The debate continues over which thoroughbred racehorse should be considered the greatest of all time. Several horses are under consideration for this distinction. Each of these horses has a compelling case, whether it's due to their winning streaks, historic accomplishments, undefeated careers, or widespread popularity that went beyond the sport of horse racing.
#1 Secretariat
Secretariat, often referred to as "Big Red", has a very strong case for being considered the greatest racehorse of all time. His 1973 Triple Crown triumph was truly historic, as he dominated the three prestigious races and set records that have stood for over 50 years.
Secretariat's performances in the 1973 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes were nothing short of extraordinary. He won the Kentucky Derby by an astounding 2.5 lengths, setting a new track record. In the Preakness, he won by an even more impressive 2.5 lengths, again setting a new record time. But his Belmont Stakes victory was truly breathtaking, as he crushed the field by an incredible 31 lengths, shattering the previous stakes record.
The times Secretariat posted in those Triple Crown races remain the fastest on record to this day. His Kentucky Derby time of 1:59.40 was the first sub-2 minute winning time in that race. His Preakness time of 1:53 set a new standard. And his Belmont Stakes time of 2:24 was simply jaw-dropping.
Secretariat's domination of the 1973 Triple Crown, combined with his record-setting performances, make a very strong case for him being considered the greatest racehorse of all time. His feats that year have cemented his legacy as one of the most legendary athletes in sports history.
#2 Frankel
In recent years, one of the most renowned racehorses from England has been the impressive Frankel. Frankel earned almost £3 million in prize money over the course of his career, which spanned from 2010 to 2012. During this time, he remained undefeated through 14 races. Frankel's story is made even more remarkable by the fact that his legendary trainer, Sir Henry Cecil, was battling cancer while guiding Frankel to his 10 Group 1 victories, which created lasting memories in the final years of his handler's life.
Aside from the Eclipse, Frankel won every other top mile and 10-furlong race worth winning in the United Kingdom. He was named the European Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, and European Champion 3-Year-Old Colt, and then went on to be crowned the Champion Older Horse, as well as being awarded the European Horse of the Year title twice.
Frankel's influence on thoroughbred breeding is now being strongly felt, as his stud fees have risen to £350,000 after he was named the 2021 World Sire of the Year.
#3 Man o’ War
While Man o' War did not have the opportunity to win the Triple Crown, he is widely regarded as the horse who revived thoroughbred racing in the United States during the interwar period. Beaten only once as a 2-year-old, Man o' War then went on to win all 21 of his remaining career races.
In 1920, Man o' War skipped any preparatory races and went straight to compete in the Preakness Stakes, despite having never raced beyond six furlongs previously. This was a bold and gutsy decision. Just 11 days later, Man o' War raced again, this time winning the Withers Stakes, before going on to dominate his rivals in the Belmont Stakes.
After securing summer victories at other New York racetracks like Jamaica, Aqueduct, and Saratoga, Man o' War returned to Belmont in the fall and won a Grade I match race there by an astonishing margin of over 100 lengths - more than a quarter-mile ahead of his closest competitor.
#4 Red Rum
The Grand National is considered the world's most famous steeplechase, and the horse most closely associated with this prestigious race had to be included in the list of the most famous racehorses of all time. Red Rum is the only thoroughbred to have won the Aintree Grand National three times. In addition to this remarkable feat, he also completed 100 races without ever falling.
Red Rum was trained on the beaches near the Liverpool racetrack in Southport, England. He won the Grand National in 1973 and 1974. After a brief setback, he went on to finish second in the race in both 1975 and 1976, before regaining his title in 1977. Even over a decade after his death, Red Rum remained the most well-known and celebrated racehorse in the United Kingdom.
#5 Seattle Slew
The second horse on our list of famous racehorses to win the Triple Crown was Seattle Slew. In 1977, Seattle Slew's triumphs sparked a fervent fan following known as "Slewmania" among horse racing enthusiasts in the United States.
