Frankel, on Top of the World

After Frankel rolled by Cirrus Des Aigles in the grade one Champion Stakes, extending his record to an unbeaten 14 for 14, there was only one thought in my mind… I had just witnessed the greatest horse to ever race of all time. Many, may or may not disagree, as there are many horses worthy of such praise, but again, I think Frankel over the course of three years, has shown that he is above and beyond all.

 

At the conclusion of his career, Frankel’s record reads 14 starts 14 wins, 10 grade one wins, 12 graded stakes wins. Impressive as that is, a more detailed look at his record will show you his versatility. He has wins from seven furlongs to 10 1/2 furlongs, while also winning over soft, good and firm turf. He could decimate you with early speed or run you down from off the pace. Nothing mattered to Frankel, he simply came out and won.

 

At two he showed heart in his first start. He came from off the pace, on soft ground to run down a future star in Nathaniel. He followed that up with a win in a Conditions Stakes before dominating the Royal Lodge Stakes where he beat Slim Shadey and Treasure Beach. Both horses have since come stateside and won graded stakes. He would conclude his juvenile season with a scintillating performance in the grade one Dewhurst, beating future grade one winner Dream Ahead. At the end of the year he would earn the first of many championships, when crowned the champion two year old colt, in 2010.

 

At three, the question was could Frankel carry the brilliance he had shown as a juvenile into his sophomore year of racing. He answered with an emphatic yes in the grade three Greenham Stakes. That would also be the first of many times he would meet Excelebration. He would go on to win four more times in 2011, all grade ones, while adding World Class milers Canford Cliffs and Immortal Verse to his list of beaten foes.  In 2011, he won not only the Cartier Award for champion three year old, but was named Cartier Horse of the Year.

 

In 2012, the unbeaten and brilliant Frankel was had two questions to answer. Could he again, take his three year old form and parlay it into an excellent four year old season, and could he race and win beyond a mile? Both question asked and answered, and after the fact, we have to wonder how we ever could have doubted the unbeaten, unchallenged champion.

 

In previous years Frankel always had one start that was somewhat of a scare. This year there would be no such thing as a close race for him. He would start out the season with two easy victories, crushing his old rival Excelebration in each. He then made history in the Sussex Stakes, becoming the first horse to ever win consecutive runnings of the race. In the process he also beat highly touted group one place Frahh. That would be Frankel’s last time ever running a mile, as his connections announce he would next contest in the group one Juddmonte International, at 10 and a half furlongs.

 

Coming into the Juddmonte Frankel had never been tested over a distance longer than a mile, so the doubters were out in force. They claimed the distance would be the unbeaten champion’s undoing, but Frankel silenced them with a quick and decisive burst that left all who dared to face him in his wake. Behind him was again Farhh, along with St. Nicholas Abbey, a Breeders Cup Turf winner, and Twice Over the defending champion of the Juddmonte. It was supposed to be a daunting task, but Frankel proved that once again, there was a reason he was deemed the best horse in the world. In one race he had answered questions of distance and class, by making two of the best middle distance horses of his era look like they were mere mortals.

 

After the Juddmonte, the connections of Frankel named the colt’s final start to be the Champion Stakes. A full house was on hand for the race, all eager to see if Frankel could end his career the same way he had begun, winning.

 

A slow break did not help, and neither did a clueless ride aboard Bullet Train, Frankel’s long time pace maker. However, as the race progressed it was clear that the break did little to bother Frankel, as he continued to rate comfortably in fourth. As they went around the turn and entered the straight Frankel, on his own accord, began ranged up along Cirrus Des Aigles. Halfway down the straight, Tom Queally finally asked Frankel for run, and he accelerated ahead with a decisive burst. It was no doubt the sternest race of his career, but Frankel still made it look all too easy.

 

For his detractors, Frankel has beaten several group one winners, including Canford Cliffs, Immortal Verse, Dream Ahead, Nathaniel, and Cirrus Des Aigles. He has also beaten three champions in Cirrus Des Aigels, Dream Ahead, and St. Nicholas Abbey. Knowing that he beat these, one cannot possibly say he built his record by beating up on weaker horses.

 

Overall, I rate horses by their body of work, brilliance, longevity and versatility. Frankel’s body of work is one of the best in racing’s modern day era. Beating the horses he did, making the history he did, winning 10 group ones from seven furlongs to 10 and a half is simply outstanding. Brilliance is not easy for a turf horse to display, but he had it in spades. He on many occasion, crushed his opponents with unparalleled speed and acceleration. On the topic of longevity, he performed at the highest level for three season’s straight, earning a total of three championships, and looks to add two more to that count at the end of this season. In the versatility department, Frankel could sprint, he could mile and he could route. If that isn’t enough for his detractors, remember, he also proved he could run over firm, good, or even soft ground. Whatever the distance, whatever the ground, Frankel never had a bad day.

 

Some horses have one of these qualities, some have a combination. Frankel has it all. He was the complete package, as perfect of a horse as the world will ever see. In my book, he is the best to have ever stepped on a racetrack.