BEST RACE EVER... The Thread.

[Kasept]

Watching 2007 Tampa Bay Derby inspired the idea to start this thread: Best race(s) you've seen in person. Went to TBD with Cajungator that St. Patrick's Day for the Street Sense-Any Given Saturday throwdown that is as terrific now as it was then. Watching it, a few forgotten elements are jarred including Any Given Saturday being 3-5 (!) v. Street Sense at 6-5 and Velazquez losing all that ground on the turn. An outstanding call by Grunder too..

2007 TAMPA BAY DERBY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOdODLV8QUw

Post your Best Race(s) Ever Attended -- with video if possible -- and your recollections..

[herkhorse]

Rachel Alexandra's Woodward.

http://youtu.be/ysO_Fhc8Fpw

I was on the fence, midstretch. You can't hear it on this video, but the noise was like nothing I had ever heard. Used to have a great video on my old phone, I'd play it to my non-racing fans just so they could hear the crowd. It was incredible.

[OTM Al]

The Rachel Alexandra Woodward was spectacular but my favorite is Goldikova taking her 3rd straight BC Mile in 2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7dxPSOhbDU

Enjoyed that one so much it threw me off my game and I missed one of the easiest exactas of all time in the Classic

[dellinger63]

The 2007 Belmont. Rags to Riches over Curlin.

Byk had just introduced us to some regular caller to ATRAB who wouldn't shut up going on and on about Holy Bull and as the race before the Belmont ended announces we should leave and go over to his house to watch the Belmont on his 'flat screen'. We explained we came all the way from Chicago for this race and preferred to watch this live standing at the finish line but I don't think he ever got that. It also helped that we were all over Rags.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xhrOk7jjTI

[South Beach Luv]

Game on Dude - 2013 Pacific Classic

We got to meet him the morning before which made it extra special. To see the laid back, cool as a cucumber gelding go out and dominate like he did the next day was amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwzzHt0s3ao

If you FF to the 4:00 mark you can see me highfive the Mrs

[Benny]

This race was the most exciting racee EVER !!! Maybe because i was live on small pick 6 ticket , I had Carson Hollow singled and my buddy had You singled and we both ended up with 5 of 6. Another outstanding call by the incomparable Tom Durkin. and jerry Bailey riding the hair off you in tight.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u03E155wcIE

[Conrad]

I was there for his Preakness win - simply amazing.
The race itself wasn't close, but what happened (and almost happened) at the top of the lane was storybook.

[Seattleallstar]

Originally Posted by Benny

This race was the most exciting racee EVER !!! Maybe because i was live on small pick 6 ticket , I had Carson Hollow singled and my buddy had You singled and we both ended up with 5 of 6. Another outstanding call by the incomparable Tom Durkin. and jerry Bailey riding the hair off you in tight.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u03E155wcIE

this is mine

[Benny]

Funny the first 2 postss were both races which i attended and while th TBD derby was eciting , the Rachel alexandraWoodward was ear shattering with all rising from their seats to applaud her as she came back to the winners circle.

BUT 2 races stand oout to me, the first being the 2007 Belmont Stakes where Rags To Riches beat Curlin and the Belmont stands shook; and that takes some doing ! Enjoy Tom Durkins marvelous call d

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xhrOk7jjTI

[NavalOrange]

Originally Posted by herkhorse

Rachel Alexandra's Woodward.

http://youtu.be/ysO_Fhc8Fpw

I was on the fence, midstretch. You can't hear it on this video, but the noise was like nothing I had ever heard. Used to have a great video on my old phone, I'd play it to my non-racing fans just so they could hear the crowd. It was incredible.

I thought you would say the 2013 Derby watched at Vernon Downs.

80-1....80-1.....80-1....

[OldDog]

The most exciting race that I attended was the 2010 BC Classic. Really the entire day was great, including being blown away by Uncle Mo's performance in the juvey and finally seeing in person one of my all time faves Gio Ponti, who unfortunately fell short in the mile to Goldikova but I was glad to see her in the flesh, too.

The Classic had been so hyped and the crowd was electric. As the race unfolded we thought that Zenyatta was toast, but her rally and the accompanying roar from the stands was awe inspiring, followed by a mass deflation as Blame held on. That oscillation in the crowd, from low to high to low again, was a sensation that I'll never forget. My own low was eased as I realized that, thanks to my doubling up on the trifecta box that an old friend had given me to bet for him, I had a nice ticket to cash. Thanks, John.

