The Most Famous Losses In Horse Racing History
Posted March 22, 2011 – 6:41 am in: Sports
The 2011 March Madness betting tournament allows horse race handicappers the time to reflect on some of the greatest upsets in the industry. With the horse betting world losing Zenyatta to retirement after her defeat at the Breeders Cup in November, we felt now was as good a time as any to look back at some other huge defeats. Here are two that come to mind.
War Admiral 1938 – In 1937, War Admiral accomplished the rarest feat in thoroughbred racing history, by winning the American Triple Crown. The three stage race is made up of the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs, Preakness Stakes and Pimlico Race Course, and the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. The Triple Crown victory was the first one in nearly seven years, and allowed War Admiral the opportunity to be named the horse of the year.
In 1938, however, War Admiral would become famous for another reason, as he returned to Pimlico to race the legendary Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit was a year older than War Admiral, and going into the race, many thought War Admiral would leave Seabiscuit in his dust. However, instead of leaving Seabiscuit in his dust, War Admiral was the horse that lost the race, in the biggest upset of the century.
Zenyatta 2010 – Over the last three and a half years, Zenyatta has been able to return American thoroughbred racing back to a prominent sport that everyone can enjoy. Going into her November 2010 defense of the Breeders Cup Classic, Zenyatta and jockey Mike Smith were riding a 19 consecutive start winning streak.
Historically a slow starter, Zenyatta would start the Breeders Cup Classic at the back of the 13 horse field and many thought she may have injured herself. However, as the horses made the final turn at Churchill Downs, Zenyatta was able to fly all the way to the front of the pack, directly behind a horse named Blame. Ultimately, Zenyatta would lose literally by a nose to Blame, and forever be remembered as a horse that flirted with 20 wins.
Tags: Breeders Cup, horse betting, Horse Racing, Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown
