Legendary Horse: Man o' War
When it comes to horse racing, the 1920’s were the golden times for Thoroughbreds. The most legendary of them was, of course, Man o’ War – the great stallion born in Kentucky who set every standard for a racehorse. Now 100 years after his birth, he is still remembered as classy and invincible, the one no other horse could ever match. Here is his story:
Man o’ War’s Excelling Performance
By Fair Play and out of Mahubah, Man o’ War was a tall and beautiful chestnut colt born in 1917. Much like her sire, the English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand, Mahubah was a nervous mare. Man o’ War was also famous for his high-strung attitude and lack of patience.
He was bred by August Belmont II, a well-known figure in breeding at the time. Belmont knew all along that Man o’ War was one of his most precious horses, despite the colt’s simple looks in his growth stage. By age two, Man o’ War had turned into a strong, fast, and charismatic horse with ideal proportions and his head held high. He had enviable agility while carrying 130 pounds, not to mention his 28-foot stride, still considered the widest ever.
In 1918, Belmont volunteered for military service, making him sell his yearlings, including Man o’ War. The colt sold for $5,000. Given his forthcoming success, it was an incredibly good bargain. His new owner, sportsman and business owner Samuel Riddle, enjoyed the fame that came with owning the greatest horse of all-time until the end of his life.
In 1919, Man o’ War started his racing career at Belmont Park. What followed was a strike of staggering wins over the next two years. Man o’ War managed to break every single record, leaving high standards even for today’s Thoroughbreds.
He won 20 of 21 races as the favorite each time, and won 14 races in a row. He could carry 140 pounds with speed and agility. In addition to his strength, he was beautiful and charismatic. Fans from all over the United States came to see him. Some tried to snatch hairs from his tail or mane. With the fame came numerous assassination attempts, and Riddle had to hire security guards for himself and his horse.
Through all this, Man o’ War proved to be invincible, making other racehorses look like ponies. He was only a half-length away from obtaining a perfect career.
Photo: Times Union Archives
The One Defeat
Man o’ War’s lone defeat is still one of the most controversial in the history of horse racing. As a 2 year old in the Sanford Memorial, Man o’ War started prematurely five times. While jockey Johnny Loftus was trying to tame Man o’ War, the race started, leaving the unprepared Man o’ War behind. The race starter that day was a 70-year-old man, who may have not seen that not all horses were ready to start. Nevertheless, Man o’ War still came in second by half a length to a horse named Upset. Upset and Man o’ War competed in six more races together, each of which Man o’ War won.
Nobody knows what could have happened and why there was so much controversy around that race. Both horses’ jockeys were disqualified next year, with no right to race again.
Man o’War’s Legacy
Despite his one defeat, Man o’ War had a brilliant career. By the time he was four, there were no more races for him in the United States, so he shipped to England. The race conditions demanded Man o’ War to carry an extra 10 pounds, which Riddle felt would be too much.
Man o’ War was retired in 1922, and nobody ever knew his true potential. Perhaps he could have won even more races and set even more records. At stud, he sired champions American Flag, Florence Nightingale, and Bateau.
When Man o’War died in 1947 of a heart attack, over 2,000 people came to say goodbye. He was buried in Kentucky, where he was born and lived, but never raced. He will stay in the hearts of horse racing fans forever as the greatest, strongest, and simply the coolest horse of all-time.
~Written by Alex Norwood