They’re the races that pain us
to watch again, the races that many devoted fans refuse to re-watch, the races
that broke our hearts. Whether it was a demolishment or a photo finish, the
sole defeat of an otherwise undefeated horse is always a sore spot for loving
fans of such a Thoroughbred. We’ve had our fair share of near-undefeated horses
recently, but there have been other horses of that sort in the past as well.
One thing about these horses is certain: they were among the most popular racehorses
of all-time. Here is a look at some of the “One Loss Wonders” of racing’s past:
Zenyatta: The great mare did not begin
her career until Thanksgiving Day of her three-year-old career and after
winning a maiden and an allowance, Zenyatta went into 2008 with two wins in
just as many starts. She posted victory after victory, winning four grade ones
that year, including the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI). A year later, the
“Dancing Queen” captured yet another four grade ones, becoming the only female
racehorse in history to win the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).
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Zenyatta
Photo by Terri Cage |
In 2010, Zenyatta was brought out of a very brief retirement to have one more
year at the races. She continued to reel off wins, earning five more grade one
triumphs as she ran her record to nineteen-for-nineteen, which, at the time,
was tied with Peppers Pride for number of consecutive wins in modern-day North
American racing. Her final start was the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI), a race
full of possibilities for the great mare. A win would not only secure her
immortality for becoming the only horse to go undefeated in twenty career
starts, but she would also be just the second horse to win three times at the
Breeders’ Cup – Goldikova had amassed that achievement earlier in the day – and
also only the second racehorse to ever win the Classic twice.
Of the six losses discussed in this blog, this was the only one I was present
for. That, combined with the fact that Zenyatta is my favorite racehorse of
all-time, leads the loss to hit home for me. Zenyatta broke slowly from the
gate at Churchill Downs – normal for her, but more detrimental than any other
time she’d come out of the starting gate slowly. She never appeared comfortable
as she galloped over a surface over which she’d never raced, seeming to dislike
the kickback that flew towards her. Zenyatta made a valiant rally under Hall of
Fame rider Mike Smith, maneuvering traffic and charging like a freight train on
the outside to miss defeating Blame by an official margin of a head, her head
bobbing past him just after they
flashed under the wire. It was certainly a race for the ages, but it was also
one of the most heartrending races of all-time. It was a race that sent me
rushing out of the grandstand before anyone could stop me, leaving me absolutely
heartbroken. All along, I knew I wasn’t the only one left with a broken heart following the race.
Big Brown: He’d only raced three
times going into the Kentucky Derby (GI), but each of those races – which
resulted in wins – were monster performances. He’d won those three races by a
combined winning margin of 29 lengths. As the favorite in the Derby, Big Brown
cruised to a 4 ¾-length victory. With his impressive victory in the Derby,
hopes were high as he continued on to the second leg of the Triple Crown, the
Preakness Stakes (GI). Yet again, the colt turned in a fantastic performance,
crossing the wire 5 ¼ lengths ahead. The confidence invested in Big Brown as he
proceeded to the Belmont Stakes (GI) in pursuit of becoming the twelfth Triple
Crown winner soared. The racing world was nearly certain that Big Brown was the
one.
However, nothing seemed to go right at the Belmont. Big Brown had recently suffered one
of his infamous quarter cracks, though his connections assured the media the
colt was fine. On race day, the colt was uneasy in the detention barn and as the field warmed up for the twelve-furlong race, the colt was lathered
in sweat, clearly affected by the heat and humidity. The race was over from the
start. His shoe was partly dislodged from his right hind hoof at the beginning
of the race, leaving it only partially on as he embarked on the twelve-furlong
journey – something that surely was uncomfortable for the colt. Big Brown appeared rather
rank throughout the race, though he eventually seemed to find the perfect
stalking position. But the normal Big Brown did not show up. Fans were used to
seeing the colt loom on the outside on the far turn as jockey Kent Desormeaux
sat as still as a statue prior to opening up on the field. Rather, Desormeaux
began urging the colt with a half-mile remaining, getting no response from the
Derby and Preakness winner. Then came the worst part of the race: Big Brown was
eased.
