Retrospective Champion Stayers (Part 2) · 17.03.10
Left Coast Racing presents the continuation of its Retrospective List of Champion Stayers. Part 1 covered the years 1989-2007. Part 2 covers 1973-1988, taking us back to the beginning of the graded stakes era in North America.
As in Part 1, top horses for each year were selected based on their record in races of 1 1/2 miles or longer, adjusted (roughly) according to each race’s grade-level, and taking into account head-to-head results between leading contenders. Victories in dirt races are generally given more weight, reflecting North American racing tradition. Horses listed as “honorable mentions” are cases where either the rankings are very close, or the horse’s accomplishments, while not championship-calibre, warrant special mention.
- 1988 — Great Communicator (1st: Breeders’ Cup Turf, Hollywood Turf Cup S., San Juan Capistrano Invitational H., San Luis Obispo H.; 2nd: San Luis Rey S., Oak Tree Invitational H.)
- 1987 — Theatrical (1st: Breeders’ Cup Turf, Turf Classic Invitational S., Sword Dancer H., Hialeah Turf Cup H.)
(also Champion Turf Horse) - 1986 — Dahar (1st: San Juan Capistrano Invitational H., San Luis Rey S.; 2nd: Sunset H., Hollywood Turf Cup S., Hollywood Invitational Turf H.)
- 1985 — Vanlandingham (1st: Washington D.C. International Invitational S., Jockey Club Gold Cup; 3rd: Hollywood Turf Cup Invitational S.)
(also Champion Male Older Horse and Champion Turf Horse)
— Honorable mention: Nassipour (1st: Rothmans International, Dixie H., Seneca H.; 2nd: Niagara S.; 3rd: Pan American H.) - 1984 — John Henry (1st: Hollywood Invitational H., Sunset H., Turf Classic Invitational S.; 3rd: San Luis Rey S.)
(also Champion Turf Horse and Horse of the Year) - 1983 — All Along (1st: Rothman’s International, Washington D.C. International Invitational S., Turf Classic)
(also Champion Female Turf Horse and Horse of the Year)
— Honorable mention: Erin’s Isle (1st: San Juan Capistrano Invitational H., San Luis Rey S., Hollywood Invitational Turf H.; 3rd: Sword Dancer H., Turf Classic) - 1982 — Lemhi Gold (1st: Jockey Club Gold Cup, San Juan Capistrano Invitational H., Sword Dancer H., San Marino H.; 2nd: Hollywood Invitational Turf H.)
(also Champion Older Male Horse) - 1981 — John Henry (1st: Jockey Club Gold Cup, San Luis Rey S., San Luis Obispo H., Sword Dancer S., Oak Tree Invitational S., Hollywood Invitational Turf H.)
(also Champion Male Older Horse, Champion Turf Horse, and Horse of the Year) - 1980 — John Henry (1st: San Juan Capistrano Invitational H., Hollywood Invitational Turf H., Oak Tree Invitational S., San Luis Rey Stakes, Hialeah Turf Cup H.; 2nd: Jockey Club Gold Cup, Sword Dancer Invitational H.; 3rd: Turf Classic Invitational S.)
(also Champion Turf Horse) - 1979 — Bowl Game (1st: Washington D.C. International Invitational S., Turf Classic Invitational S., Hialeah Turf Cup H., Arlington H.; 2nd: Brooklyn H.)
(also Champion Turf Horse) - 1978 — Exceller (1st: Jockey Club Gold Cup, Hollywood Invitational H., Sunset H., Oak Tree Invitational S., San Juan Capistrano Invitational H.)
(in Jockey Club Gold Cup, only horse to defeat two Triple Crown champions, Affirmed and Seattle Slew, in same race) - 1977 — Johnny D (1st: Washington D.C. International Invitational S., Turf Classic S.; 3rd: Canadian International Championship S., Man O’ War S., Lawrence Realization S.)
(also Champion Turf Horse)
— Honorable mention: Majestic Light (1st: Man O’ War S.; 2nd: Washington D.C. International Invitational S., Turf Classic S., Canadian International Championship S.), Exceller (1st: Canadian International Championship S.; 2nd: Man O’ War S.; 3rd: Washington D.C. International Invitational S.) - 1976 — Youth (1st: Washington D.C. International Invitational S., Canadian International Championship S.)
(also Champion Turf Horse) - 1975 — Snow Knight (1st: Man O’ War S., Canadian International Championship S., Seneca H.)
(also Champion Turf Horse)
— Honorable mention: Forego (1st: Woodward S., Suburban H.)
(also Champion Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year) - 1974 — Forego (1st: Jockey Club Gold Cup, Woodward S.)
(also Champion Older Male Horse, Champion Sprinter, and Horse of the Year)
— Honorable mention: Astray (1st: San Juan Capistrano H., San Luis Rey S., San Luis Obispo H.; 3rd: Bowling Green H.) - 1973 — Secretariat (1st: Belmont S., Man O’ War S., Canadian International Championship S.; 2nd: Woodward S.)
(also Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse, Champion Turf Horse, Triple Crown Champion, and Horse of the Year)
(set new world record in Belmont S., new course record in Man O’ War S.)
— Honorable mention: Prove Out (1st: Jockey Club Gold Cup, Woodward S.)
(defeated Secretariat in Woodward S., and Champion Older Male Horse Riva Ridge in Jockey Club Gold Cup)
Looking at this list, some things are worth noting:
- as great as John Henry was, he was if anything even better at longer distances, especially in 1980 and 1981;
- Forego was unique in that he was (unofficial) Champion Stayer the same year he was (official) Champion Sprinter;
- this was perhaps the last period to feature champion stayers that were equally effective on grass and on dirt (eg. John Henry, Exceller, Secretariat);
- especially close decisions: 1983 (All Along’s win over Erin’s Isle in the Turf Classic was deciding factor), 1977 (each horse cited won at least once against the others, but Johnny D’s two wins over Majestic Light gave him the edge), 1973 (any other year, Prove Out’s wins in two premier dirt stayers’ races would have earned him the championship, but Secretariat’s dominance in other races, and his ability on both dirt and grass, was decisive).
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As the years go by, FOREGO continues to move up on my scale of greatness: champion sprinter, great weight carrier and distance specialist, he did it all and with flair. Anyone would marvel at some of his great finishes under imposts no horse today would consider 137 pounds. These are mostly available on You Tube.
— Dr. T. Yatcak · Mar 20, 12:58 PM · #