The seventies was the greatest decade in thoroughbred history. Spectacular Bid broke some of Secretariat's records but remember he did it as a 4-year old. Secretariat retired at three. Secretariat...Spectacular Bid...Seattle Slew...Affirmed...Alydar...Forego...Exceller...Flying Pastor...what an exciting period in Horse racing!
This looks like the greatest four-horse race in history. Blazing fractions. Big-time fight for the lead through the far turns, and a stretch gear by The Bid that was immense. Hard as the track may be, 1:57:80 is utterly staggering. Only Secretariat's performance at the Belmont ranks above that. And only because of the nature and stakes of that win. One world record that looks untouchable. Just like 2:24 looks untouchable, although no doubt the Bid got within that area trotting out here.
It is true that California tracks are notorious for being fast. That doesn't change the fact that The Bid put on a display in this race. He ran like a beast just about everywhere. He was a great racehorse.
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 arlington that day 1 1/8 mile carrying 130 POUNDS 146 and change record still stands
i always rooted for flying paster- he gave everything- just like alydar vs affirmed- if not for affirmed -alydar would be known as a great horse. same with the paster. got to give it up for spectacular bid- he was the real deal.
Great viewing,we{in australia}had a topline grey horse racing in our top 1200-1400 meter races in the mid 90's called spectacular spy,one of my favourites a real tough front runner I had no idea his dad was such a champ what a horse! Thank you.
Spectacular Bid was magnificent. I can't think of a horse as good since. Poor Flying Paster, he would have swept the Strub series any other year and probably finished the Strub in sub 2 minutes.
cf1970 As always THANKS! The Bid was my all time favorite. I followed him closely as a 2 year old when he won what I considered at the time a 2-year-old fall Triple crown by winning the Young America at the Meadowlands, The Champagne at Belmont,& the Laurel Futurity in Maryland. The Belmont Stakes was a heartbreak. For that matter so was The Jockey Gold Cup against Affirmed. Flying Paster was a good sport. He reminds me of the saying "always Bridesmaid, never a Bride".
Fast Cal track or not,the fractions of 22-44 3/5-1:08 2/5-1:32 4/5-1:57 4/5!!!Yeah that track was probably hard,but The Bid still had to go out and do it,and my friends he did it in style. That is the world record for 1 1/4 on dirt. If the track was THE REASON,then someone would have tied or broken it since then. I doubt it will ever happen,horses like him don't grow on trees. Remember he beat some pretty good ones in this race.
Saw the Bid at Delaware Park in his first race back after the Belmont. Bill Shoemaker came in rode Bid and also a great filly in the Del Oaks . Wide world of sports covered the race . Remember Howard Cosell walking in thru the paddock wearing the gold wide world of sports coat. Memorable day.
@1948BigCy totally agree. I'm 40 and been watching this sport since I was 6. In my life and humble opinion, The Bid was the most dominant I've ever seen. You could argue The Slew was better because he won the Crown, and the Slew is my fave of all time, but I say most dominant because of the track records the Bid owns and the fact that in 1980, no one even came out to face him. They were scared to death to run against The Bid.
The Bid WAS an outstanding horse, no doubt. But I agree with below, he was set up perfectly for this race/record. He basically had a blowout ride with a pacer the entire race to push him. It almost looks like it was set up that way its so perfect. Bid was no Secretariat though, Sec. did things as a 3-year old Bid never did his entire career. God knows what Sec. would have done as a 4/5 year old. Bid was great though.
if you want to see the best "bid" race check 78 florida derby, ronnie franklin didnt know what he waas doing and other jockeys were out for him, cut Bid off twice and ronnie had to pull Bid up not once but twice I was at OTB and almost vapor locked, Bid was at a trot collected himself and took ronnie along for the ride, blew them away--
I spotted Barrera watching the works, walked toward him... He end his crew all suddenly started speaking Spanish! Guess they thought I was trying to "steal" some information or something...
I am not a horse racing guru, but lived during Secretariat. The horse was awesome. I also believe in the 2 cents of worth of comments made by one's who saw even MOW as HALL of FAMER Hallie Hughs and Racing horse announcer Charles hatton who both said Secretariat was the greatest. What would he had done as a 4 year old...? maybe take to the friendly skies...
Wow... I was actually AT this race! Had never found a replay of it til now. One thing I remember from when I was leaving the track... Some dude who had lost his money on Flying Paster was bashing his jockey for a "bad ride". Said he started his move too late. I was like.... "Dude, the Bid broke the world record, and the Paster almost tied it..." :)
Not only was I there, but I went early and had breakfast there while watching horses work out; a great experience... Even better was when I spotted Relaunch's trainer, Laz Barrera, and approached him for an autograph... to be continued do to post-size limits
After it became obvious I was just a fan, he signed an autograph for me, right on top of the Racing Form's cartoon of the Bid. He then told me he was gonna BEAT the Bid that day... Errrr... wrong :)
Definitely the best American horse since Secretariat. Spectacular Bid vs Secretariat in their respective primes hmmm. I'd give the Bid the edge over 10 furlongs or less, Sec over 11 furlongs or more.
