The Most Famous Thoroughbred Racehorses in History

You may know that there are different racehorse breeds that compete in various racing events. But do you know which of them attracts the most attention? Thoroughbred racehorses are the ones that enjoy the most fame due to their unique characteristics and purity.

It might interest you to know that they are a crossbred of Arabian, Turkoman, and Barb stallions. These 17th or 18th-century breeds maintain an everlasting pedigree trace. Their outstanding spirit, agility, and speed help them dominate the racecourses. Now that you know what thoroughbred racecourses are, we can reveal the most famous ones.

American Pharaoh – A Horse That Broke Records and Went Against the Odds

This is a 2012-born racehorse that’s part of the American Racing Hall of Fame. He became the 12th Triple Crown winner in history and the first one to win the Modern Grand Slam of Thoroughbred Racing.

There was a 37-year Triple Crown drought before American Pharaoh stepped into the racecourse and achieved the impossible. The horse racing odds for this thoroughbred racehorse began going in his favour following this massive victory. Alongside his 2015 American Triple Crown win was the Breeders’ Cup Classic win.

Secretariat – Arguably One of the Greatest Thoroughbred Racehorses of All Time

Considered as one of the best racehorses in history by many horse racing experts and fans. This has to do with Secretariat’s unmatched speed records in all Triple Crown races in 1973. Among them is the Belmont Stakes victory by 31 lengths. This incredible record stands to this day.

Punters didn’t even consider using bet calculators when wagering on the Secretariat as they were certain of his win. His racing career also includes 5 Eclipse Awards, among which are Horse of the Year honours. This racehorse even accumulated around $1.3 million in earnings.

Seabiscuit – The Champion Who Rose During the Great Depression

Seabiscuit was a thoroughbred racehorse who went against the odds to become an underdog champion. He was a rather small horse that only won around 10 of his first 40 races. Despite his less impressive achievements, he went on to win the 1937 Triple Crown after beating the current champion, War Admiral.

His astonishing wins inspired and motivated millions in the USA during the economic downfall of the Great Depression. Seabiscuit and his remarkable story are the subject of numerous books and movies. 

Man o’ War – A Dominant Racehorse Who Maintained an Almost Perfect Record

The American horse racing scene endured a massive boost during the early 20th century thanks to Man o'War. Many experts consider him the greatest thoroughbred racehorse as he got 20 wins in 21 races. His only loss came after a really poor start, which caused him to end in 2nd place.

Man o’War’s dominance on the racecourses was so big that almost all of his wins had a huge margin. His incredible performances made him one of the most influential thoroughbred stallions for breeding. Almost all American pedigrees have a certain percentage of Man o'War's genes.

Phar Lap – A Highly Enduring Australian Thoroughbred Racehorse

As part of the most recognised thoroughbred racehorses in the history of this sport is also the Australian Phar Lap. He started out with an underdog status as he only won one of his first 10 races. But his next career phase was much more successful. Phar Lap proceeded by winning 36 out of the following 41 races.

Among his biggest triumphs were the Melbourne Cup, Australian Derby, and Cox Plates. Experts say that one of his best performances came at the Aqua Caliente Handicap in Mexico. Phar Lap possessed an incredible endurance that made the difference on the racecourse.

Frankel – An Undefeated Modern British Racehorse

We move on to a modern thoroughbred racecourse that used to dominate in the UK and Europe. Frankel remained undefeated in all of his 14 races between 2010 and 2012. He also became the world's highest-rated racehorse from May 2011. This was one of the biggest racing records ever recorded.

Some experts classify his performance at the 2000 Guineas as the greatest performance on a UK racecourse. Frankel’s amazing achievements and big reputation helped him become a highly successful breeding stallion. Among his most notable offspring are Hurricane Lane, Adayar, Anapurna, and Logician.

Citation – The First Racehorse to Win $1 Million in Prize Money

Citation is an American thoroughbred racehorse who became the 8th Triple Crown winner in 1948. The most remarkable achievement came during his Belmont Stakes race, where he won by 8 lengths. His incredible career includes 32 wins in 45 races.

One of his biggest achievements was getting 16 consecutive wins at stakes races. His Triple Crown win lasted for 25 years until Secretariat’s victory in 1973. You should also know that Citation was the first racehorse to earn $1 million in prize money.