The colt emerged from the race sound, leaving fans devastated by his abnormal,
shocking loss. But he returned later that year to win his last two starts, the
Haskell Invitational Stakes (GI) and the Monmouth Stakes in New Jersey. He was
expected to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) in the fall at Santa
Anita, but a hoof injury forced his retirement. Despite his short career,
unpopular connections, and distressing Belmont loss, Big Brown had rallied fans
to become one of the most popular racehorses of the past decade.
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Smarty Jones
Photo by Terri Cage |
Smarty Jones: Despite his undefeated
record that included a win in the Arkansas Derby (GII), Smarty Jones had plenty
of doubters when he went to post in the Kentucky Derby. Over a very sloppy
track, Smarty Jones settled off the pace set by Lion Heart before pouncing on
the leader as the two turned for home. He hooked up with Lion Heart at the top
of the stretch before looking the horse in the eye and galloping away to a 2
¾-length victory. In the Preakness, Smarty blew his fans away by thundering to
a dazzling 11 ½-length triumph, the largest winning margin in the history of
the race.
It seemed as if we would finally see the first Triple Crown winner in twenty-six
years. As the Belmont approached, fans were eager for Smarty Jones’ bid for the
Triple Crown. As the horses turned for home and continued down the stretch at
Belmont, Smarty seemed to have the win. But Birdstone caught up to the
determined and exhausted colt, sweeping past him to win by just one length.
Smarty Jones was retired months after the Belmont, which ended up being his
last race, due to bone bruises. Though his loss was heartbreaking, it displayed
how elusive the title of Triple Crown winner is, how much love a nation can
share for a horse, and that things can’t always be perfect. It also made it
evident that Smarty Jones was a horse that never gave up.
Brigadier Gerard: As a juvenile, the
British Thoroughbred won each of his four starts. He made his initial sophomore
start in the first leg of the English Triple Crown, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes,
winning the prestigious classic by three lengths. He added five more wins to
his credit in just as many starts, dominating prestigious races throughout
Great Britain. By the end of his three-year-old career, Brigadier had run his
perfect record to ten races. As a four-year-old, Brigadier kicked off his final
racing campaign with victories in five renowned races. The bay colt appeared
unbeatable.
But when he started in the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup in his sixth start as a
four-year-old, he was going ten furlongs – a distance he had won at before, but
not one he really had an affinity for. Facing the Epsom Derby victor, Roberto,
Brigadier Gerard was left behind as the champion colt led the field throughout,
drawing off to an easy win that left Brigadier Gerard with the taste of defeat
for the first and only time of his career.
Brigadier Gerard, however, returned to his winning ways, capturing two more
renowned races – the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Champion Stakes – while forming
a new course record along the way. Despite his loss, he garnered the title of
British Horse of the Year. Though he had a blemish in his record from his sole
defeat, Brigadier Gerard retired with a nearly flawless record and is remembered as one
of the best racehorses Britain has ever seen.
Majestic Prince: The son of Raise a
Native entered the Kentucky Derby with an undefeated record on the line, being
sent off as the favorite despite a deep field that included Arts and Letters
and Top Knight. Down the stretch, Majestic Prince battled Arts and Letters in a
thrilling stretch duel prior to prevailing by a neck. The rivals duked it out
yet again in the Preakness when Arts and Letters loomed on Majestic Prince’s
outside in the stretch. The Derby winner had enough to hold off the great Arts
and Letters by a head to score his ninth straight victory.
When Majestic Prince displayed a tendon issue following the Preakness, it was
debated whether or not he would go for the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes.
But the decision was made that the dual classic victor would go for the feat
that hadn’t been accomplished in twenty-one years despite not being at his
best. It cost him. Majestic Prince was defeated by his rival Arts and Letters
by 5 ½ lengths in the Belmont to lose not only the Triple Crown, but the first
and last race he would ever lose.
The popular colt never raced again after the Belmont, in which he joined a
large assembly of horses that won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness but did not
succeed in the Belmont. Ironically, a similar situation played out in this year's Triple Crown when I'll Have Another was diagnosed with a tendon issue prior to what would have been a Triple Crown attempt in the Belmont. However, unlike Majestic Prince, I'll Have Another was scratched.