Went to arlington park to see him Shoe was up and Delp told him to keep him away from trouble-- during warm up Bid was half a track away while they loaded--
Just for the sake of argument, 1 second does not equal 5 lengths...as Steve Davidowitz once put it, "The only horses that go that slow charge 10 cents a ride". It's closer to 7 lengths per second, which actually supports the 31 length margin. That is why the Daily Racing Form's speed figures are severely flawed, and no serious handicapper relies on them.
Hi again bluster. In I think most recent Blood Horse 'Talkin Horses w/Bill Nack, 5/07 I think, he states that Secretariat wld have broken track record in Laurel Futurity "if Turcotte hadn't folded up on him." Didn't Turcotte think also that it was his most impressive performance as 2 yr old, even more than the Hopeful, which is my favorite.
Yea, Bid was spectacular. I first doubted Delps excuse of a safety pin before the Belmont but his subsequent races proved otherwise. Besides, Coastal was aiming at Bid and the Belmont and was a fresher horse. I saw Bid live at Monmouth Park where his best competition was a champion mare named Glorius Song. She finished 2nd, only 1-1/2 lengths behind but it was never even a contest as Bid was never put to a drive. And, he beat the Paster on his own home turf 3 consecutive times. Impressive
Hi bluster... I know I'll regret getting in here. It's useless to point out the 5 wk pd in which Sec set 3 records as frame of reference re. Bid's 1:57 4/5. 1948BigCy, aka snibbornhoj aka The Hero, calls the TC a "hat trick" to bolster his argument that Citation is superior to Sec. That Sec set record in Marlboro and then an unofficial record pulling up another 1/8 for 1:57 4/5 won't mean anything to him either. cont.
@HorsesForeva95 There is no doubt he was a great horse to the 1 1/4 distance. Was very good at 1 1/2 mile as he proved in his close loss to Affirmed. I would bet if he ran that distance as a 4 year old his time would be much faster. No doubt a stronger horse at 4 than 3. I feel his ranking should have been higher. Far as the Noor & Citation race you can go to British Pathe & watch it. It didn't look like a muddy track to me.
As Charles Hatton put it.... "this sucker sets records pulling up... Snibborn wld have apoplexy if he read latest Nack 'Talkin Horses showing his disgust at syndicate not letting Sec run as 4 yr old, when he suggested Sec wld run with the proverbial refrigerator on his back, that we might see a 1:56+ time.
@bgardiner2000 Tenth??? Does not make sense...Blood Horse is simply consensus of some sports writers...if you have read the Introduction, the writer is already stepping back from the rankings, saying it is impossible to judge horses from different eras...I agree
bluster, weren't there reports contradicting the freakish Belmont track claims that said there was considerable evidence that the track had slowed thru the week and on Saturday too? Actually didn't you mention it also? How come AWSIDOOGER, (maybe he's been in Vegas too long, remember Jimmy the Greek's odds on Secretariat?)and snibborn are focusing on lengths as in 31 as so important, seems to me 2:24 flat is the key. OMG there she goes again TIME TIME TIME!!
The reason that the Bid seems to fly under the radar is his loss in the Belmont, plus his loss to Affirmed in the JCGC when he was 3and Affirmed was 4. Remember too, that the 70's produced THREE triple crown winners. But for a safety pin, and perhaps a not so great ride, Bid surely would have been the fourth. He was totally dominant during his 4YO season - nobody touched him.
Remember in bio before Wd Meml when Jimmy Jones saw Sec for 1st time and said "he's as big as 4 yr old," and Johnny Nerud said "he's bigger than Citation ever was." Wonder if Jimmy's (his Dad?) comment that Sec cldn't drag a wagon or some such remark, was made after Sec lost the WdMeml. How gleeful he must have felt. Must have relished making those snide comments.
Re. 1948BigCy's ref. to argument at other site w/other "Secrephiliac", that you are more knowledgeable. Wonder if it's Amazon reviews of Nack's bio. If so he hasn't apparently been back since his 7/07 response and shld check it out re. R.A. Cardenas last response to him. You shld too, it trumps old Bruce I think.
Hypocrite?? Snibborn pointed out 1st time on Bid Arcaro "took full blame" for Bid's loss. But Sec's 3 losses, no "excuse", such as Wd Meml a puss-oozing quarter size blue abcess rt upper lip at bit(kept fm Turcotte)fighting virus/fever which weakens a horse,yet 2nd in Whitney (Turcotte protested running him);sub'd for Riva bec of sloppy trck in Woodward w/only 2 light workouts for MOW in 2-3wks thinking he cld win anyway. Yes, hypocrite.
