Man o' War was foaled March 29, 1917 on August Belmont II's Nursery
Stud between Lexington and Paris, Kentucky.
He
was sold as a yearling at the August 17, 1918 Saratoga Sales in
New York for $5,000 to Samuel D. Riddle of Maryland, who thought
he looked like a good jumping prospect.
"Big
Red" started in twenty-one races and finished first in all but
the Sanford Memorial Stakes at two. He finished second by a
half-length to the aptly named Upset after three false starts,
facing the wrong way at the start and getting trapped on
the rail until deep in the stretch. He was the odds-on favorite
in every start with odds of 1-100 occurring three times in his
career. His average margin of victory was 9.42 lengths, helped
by the estimated 100 length victory over Hoodwink in the
Lawrence Realization Stakes. He carried 130 pounds or more in
nine races, including six races at two. He carried 135 pounds
and 138 pounds at three. He set two world records, five
American track records and broke numerous stakes records in a
manner the Racing Form termed "unextended". Many observers felt
he could have broken more had he been urged. In a year that saw
seventeen horses at the post for the Kentucky Derby, which Man
o' War missed, just seven showed up for Man o' War's win in the
Preakness Stakes. Only one other rival appeared for the
Belmont Stakes, which Big Red won by twenty lengths. In the
course of his racing career he beat thirty stakes winners,
including a number of track-record holders, and four
champions. His last race was a seven length victory over Triple
Crown champion and world record holder Sir Barton, in which Man
o' War lowered the track record by six seconds. Turf historians
have awarded him the Horse of the Year title for 1920. He
retired the leading money winner of his day with nearly $250,000
to his credit.
In
the stud, Man o' War sired champions Maid at Arms, Edith Cavell,
Florence Nightingale, Bateau, Scapa Flow, American Flag, and
Horses of the Year Crusader and War Admiral. War Admiral is one
of only eleven horses to win the Triple Crown. In 1926 Man o'
War topped the sire lists by Money Earned as a number of his
offspring won stakes races. Belmont Stakes winner Crusader was
the leading money earner that year and retired as the sport's
all time leading money winner. Man o' War's offspring won more
than three and a half million dollars during the years
encompassing the Depression.
In
addition, Man o' War justified his owner's conviction that he
had jumping ability by siring three-time Maryland Hunt Cup
winner Blockade, Grand National-Aintree winner Battleship and
repeating champion show jumper Holystone.
When
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were looking for a "hunter
type" stallion to revitalize their horses' bloodlines, they
chose a black grandson of Man o' War to stand as sire. Many of
the black horses presently used by the Mounties are descended
from Man o' War.
Despite the low quality of mares available to Man o' War (Riddle
saw no reason to spend more than $200-$500 for a mare and
allowed few "outside" breeders the opportunity to breed their
mares) the big red horse sired 64 stakes winners from 379
foals. At the time of Man o' War's death, this Lifetime Stakes
Winners total was exceeded only by Broomstick's 66 stakes
winners. Only *Sir Galahad III topped him on the Leading
Broodmare Sire list, where Man o' War held second place for an
incredible nine straight years.
Man o' War's male line is still represented by sire Relaunch.
However, it is through his daughters that the big red horse's
bloodline continues. Nearly every American champion of the
last 20 years can trace their pedigree back to Man o' War.
In
the years between Man o' War's retirement from racing in 1920
until his death in 1947 more people went to Faraway Farm to see
Big Red than went to see Kentucky's second biggest attraction,
Mammoth Cave.
Many
honors were heaped on Man o' War during his lifetime. When a
number of his offspring in the United States Cavalry were killed
in World War II he was given the military rank of "major".
Man
o' War died of a ruptured aorta (heart attack) in November of 1947.
Ironically, this was only a few days after the death
of his beloved caretaker Will Harbut.
It
was said that Man o' War was the first horse to be embalmed. He
was given a military funeral with full honors. Thousands of
people, obscure and famous, paid their last respects by lining
up along the funeral route. Millions more listened to the
memorial service on national radio. A life-size statue of the
great horse stands over his grave, which is located in the
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky. Offspring buried
nearby include champion War Admiral, leading sire War Relic and
stakes winner War Hazard. Brushup, dam of War Admiral, is also
buried at Man o' War's feet.
In the year 1999,
in
polls conducted by 'The Blood-Horse' among horsemen, fans and the
racing press, Man o' War was the American 'Horse of the
Century', beating out such outstanding Thoroughbreds as
Secretariat, Citation, Kelso, Native Dancer, Count Fleet. Cigar, and Seabiscuit.
Travers
Dwyer Stakes, with
John P. Grier
Sir
Barton match race
Feustel and
Riddle giving Man o' War a drink from trophy cup.
Comments About Man o' War
Made by Various People
“Man o’ War was the mightiest
Thoroughbred the American turf has ever known. His career came
to a roaring stop in 1920, after he had won 20 races in 21
starts.
He had speed, stamina, courage and heart, and he
broke most of the existing records of his day. I was his
trainer, and I can truthfully say there has never been another
horse like him. He was the kind of horse from which dreams are
made... ”
Louis Feustel
trainer of Man o' War
Forward to Walter Farley’s book Man o’ War
“There never lived a horse that was more horse than he was that
afternoon. He was so beautiful that it almost made you cry, and
so full of fire he made you thank your God that you could come
close to him. No horse ever lived who could have beaten him
that afternoon.”
Roy Dickerson
The assistant starter who handled
Man o' War the day he won the Travers Stakes.
“Mr.
Riddle, I'm prepared to pay you a million dollars for Man o’
War.”
