From the thunder of hooves to the roar of the crowd, horse racing is one of the most exciting and exhilarating sports. For centuries, people have gathered together at racetracks around the world to watch horses battle it out for a chance to be crowned champion. While every race is filled with anticipation, some moments stand out as being especially thrilling. Here’s a look at some of horse racing’s most exciting moments.
The first moment that comes to mind is when Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont Stakes by an astonishing 31 lengths. His win made him only the ninth Triple Crown winner in history and cemented his place in history as one of the greatest racehorses ever. His victory was so remarkable that even 35 years later, people are still talking about it and it is remembered as one of horse racing’s greatest moments.
Another memorable moment happened in 1997 when jockey Julie Krone became the first female rider to win a Triple Crown race with her victory aboard Colonial Affair in the Belmont Stakes. Her win was not only a great achievement for women in sport but also put a spotlight on female riders who had been fighting for recognition in what was traditionally a male-dominated sport.
The third moment we will look at happened more recently in 2017 when Arrogate won The Breeders’ Cup Classic, becoming only the second horse ever to win more than $10 million dollars in career earnings. Arrogate was considered an underdog heading into this race but he stunned everyone by pulling off an upset victory over California Chrome who had won multiple Grade 1 races earlier that year. His performance demonstrated his strength and determination which made it a truly exhilarating moment for fans across the world who were watching from their homes or cheering from trackside.
Finally, we cannot forget about Zenyatta’s incredible comeback win at the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic which saw her come from behind and beat Blame by just a head bobbing at the finish line. This thrilling victory marked Zenyatta as one of only two horses since Citation (1948) to remain undefeated after 20 races and made her an icon of horse racing forevermore.
Horse racing has given us many amazing moments over its long history and these four are just a few examples of what makes this sport so special and exciting!
