Bid as a 4 year old has a legitimate argument as the best horse ever to race. It's a bold statement but supportable by his performances. The Belmont debacle ruined his triple crown, but his legacy was stamped out in 1980 with a series of ridiculously dominating performances, including the world record at a mile and a quarter on dirt that still stands today. Amazing horse.
In the late 70's the only exposure to American racing that I had as a British kid, were replays of the Triple Crown races on ITV's World of Sport show. I was always wowed by the commentary and the way they referrred to horses by nicknames "The Slew", "The Bid" etc. Affirmed was my favorite, he always seemed to beat a horse who I thought was called "Ali Dah" lol. Always wondered how "The Bid" would have measured up against Troy, the 79 English Derby winner. My feeling now: Bid by a length.
I think with the casual racing fan, that's true. Many will remember the safety pin when they think of SB. However, for people who follow American Thoroughbreds with interest, most would tell you Spectacular Bid is the best since Secretariat. Although the Bid lost to Affirmed as a 3 year old, he had missed his prep for that race, and would never lose again. Bid's four year old season secured his place in history.
My two favorite horses. I like Spectacular Bid more but I'd have to give the Slew the edge in his prime. Affirmed beat Spectacular Bid in the Marlboro Cup but had him by a year. At an even age I'd give it to the Bid. Such great racing in those days!
I was at this race and Bid was the reason. What a FREAK! The loss in the Belmont was due to a bad ride more than anything. Once they put the Shoe on him he was 12 wins and a 2nd to Affirmed in the Jockey Gold Cup. He did run a 1:57 4/5 in the 80 Strub where they went the mile in 1:32 4/5. In his last 24 starts he was the betting favorite 23 times and that Gold Cup was the one exception. Saw him live 3 times and he never disappointed.
I saw bid at arlinton park delp told shoe not to come near any horse I went to gate and Bid came in and started kicking the gate with back foot bang bang bang--shoe yelled start the f--kin race. gate opened bid blew out of gate and shoe stood up and held him back-- three other horses ran off and down the back stretch shoe went 8 wide and blew them away-- most amazing thing a ever saw-- set track record at mileand 1/8 146 and1/5 carrying 130 POUNDS record still stands and shoe never touched him
Jay Hovdey, opened main article in SPUR w/this quote, "If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away." F. Scott Fitzgerald
I totally agree. If he wins The Belmont, like he should have, he's in the arguement with who is the greatest of all time: Secretariat, Man O' War Citation. When looking at his past performances my jaw dropped.
2:02 2/5 - History is held with his still American record (dirt) for 1 1/4 mile at 1:57 4/5, which will never be matched." I love The Bid, he is my 2nd favourite. Bid's 1:57 4/5 was in fact set 7 years previous by Secretariat while EASING through an extra furlong in the '73 Marlboro. I can't think of another horse in history that SET records while cooling down, can you? cf1970
I have an article fm internet written when he died w/description of his life at PA farm and visitors that came to see him. I want to find it and share a certain portion of it with you, I read it with tears rolling down my face.
I always liked Bid and it was an excellent year for 3 year olds. Not sure if I buy the whole safety pin in hoof story but was glad they took Ronnie Franklin off the horse and gave the mount Shoemaker. General Assembly was a grind it out, give it all you got horse.
I sure wish you had included My Olde Kentucky Home post parade like you have for Secretariat. See, I think the way they do this song nowadays is sort of still tearful but not so dramatic, and for Secretariat's Kentucky Derby THAT IS HOW MY OLDE KENTUCKY HOME SHOULD ALWAYS BE DONE. OMG it's SO dramatic. But with Affirmed and Bid it's cut out, somehow. Anyway, thanks for all these great videos. They are heartwarming and yet gutwrenching.
I just bought on Ebay a beautiful copy of an out of print elegant magazine on thoroughbreds called SPUR, maybe you know it. AND FINALLY, FINALLY, Penny is quoted as saying "no, it was Lucien and me who let Secretariat down," and she went on to admit that they raced him w/the abscess (which she didn't know about either), then the fever/virus in Whitney and the undertaining for Woodward which he wasn't supposed to run in.
someone post the 1979 florida derby that was Bids best race-- other jockeys new how good Bid was and new they could screw with franklin-- jockeys cut bid off twice and franklin had to pull bid up almost to a trot I almost vapor locked at OTB-- Bid collected himself pinned his ears back and took ronnie along for ride--- blew them away-- just an amazing horse, very small horse- big big heart when they got Shoe on him oh man, when Bid died shoe was waitin in heaven for him- best horse he ever rode
@bon1042 Just a question: who clocked Secretariat going 1:57 4/5? I just find it unlikely that he could run 1:59 in the Belmont and 1:59 2/5 in the Derby and yet run two seconds faster easing up. Either way, he was an outstanding horse.