“Mr Waggoner, many men can have a million dollars,
but only one can have Man o’ War. I’m not interested in parting
with him.”
“Come, Mr. Riddle, everything has its price.”
“Go to France and bring back the sepulcher of
Napoleon from Les Invalides, then to England and buy the Crown
Jewels, then to India and buy the Taj Mahal – then I’ll put a
price tag on Man o’ War.”
Samuel D. Riddle
owner of Man o’ War to
millionaire W.P. Waggoner
“This horse gallops faster than other horses race. It was like
being on a runaway locomotive. I’ve never had one like that
under me before. He’s the best horse I’ve ever ridden.”
Earle Sande
Hall of Fame jockey, after riding Man o' War in the Miller
Stakes.
He was the regular rider of Triple Crown winner Sir Barton
“What a marvel!”
Commander JKL Ross
Owner of numerous champions
as Man o’ War beat his Triple Crown winner Sir Barton
Upon seeing him in action, a
railbird asked a groom “Who's he by?” The reply was “He’s by
hisself, and there ain’t nobody gonna get near him.”
Favorite story of owner Samuel D. Riddle
One of Man o’War’s first foals was named “By Hisself”
“There were seven horses in the Sanford, with Man o’ War held at
11 to 20 odds, but, when the field bounced away, it was *Golden
Broom setting the pace with Upset on the outside just a neck
away. Man o’ War didn’t make his bid until we hit the turn, and
then he churned up along the rail ‘til his head bobbed into the
corner of my eye. There he was tossin’ those twenty-eight foot
strides of his an’ tryin’ to squeeze on the inside of *Golden
Broom and Upset.
If I’d given so much as an inch, the race would have
been as good as over, but jockeys don’t ride that way. I could
have breezed past *Golden Broom anytime I took my feet out of
the dashboard, but that would also have left Man o’ War out of
his mousetrap, and he'd have whooshed past us in half a dozen
strides.
When Johnny Loftus, ridin’ Man o’ War, saw we
weren’t going to open up, there was only one thing left for him
to do. He pulled up sharply and ducked to the outside. That’s
what I’d been waiting for. That same moment I gunned Upset with
my bat and galloped to the top in a pair of jumps. Man o’ War
then had to come out around the two of us, and it cost him all
o’ two lengths. From there to the finish he was chargin’ again
like a jet plane but Upset had just enough left to push his head
down in front.
Sure, I won the race all right – it was the greatest
thrill of my life – but lookin’ back at it now, there’s sure one
horse which shoulda retired undefeated. Never was a colt like
him. He could do anything and do it better than any horse that
ever lived. If I’d moved over just an eyelash that day at
Saratoga, he’d have beat me from here to Jalopy. Sometimes I’m
sorry I didn’t do it.”
Willy Knapp
Hall of Fame jockey
and the rider of Upset, the only horse to
beat Man o’ War, and rider of
the great Exterminator
“In the past forty-seven years
I have seen but three colts that I thought were particularly
outstanding. They were Sysonby, Colin and Man o’ War, taking
them in chronological order.”
James Rowe, Sr.
Hall of Fame trainer and the trainer of
Hall of Fame inductees Sysonby, Colin, Hindoo,
*Whisk Broom II, Sweep, Maskette, Pennant,
Mother Goose and Peter Pan.
“He’s got everythin’ a hoss ought to have and he’s got it where
a hoss ought to have it. He’s de mostest hoss.”
Will Harbut
Man o’ War’s groom
“As
near to a living flame as horses get, and horses get closer to
this than anything else. It was not merely that he smashed his
opposition, sometimes by a hundred lengths, or that he set world
records or that he cared not a Tinker’s Curse for weight, or
track, or horses...
All horses, and particularly all stallions, like to
run, exultant in their strength and power. Most of them run
within themselves, as children at play. But Man o’ War, loose
in his paddock at Faraway, dug in as if the prince of all the
fallen angels was at his throatlatch, and great chunks of sod
sailed up behind the haunches of power. Watching, you felt that
there had never been, nor could ever be again, a horse like
this.”
Joe Palmer
Editor of The Blood Horse
“The
door had been swung open and Man o’ War stood there. I was
prepared to see a great champion and sire. But suddenly, I knew
that while I had never seen him race it made no difference at
all. I felt as my father did. I was lucky to be there, close
enough to touch him if that had been allowed.
Man o’ War stood in the doorway, statuesque and
magnificent. There was a lordly lift to his head and his sharp
eyes were bright. He didn’t look at us, but far out over our
heads.
...I was aware only of one thing, that for the first
and perhaps the only time in my life I was standing in the
presence of a horse which was truly great, and it would be a
moment always to be remembered.
What accounted for this stirring of the heart? If
one attributes it to the emotions of youth, what about my
father’s adulation for Man o’ War? And all the others of his
generation who had seen this horse and felt no differently? Was
the look in Man o’ War’s eyes responsible for it? His gaze, I
recall, shifted occasionally to look at us. They were deep,
intelligent eyes and very bright. More often than not, however,
he seemed not to know we were there at all, his gaze fixed and
far away, so intent that I could have sworn he was watching
something far beyond our vision.
Or was it the regal lift of his head, or the dignity
with which he held himself up for our inspection? Or, perhaps,
a combination of everything, for there was nothing about him
that did not seem right to me. Whatever accounted for it, I
stood in his presence in quiet reverence, unmindful of anything
but Man o’ War.”
Walter Farley
Equine writer
and author of the book Man o’ War
“He
touched the imagination of men and they saw different things in
him. But one thing they all remember was that he brought
exaltation into their hearts.”
John
Hervey
writing under the pen name of ‘Salvatore’
