HorseRacingRecords

The statistical facts that result from the thousands and thousands of races run every year add to the intrigue of the sport because it gives a point of reference in evaluating the achievements of any horse, whether it be an individual race record such as a track or world record for a particular distance, or a record that is achieved over time, such as breaking the all time consecutive race win streak.

Only so many horses have entered the Kentucky Derby undefeated, thus when a horse has an undefeated record coming into race, the comparisons can be made with those other horses that have come in with unblemished race records. The legendary Seattle Slew is the only horse that has won the Triple Crown while remaining undefeated, so when Smarty Jones in 2004 attempted to win the Belmont and complete the final leg of this most coveted of feats, the comparisons between him and Seattle Slew abounded.

These sorts of comparisons with past records provide a context by which to measure its achievements. After all, if no such benchmarks existed, how would we know how impressive winning the Triple Crown while remaining undefeated really is? Or if records of the winning times of races were not kept, then when a horse smashes the record, how are we to know just how singular an exertion the performance really was?

Secretariat is widely regarded as the greatest thoroughbred horse in history, and in case his detractors say otherwise, his adherents can point to the raw data he registered on the track. In the 1973 Kentucky Derby he rocketed past the finish line in a new Derby record time of 159 2/5 seconds, which smashed the previous record set by Northern Dancer in 1964 by three-fifths of a second.

The tracking of his internal fractions within the Derby added additional luster to the brilliance of his performance that was seen visually and recorded in the final time by showing that he had traveled each quarter of a mile successively faster than the one before, a feat which had never been accomplished before.

The afore-mentioned is the sort of statistic along with the final time helps the race fan understand better just how good a performance was really put forth.

We will explore all sorts records that have been set in horse racing, and the story behind the setting of those records, from the controversy surrounding Secretariats time in the Preakness (which the Daily Racing form measured to be a new record as opposed to the track clocker who disagreed), to the drama of his world record setting 2:24 performance in the Belmont Stakes, to Spectacular Bids world record setting 1 ¼ mile dirt performance in the 1980 Strub Stakes. Find out the story behind the horse who broke Citation and Cigar’s record for most consecutive wins in North America (and it’s not a male!). The full story behind all the amazing horse racing records set are here for your horse racing reference.