Juddmonte International

Frankel said:
You are kidding me surely about my last run. Cirrus had his optimum conditions and was no pushover. Frankel lost a few lengths at the start, hacked past and probably thought that's enough thanks when in front. Was a cracking performance which you could probably mark up. Also look who was back in 3rd.
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We are talking the real Secretariat, Sea Bird, Mill Reef type performances here That performance against Cirrus doesn't even comes close to Belmont the Arc or the Prey Ganay.............no where near as breathtaking.........in fact it was dull in comparison. You want to talk the stunning 2000 Guineas performance or the total destruction of the brilliant Canford Cliffs then you are in the right ball park
 
Tanlic, I'd doubt you'll hear a roar from a flat race like the last 2 furlongs in Frankel champion stakes. When he came outside CDA, after missing the break on a soft ground and he was pulling clear, the crowd made a roar that shook the earth. It was breathtaking. I agree it wasn't so impressive in terms of lengths, it only managed a 139 Timeform vs the 143+ that he usually performed at.
 
Carl said:
secretariats Belmont has to be the greatest performance ever from a racehorse, does anybody disagree with that ?
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I don't rate dirt performances too much personally but it was one of the greatest US performances and definitely in top 100 of all time internationally. I'm not an expert in US racing but ManOwar's winning by more than 100 lengths was held in higher regard by the US old timers from what I've read.
 
That Belmont ruined the horse a bit but was, along with Frankel's guineas, the most visually impressive and awe inspiring performance i've ever seen.... Best on ratings, don't know but not sure that matters..... :)
 
no but talking performance individually, ManO war set a world record in that race and plus 100 lengths to the runner-up must've impressed alot of people.. and there were many other individual dirt performances, like Arazi in the juvenile cup, etc. All great horses have in common a performance that defined them, that people remembered them for, Frankel had 3 of those in the 2000 G(as a 3yo), Queen Anne(over a mile) and Juddmonte(over 10f). I remember him for St. James P. as any other race horse in history would've lost that race given how far he was sent for home. Thats why he's the greatest.
 
From a visually impressive aspect I'd have Arazi's as number 1. The others literally seemed to be standing still the way he weaved through them.

Secretariat beat Sham into 2nd in both the Derby & Preakness and that horse was seen as his only viable "danger" beforehand in the Belmont.

Today Big Red would be slated for only beating the same horses over and over ;)
 
As much as I was a huge fan of Frankel and Sir Henry and this is just a personal thing I thought Sea Bird was the classier horse.

Overall Frankel had a better record as Sea Bird the 2yo was no great shakes

However Sea Bird the 3yo was brilliant and the perfect racehorse.......he just glided through his races barely moving a muscle as he changed gear and was never stretched in any of his 5 races.

For me the difference was Frankel never gave the impression he would have found a lot more in the majority of his wins but Sea Bird won all 5 races with an absolute ton in hand.

As for Secretariat how he would have fared against Sea Bird is hard to say but I'd have to say what he did in the Belmont was so utterly amazing I doubt if any horse would have beaten him that day.

Some horses are born with total class then you get animals who on there day of levels are unbeatable freaks of nature like Arkle and Secretariat
 
Impossible to compare across generations, surfaces and distances (and different drug testing regimes) but I'm with Tanlic in that I can't envisage any horse being able to beat Sea Bird II over a mile and a half on turf in the form of his 3yo season.
 
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