{"id":12874,"date":"2024-07-11T12:35:35","date_gmt":"2024-07-11T09:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=12874"},"modified":"2026-01-21T11:40:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T08:40:38","slug":"best-race-horses-in-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/best-race-horses-in-history\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Best Race Horses of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most ancient sports known to mankind, horse racing remains a popular sport across the globe. Archeological findings show that horse racing existed in Ancient Greece, Babylon, Egypt, Ancient Rome, and many other ancient civilizations. By the 7th century BCE, both chariot and mounted races became part of the Greek Olympic Games.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While the main premise of the race \u2014 determining which one of two or several competing horses is the fastest on the given distance \u2014 has largely remained intact throughout most of its existence, formats do vary greatly. Some races include obstacles, they may vary in distance or track surface. Some races are limited to specific breeds only, while others put restrictions on running in a specific gait.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of Horse Racing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Based on the distance, obstacles, and other defining factors, horse racing is divided into several types. Different breeds are used for different types of races, though the selection may slightly vary by country. Breeders also work on breeding <\/span>best race horses that will excel in each of these disciplines.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flat Racing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Probably the most common type of racing globally, flat racing implies that horses gallop between two points. Though straight tracks exist, most of them are typically oval in shape. Surfaces vary by continent. Turf is more common for Europe, while in North America and Asia horses run on dirt. Individual races can vary between 400 m and 6.4 km. The most common distances are five and twelve furlongs (1 km and 2.4 km respectively).<\/span><\/p>\n

Jump Racing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Also referred to as steeplechase or National Hunt racing (in Great Britain and Ireland), this race includes obstacles. Generally, all jump races can be divided into hurdles (with at least eight obstacles over 3.5 ft high and a minimal distance of 3.2 km) and steeplechase (with a diverse set of fence and ditch obstacles). However, in modern racing the term \u201csteeplechase\u201d can refer to different things, for example, in the US it combines any type of jump racing, while in Great Britain and Ireland it is used for races over large obstacles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Harness Racing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A modern descendant of the ancient chariot racing, in harness racing horses trot or pace while also pulling a driver in a lightweight cart called sulky. In this race, horses are distinguished by the type of gait they use. Trotters are generally considered to be faster.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Saddle Trot Racing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0This type is more common in Europe and New Zealand. Horses are selected to participate in saddle trot racing based on their ability to trot on a flat surface with a jockey in the saddle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Endurance Racing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In this race, horses travel over long distances. Distances in endurance races may vary anywhere from 40 to 161 km and are divided into five categories based on their length: pleasure rides, non-competitive trail rides, competitive trail rides, progressive trail rides, and endurance rides. Due to the great length of trails, endurance races are mostly conducted on natural terrain, with longer ones lasting for several days.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best Race Horses of All Time<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Every horse participating in races is an outstanding athlete, whether it wins or not. And though there is always a champion at the end of each race, only a few names remain in history, be it for their achievements, physical qualities, or just the story behind becoming a winner. While such lists can be biased depending on what aspects you take into consideration, here is our take on the <\/span>best race horses in history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Man O\u2019War<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Out of 21 races he participated in, Man o\u2019War won 20, which is an impressive feat for any race horse. The only defeat happened during his first ever race, after which Man o\u2019War would always come on top of all contestants. With looks matching his athletic prowess, Man o\u2019War stood at 16.2 hands and had a 72 inch girth. It was often for him to carry additional weight during races and still come first. It also seemed like the terrain and distance were of no consequence for him. After Man o\u2019War retired, his son The Admiral continued his legacy. In 1920, Man o\u2019War was named the American Horse of the Year, and in 1957 he would go on to join the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.<\/span><\/p>\n

Secretariat<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Often called Big Red, Secretariat raced between 1972 and 1973. He is arguably one of the most well-known horses even outside the racing world and is often described as a perfect example of stature and athletic qualities in a horse. In 1973, Secretariat got his Triple Crown title. He also set the record for the fastest time in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, which hasn\u2019t been broken since. Secretariat is probably the only horse in history who had his own secretary to deal with fan mail. He has been a member of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame since 1974, and got a movie named after him made in 2010.<\/span><\/p>\n