... God Bless 'ya cf1970, thanks for this. In Nack's latest 'talkin horses on Blood Horse, his acid opinion of syndication of Sec at 3 is terrific... if run at 4 Nack felt he cld have carried the proverbial refrigerator on his back, even speculated on a time of 1:56 and change if only, if only. AND I wish alyshebaandthebid wld stop denigrating Secretariat by saying his accomplishments were half media hype. see below
You state Secretariat did the 1:57 4/5 EASING up and another poster pointed out the record he set EASING up in Belmont, 2:37+ ? Yet they persist. Charles Hatton said it, "this sucker sets records pulling up." Also puzzling P's comments in SPUR is May 1990, tribute after we lost him. Yet in 1999 ESPN videos, she still states puzzlement about Wd Meml.
See, you should NEVER hold back. I think you've brought out just what was in Nack's bio, the times when he wld comment on how Lucien didn't seem to know what he had in Sec. Remember the scene w/Eddie Maple(?) in office, Lucien said, I still think Riva cld beat Secretariat. Turcotte and Maple(?) just looked at each other and took the bet.
Well, we're out of luck bec if you notice he hasn't been back on S's videos, or he doesn't comment. After he seemed to grow up and open up, he went back to his old ascerbic, bitter ways and blusterjfk finally told him off and wrote him off. He tried very hard to discuss intelligently and counter the guy's false arguments/logic, much to my envy, but when he went bad again, bluster had had it and said enough.
Even carly kaiser came around.. on one video months ago, she actually pointed out w/o saying his name, "coming in second while fighting a fever." (after race it showed in a 103 temp) People don't focus on fact that he never gave up, he fought and fought and didn't fall back. After Woodward he was really blowing, a big horse who needed the 5/8 mi zingers before a race that he thrived on.
my riding instructor has Spectacular Bid's First Ever Baby ....named Spectacular Brat...message me if you want to see for real...spectacular bid is sooo awesome
Remember in bio, before Wd Meml, Jimmy Jones, Citation's trainer, or the son, and Johnny Nerud I think, saw Secretariat and Jones said, .."he's as big as a 4 yr old" and Nerud said, "he's bigger than Citation ever was." I'm convinced that snibborhnhj etc. etc. went to Nack's book when it came out not to read about Sec, but ready to find any way to reject Sec bec he already resented all the "media hype". I think he wld have torn down any horse that took "Big Cy's crown away fm him.
Isn't it amazing how a loss by Citation w/Arcaro as new first time jockey, is excusable by Inversesun(son of The Hero, aka snibbornhj, aka BigCy1948) but Secretariat's 3 losses ar not: Wd Meml a puss-oozing quarter size blue abcess under rt upper lip at bit(kept fm Turcotte)fighting a virus/fever which weakens a horse,yet 2nd in Whitney (Turcotte protested running him);sub'd for Riva bec of sloppy track in Woodward w/only 2 light workouts for MOW in two wks thinking he cld win anyway.
snibbornhj is Bruce J. Robbins spelled backward. I caught it immediately when looking at Amazon last yr and stumbled on comments on Nack's bio. My first encounter w/him was on carly's 9:42 Sec video. His name then was TheHero, little did I know who he was.
Well I hope it was class. But Jones made comment that Sec wasn't good on wet track and that he couldn't haul a wagon or something like that. I had no room to add that part. And just think, after their comments about his size, Sec lost the Wd Meml, wonder what they thought. And I think In his letter to BH in 1999 after No. 1 panel, Turcotte mentioned Johnny Nerud as favoring ManOWar.
@Phanatic24601 Read Charles Hatton PP's in his last article he ever wrote before retirment in fhe Daily Racing Manual 1974. He stated he did. Daily Racing forum clocked him just like they clocked him in the Preakness where they clocked him in 1:53 2/5 and also clocked him pulling up in the Belmont in 2:37 3/5 for the 1 5/8th mile. I can give you the URL in the inbox if you wish.Its not a johnnycomelately statement. Its fact.
Yes, I was referring to your above statements in response to jumptheboxer re. 1:57 4/5. I spend a lot of time ruminating on the slam Secretariat phenomena. It's beginning to crystallize for me that their opinions are mostly very uninformed on him and state their case under the influence of the very media hype mindset that they use to disparage Secretariat, meaning they buy into the uninformedhype that has evolved over the yrs.