Native Dancer: As a two-year-old,
Native Dancer captured all nine of his races and even set a world record time
for six and one-half furlongs while doing so. He was honored as 1952 Champion
Two-Year-Old Male as a result of his spectacular juvenile campaign. Following
wins in the Gotham Stakes and Wood Memorial, Native Dancer went to post in the
greatest race of the year and one he was expected to win, the Kentucky Derby.
But following a bit of a slow break, Native Dancer found himself behind a wall
of horses as the field galloped into the clubhouse turn. On that curve, the
Dancer was interfered with and forced to check, but found a good position after
the incident. But later in the race, Native Dancer faced yet another wall of
horses. After maneuvering traffic, Native Dancer set his sights on the leader,
Dark Star, and despite rallying, he finished a head behind Dark Star to post
his only loss in his career and a defeat in the most important race of the
year.
Native Dancer’s loss hung like a dark, sad cloud over racing fans. This horse
had been expected to win the Triple Crown, but by losing the Derby, he had not
shot at doing so. Though his wins in the Preakness and Belmont were joyous to racing
fans, they were also bittersweet, as the Dancer was just a scant head away from
being a Triple Crown victor. After the Derby, Native Dancer never lost again,
capturing nine more victories. His Derby loss remains a heartbreaker for his
adoring fans, but what he couldn’t accomplish on the track, he made up for in
the breeding shed, siring the winner of the 1966 Kentucky Derby. In fact, nineteen
Derby victors have descended from the Native Dancer sire line.
Man O’ War: Within a span of about two
months, Man O’ War won all six of his initial six starts, many of which were
won by substantial margins. He was viewed as the top juvenile colt in the
nation, having won stakes at four different tracks in New York in impressive
fashion. In his second start at Saratoga, the chestnut colt went to post in the
Sanford.
Also in the field was a colt named Upset, a horse Man O’ War had faced before,
even giving fifteen pounds to the son of Whisk Broom. Yet again, Man O’ War
carried fifteen more pounds than the chestnut with three white stockings. Many
accounts say that Man O’ War was facing the opposite way when the race began,
giving him a huge disadvantage. Johnny Loftus guided the horse throughout the
race, but Man O’ War became boxed in with just a furlong left of the race. The
young jockey angled the brilliant colt to the outside and the two rallied, but
Man O’ War came up a half-length short of Upset to record the only loss of his
career.
Man O’ War’s defeat was a crushing loss, but the colt rebounded and never lost
again, capturing many prestigious races, including the Preakness Stakes,
Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. The son of Fair Play
is still considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all-time. He may
not have been undefeated, but his loss left not only an everlasting effect on
horse racing, but on sports in general. The term upset, used when the favorite – or the competitor/team expected to
win – is defeated by one expected to lose, derived from the name of the single
horse to ever defeat the great Man O’ War.
Sysonby: This horse won his first four
starts with breathtaking ease. In fact, he’d won them by a combined twenty-two
lengths. He was deemed unbeatable, and certainly the best juvenile in the
country.
Everyone expected for the bay colt to win his fifth start, the 1904 Futurity
Stakes at Sheepshead Bay, in spite of having to carry 127 pounds as the
highweight in a deep field. But Sysonby was defeated by a substantial margin as
the eventual champion filly Artful galloped to victory. Many were stunned that
Sysonby had been defeated, but a groom that worked for his owner, James Keene,
confessed that he had drugged the colt as part of a bribe.
Sysonby’s sound but understood, valiant defeat remained the only blemish on his
record as the bay horse went on to win the rest of his starts, though one
victory came in a dead heat in the Metropolitan Handicap. By the end of his
career, Sysonby had won fourteen of fifteen career starts. Unfortunately, the
colt’s career came to a tragic end when he died at the age of four due to variola.
His popularity was evident when the horse was buried, as more than four
thousand people attended the event, bidding their farewells to the brilliant
horse.
The losses of these horses may have left their fans feeling heartbroken and
crushed, but for many of them, it also solidified their greatness. It proved
that not even the best are perfect, and even without perfect racing records,
these horses were flawless in their fans’ hearts and minds.
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