The 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Et15M6wsPo

[Port Conway Lane]

Originally Posted by OldDog

The most exciting race that I attended was the 2010 BC Classic. Really the entire day was great, including being blown away by Uncle Mo's performance in the juvey and finally seeing in person one of my all time faves Gio Ponti, who unfortunately fell short in the mile to Goldikova but I was glad to see her in the flesh, too.

The Classic had been so hyped and the crowd was electric. As the race unfolded we thought that Zenyatta was toast, but her rally and the accompanying roar from the stands was awe inspiring, followed by a mass deflation as Blame held on. That oscillation in the crowd, from low to high to low again, was a sensation that I'll never forget. My own low was eased as I realized that, thanks to my doubling up on the trifecta box that an old friend had given me to bet for him, I had a nice ticket to cash. Thanks, John.

The 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Et15M6wsPo

I'll third that.
1981 gotham stakes is another favorite of mine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZUyqf6B0hM

[Danzig]

the martha washington at oaklawn the first time i went. the horse who won (explosive beauty) hadn't won in a year (since last racing at oaklawn) but her finishing on top gave me my first pick three win. private emblem ran a race or two before, an allowance/optional claimer.
it was also the first pick three i ever bet. on top of that, first time i'd ever been to live races. kelly was with me, and we had a blast.

[blackthroatedwind]

Affirmed and Alydar in the Belmont. Two truly great horses, as great a rivalry as racing has ever seen, meeting for the ninth time, with everything on the line, literally dueling for over six furlongs, nose to nose.

I've seen a lot of great races. I hope to see many more. None will ever equal that.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Affirmed and Alydar in the Belmont. Two truly great horses, as great a rivalry as racing has ever seen, meeting for the ninth time, with everything on the line, literally dueling for over six furlongs, nose to nose.

I've seen a lot of great races. I hope to see many more. None will ever equal that.

That was a few years before my time, but that's how I feel about the 85 Strub. Those were some damn good horses and they fought bitterly for about the last half of the race, after Precisionist was dueled through a very swift half of the race.

[GenuineRisk]

Rags to Riches-Curlin's Belmont. That year NYRA sold riser seats right in front of the finish line and when I filled out the application I noted that I and my racing buddy are short (true) and could we please be as close to the front of the section as possible? They put us in the front row, right in front of the finish line. Since it wasn't crowded my friend's boyfriend was able to sit with us. They'd had a squabble earlier in the day, and hadn't been speaking to each other much but Rags winning suddenly made everything okay. Who knew a great horse race could do double duty as couples therapy?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Affirmed and Alydar in the Belmont. Two truly great horses, as great a rivalry as racing has ever seen, meeting for the ninth time, with everything on the line, literally dueling for over six furlongs, nose to nose.

I've seen a lot of great races. I hope to see many more. None will ever equal that.

whenever the subject of great races comes up, that is the very first race i always think of.
if people ask why one is a race fan, you need do no more than show them that race. it doesn't get any better than that.

[Payson Dave]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Affirmed and Alydar in the Belmont. Two truly great horses, as great a rivalry as racing has ever seen, meeting for the ninth time, with everything on the line, literally dueling for over six furlongs, nose to nose.

I've seen a lot of great races. I hope to see many more. None will ever equal that.

I wasn't at the Belmont that year but I was at the Travers where Alydar and Affirmed dueled it out again...

[alysheba4]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Affirmed and Alydar in the Belmont. Two truly great horses, as great a rivalry as racing has ever seen, meeting for the ninth time, with everything on the line, literally dueling for over six furlongs, nose to nose.

I've seen a lot of great races. I hope to see many more. None will ever equal that.

.....Easy goer and Sunday S. Preakness was close.........

[Gate Dancer]

My top 2 are the 1990 Ky Derby and the 2012 BC Classic..............

I was all over Summer Squall during the prep races and was convinced he was going to help me crush the Derby. I was only in the infield but the electricity was unreal. In front of me was a full 'Southern' gentleman and his wife both decked out in vintage formal derby wear and behind me was a guy and his wife in cutoff shorts and t-shirts smoking some 'funny' cigarettes all day. I was mortified when I saw Unbridled cruise up to Summer Squall and roll by. I did feel a bit better when I saw the rebroadcast with the Natzger-Genter iso and was moved by the moment. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUGQV3Q5K50"]

At the BC Classic I had grandstand seats at the top of the stretch and remember how there was a bit of a lull in the crowd as they figured out that Game On Dude just didn't have it that day and then the roar picked back up the length of the stretch as Fort Larned and MMM dueled to the wire. I was totally convinced that MMM was going to blow by.
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXpuUZ17aQs"]