THE BEST of the BEST

Comparing the greatness of racehorses from different eras presents incredible challenges. Training methods change, track conditions vary, foal crop sizes fluctuate, and even how races are timed has evolved. How does one compare Man o’ War, who competed before the days of starting gates and digital timing, to horses from later in the 20th century or the early 21st century? It all makes for a difficult and subjective task — and a great debate.

In attempting the rank the five greatest American racehorses of all time, I put particular emphasis on the lasting legacy of the horse in addition to the accomplishments and records. The outcome, of course, is arbitrary with no right or wrong answer, but here’s where I landed...

2. SECRETARIAT

Fifty years after he won the Triple Crown with record-setting performances in each of the races, Secretariat still holds the fastest times in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. His 31-length victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes is among the finest achievements in sports history. His Belmont time of 2:24 for 1½ miles on dirt set a world record. Secretariat was a cultural phenomenon, appearing on the covers of both Time and Newsweek prior to winning the Triple Crown. Named Horse of the Year in 1972 and 1973, Secretariat won 16 of his 21 career starts.

3. CITATION

When he became America’s eighth Triple Crown winner in 1948, Calumet Farm’s Citation enjoyed perhaps the most impressive single year of a racehorse in history, winning 19 of 20 starts, including 16 in a row. He won at nine different tracks that year at distances ranging from six to 16 furlongs and set a single-year earnings record of $709,470. Citation later became the first racehorse to earn $1 million. Overall, he won 32 races and finished worse than third only once in 45 career starts.

5. NATIVE DANCER

The “Gray Ghost” came up only a head short of perfection in his remarkable career. Alfred Vanderbilt’s imposing colt lost the 1953 Kentucky Derby by a head, but he won every one of his other 21 starts and became racing’s first TV superstar. After winning all nine of his starts as a 2-yearold in 1952, Native Dancer won the Preakness, Belmont, Arlington Classic, Travers, and American Derby, among others, as a sophomore. He was Horse of the Year in 1954 when he won the Metropolitan Handicap. He carried 137 pounds to victory in his final start. Native Dancer was undefeated in six starts at Saratoga.

4. KELSO

Kelso did things on the racetrack that aren’t even imaginable in today’s era. Voted Horse of the Year five consecutive times (1960 through 1964), he set or equaled eight track records and set three American records during his career. A small dark bay gelding, Kelso won the prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup in each of his Horse of the Year campaigns. He also won the Woodward three consecutive years (1961 through 1963) and won three editions of the Whitney at Saratoga (1961, 1963, 1965).

Kelso carried 130 or more pounds 24 times, winning 13 of those races. Overall, he won 39 of his 63 races and earned $1,977,896.