Prior to Seattle Slew, no other thoroughbred in history had won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes without previously suffering a defeat on the racetrack. Seattle Slew's descendant, Justify, would later emulate this remarkable accomplishment in 2018.
Seattle Slew was named the Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and then went on to be named Champion Older Male Horse in consecutive years. After a bout of illness in 1978, Seattle Slew made a comeback and added two more Grade I race victories to his impressive resume. This "feel-good" moment for the sport endeared him to American fans, even though he did not end his career undefeated.
#6 Black Caviar
Australia's other contender for the greatest racehorse of all time is Black Caviar, who was a dominant sprinter. She had an undefeated career over four years, winning 25 races from 2009 to 2013. What sets Black Caviar apart from Winx is that she travelled internationally, including a famous victory at the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in the UK.
Black Caviar's stellar career in Australia was marked by three consecutive victories in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington Racecourse. The Victoria Racing Club later renamed the race the Black Caviar Lightning in her honour. She was also a four-time World Champion Sprinter and three-time Australian Horse of the Year.
#7 American Pharoah
While there are other U.S. Triple Crown winners that rank highly, American Pharoah is the only racehorse in the modern era to complete the Grand Slam of Thoroughbred Racing. In 2015, he added a victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic to his earlier wins in the Arkansas Derby, Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and Haskell Invitational - all at the Grade I level.
Trainer Bob Baffert ended a 37-year drought by producing a Triple Crown winner with American Pharoah. This horse also clocked the second-fastest time ever recorded for the Belmont Stakes. American Pharoah then engaged in legendary battles with Keen Ice at Monmouth Park and in the Travers Stakes, before proving his dominance of his generation with a track record performance at the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.
#8 Kincsem
Kincsem, a mare from the Victorian era, had an undefeated career spanning races across several modern-day European countries, including Austria, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia. This impressive feat has earned her a spot among the most famous racehorses.
At the peak of her fame in 1878, Kincsem won the Goodwood Cup, Grand Prix de Deauville, and Grosser Preis von Baden all within a single month. Her enduring legacy is such that the Kincsem Handicap race is still held as part of the Glorious Goodwood event today.
As a broodmare, Kincsem's impact extended beyond her racing career. Her descendants include the notable racehorse Camelot, who came close to achieving the British Triple Crown in 2012.
Many renowned racehorses are honoured with races bearing their names, and Kincsem is no exception. The Kincsem Park racetrack in Budapest, Hungary, bears the name of this Eastern European equine legend and features a life-sized statue of the mare.
#9 Winx
Winx, an outstanding racehorse in modern Australian history, achieved unparalleled success on the track. She won a record four consecutive editions of the prestigious Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, cementing her status as a true wonder-mare. Winx's dominance was even more pronounced at the Sydney racetracks of Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens, where she excelled in mile races and secured some of her greatest victories.
While the Rosehill Gardens racetrack is set to close, Winx's legacy remains undisputed. Her remarkable tally of 25 Group/Grade I wins stands as a world record that has yet to be surpassed by any other thoroughbred. In recognition of her extraordinary achievements, Winx was named the Australian Horse of the Year on four occasions and was inducted into the Hall of Fame while still actively racing.
#10 Yeats
The Ascot Gold Cup has featured numerous great stayers on the flat turf over the years. While horses like Sagaro, Le Moss, Ardross, Kayf Tara, and Stradivarius have all won the race multiple times, none can match the record of Yeats, who won the prestigious race an incredible four times.
Yeats' historic four-peat at Royal Ascot from 2006 to 2009 is an exceptional accomplishment, as horses are rarely kept in training on the flat for such an extended period.
Since retiring from racing, Yeats has gone on to become a prolific sire of steeplechase horses. His influence on stamina in the thoroughbred breed can still be seen today, even across the Atlantic.
Yeats stands out as the most dominant stayer of his era, with an unmatched record of four Ascot Gold Cup victories, a feat that is unlikely to be matched given the challenges of keeping horses in flat racing for that length of time.