Citation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Though born in Kentucky, Citation could track his bloodline back to Europe. With an impressive career in the races, his reputation was so widespread that for one of the Stakes no other horse showed up, leaving Citation as the only contestant simply because they knew there was no sense competing against him. Citation would go on to become the first horse to earn a million dollars during his racing career. In 1948, he was titled the Horse of the Year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Fager<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Named after the surgeon who saved his trainer John Nerud, Dr. Fager was known in the horse racing world as the Speed Demon. Despite having a club foot, his speed on the tracks was unprecedented. Considered one of the fastest horses in the world, he stood at 16.2 hands. In 1968, Dr. Fager won four titles, becoming the only horse to achieve this in a calendar year. In 1971, he was inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Zenyatta<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When you are named after the album <\/span>Zenyatta Mondata<\/span><\/i> by the British rock band The Police, you are probably destined to achieve great things in life. Often called the Queen of Racing, she was the first mare to win at the Breeders Cup Classic. Impressive in size, Zenyatta stood at 17 hands and weighed over 1,200 pounds. Besides her outstanding achievements, the audience frequenting horse races knew her for putting up a \u201cdance show\u201d before the race, as she pranced around excitedly. In 2010, she was awarded the title of the American Horse of the Year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Black Caviar<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Despite her stout build, once she would start racing, Black Caviar moved like light. Throughout her career, she added an achievement after an achievement to her credit. Some of the most impressive ones include being the first horse outside Europe to win the European Champion Sprinter as well as the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in England. Out of the 25 races Black Caviar participated in in her career, she never lost one. From 2011 to 2013 she was named as the Australian Racehorse of the Year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kelso<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While some horses are born with the looks of a winner, others can be described as average. Kelso was one of the latter, as from his birth he was considered a runt, i.e. a smaller and weaker horse. And yet, that didn\u2019t stop him from becoming a legend. Having set several records and won multiple races, Kelso became the highest earning horse in his time. During the 1960s he was awarded the title of the Horse of the Year for five consecutive years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seabiscuit<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Even though Seabiscuit was considered too small to race, he had the blood of champions in his veins. As the grandson of the great Man o\u2019War, he could have been one of the sought after horses in his time, but his difficult temper and sluggishness made him an undesirable asset. That is, until trainer Tom Smith came into the picture. Together with Seabsicuit\u2019s new owner Charles S. Howard and jockey Red Pollard, they began their ascent to triumph. The 2003 film <\/span>Seabiscuit<\/span><\/i> tells the story of the three men and a horse, each battling their own issues, while doggedly moving towards victory. Seabiscuit eventually rose to the top, becoming the highest earning horse in the 1940s. In 1938, he was named as the Horse of the Year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Winx<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One thing immediately noticeable about Winx was the way she could accelerate effortlessly at any time in a race. Throughout her career, she only lost six times, and that also when she was starting out and still growing. Since then, she became the highest earning Australian horse, at the same time setting a world record with the amount of her earnings. She was named the Australian Horse of the Year for several years in a row and was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seattle Slew<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At the beginning of his career, Seattle Slew was described as an unattractive horse. Nobody expected him to become an audience favourite. Yet, he went on to create a phenomenon known as \u201cSlewmania\u201d. His electrifying personality and the way he connected with the public gained Seattle Slew immense popularity. In addition to that, he proved to be an exceptional racing horse, having won 14 out of 17 races he participated in. He was the only horse to have won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes without having a single defeat on the record. In 1981, Seattle Slew was inducted into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the most ancient sports known to mankind, horse racing remains a popular sport across the globe. Archeological findings<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":12875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[464],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-horse-racing"],"yoast_head":"\nRanking Best Race Horses In History - 7bet.co.uk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Race horses are ranked just like human athletes. But who are the best race horses of all time? 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