions. A consistantly great speed figure horse as well. He was faster than Affirmed and Seattle Slew on Ragozin at both 3yo seasons VS 3yo seasons and 4yo seasons VS 4yo seasons. Secretariat was faster than the Bid in his three triple crown wins vs Bid's 3 triple crown races .. but overall .. he was as fast and a lot more consistant than "Big Red" at age 3 .. and unlike Secretariat - he actually came back for a 4-year-old season - improved and dominated.

As we all know - that type of progression from age 3 to age 4 doesn't always happen.

and have to add that progression from age 2 to age 3 doesn't always happen either.............just look at all of the 2 yr old champions since The Bid, and not one has repeated as 3 yr old champion. He was AMAZING

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by FATPIANO

and have to add that progression from age 2 to age 3 doesn't always happen either.............just look at all of the 2 yr old champions since The Bid, and not one has repeated as 3 yr old champion. He was AMAZING

That void is over in 2 months.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

That void is over in 2 months.

I was just thinking that.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I was just thinking that.

Well, let's use Zenyattard type logic with this, and draw this out to it's logical conclusion.

If Spectacular Bid is the last 2yo champion to also be named 3yo champion, that makes Lookin at Lucky the best male horse since the Bid!!!

[FATPIANO]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Well, let's use Zenyattard type logic with this, and draw this out to it's logical conclusion.

If Spectacular Bid is the last 2yo champion to also be named 3yo champion, that makes Lookin at Lucky the best male horse since the Bid!!!

God forbid, Lucky could not come close to The Bid, and maybe the voters will vote for thr Best 3yr old this year, Eskenderyea and not Lucky

[AeWingnut]

Originally Posted by FATPIANO

and have to add that progression from age 2 to age 3 doesn't always happen either.............just look at all of the 2 yr old champions since The Bid, and not one has repeated as 3 yr old champion. He was AMAZING

Street Sense won both the Juvenile and the Derby - whether he was a named Champion etc.. is just some silly voting thing. He won it on the track

but back to Spectacular Bid

I think if you add up all of his payoffs

Mine That Bird did more for the bettor

[philcski]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Looking at the 70's the best I could - I have to think for sure he's the top rated horse since 1970.

He had that sprinter/miler pedigree and was basically a machine between the distances of 7 furlongs to 10 furlongs.




A perfect 24-for-24 record at 15 different tracks - 23 of the 24 wins coming by 1.5 lengths or more. 14 Grade 1 wins - a slew of track records set - a great champion at ages 2, 3, and 4 who ran in all regions.

Certainly faced a lot of quality competition in all regions. A consistantly great speed figure horse as well. He was faster than Affirmed and Seattle Slew on Ragozin at both 3yo seasons VS 3yo seasons and 4yo seasons VS 4yo seasons. Secretariat was faster than the Bid in his three triple crown wins vs Bid's 3 triple crown races .. but overall .. he was as fast and a lot more consistant than "Big Red" at age 3 .. and unlike Secretariat - he actually came back for a 4-year-old season - improved and dominated.

As we all know - that type of progression from age 3 to age 4 doesn't always happen.

Incredible, thanks for posting. It's a very close determination between him and Sec for best of all time to me. Really depends on how you weigh the TC win versus a 4yo season.

I'd love to know who was favored over him in the Champagne off that ridiculous Atlantic City win.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by philcski

Incredible, thanks for posting. It's a very close determination between him and Sec for best of all time to me. Really depends on how you weigh the TC win versus a 4yo season.

I'd love to know who was favored over him in the Champagne off that ridiculous Atlantic City win.

That's funny.....I hadn't gotten to your post when I wrote mine. General Assembly was pretty strong at that point....I imagine he was favored ( though for some reason I feel like he might have been coming off a close loss to Tim the Tiger probably in the Cowden ).

Once again....these horses all ran before horses bounced.