Man O´ War (USA)   Ch. 16,2hh (167,6 cm)

Man Ó War  ~ HIS LEGACY ~ one of the greatest Thoroughbred racehorses of all time.
Winnings:  21 Starts: 20 - 1 – 0

Not only did Man o' War perform like a superstar on the track, the chestnut-colored horse (nicknamed "Big Red") looked like one.
A large reddish-colored horse, Man o"War is considered by the majority of the horse racing fans as being the greatest race horse that ever run. He was a large horse, typically a dominating effect when compared to the size of the other American racehorses. At 3, he was a strapping 16.2 hands (167,6cm) and weighed about 1,125 pounds ( 520 kg) with a 72-inch girth (182,88cm).He was easily recognized, not only by his size but his tremendously long strides when running.

He raced only as a two-year old and a three-year old, but in this short time (1919 - 1920) he would win 20 out of his 21 races while setting five world records. He was retired and became one of the most renowned stallions in the history of American Thoroughbred racing.

He had speed, stamina, courage and heart.

His trainer Louis Feustel said  „I can truthfully say there has never been another horse like him. He was the kind of horse from which dreams are madeo…. ”
By the prominent sire Fair Play, his dam Mahubah was by the U.K. Triple Crown Champion, Rock Sand. Man O' War was owned and bred by August Belmont, Jr. (1851–1924), whose father's accomplishments were recognized through the naming of the Belmont Stakes. Belmont Jr. joined the United States Army at age 65 to serve in France during World War I. While he was overseas, his wife named a new foal " Man O' War " in honor of her husband. However, the Belmonts decided to liquidate their racing stable. At the Saratoga yearling sale in 1918, Man O' War was sold at a final bid of $5,000 to Samuel D. Riddle who brought him to his Glen Riddle Farm near Berlin, Maryland. The underbidder at the auction was believed to be Robert L Gerry, Sr.

When Samuel Riddle was offered a million dollars for Man O' War, he answered that "lots of men have a million dollars, but only one can own Man o' War." Offered a blank check, he again declined, saying: "You go to France and bring back the Tomb of Napoleon. You go to India and buy the Taj Mahal. Then I'll put a price on Man O' War."

Racing record: Winnings:  21 Starts: 20 - 1 – 0

Trained by Louis Feustel and ridden by Johnny Loftus, Man o' War made his debut at Belmont Park on June 6, 1919, winning by six lengths.

Two-year-old season in 1919:
Won
• Keene Memorial Stakes
• Youthful Stakes
• Hudson Stakes
• Tremont Stakes
• U. S. Hotel Stakes
• Grand Union Hotel Stakes
• Hopeful Stakes
• Futurity Stakes
• 2nd Sanford Stakes

Three-year-old season in 1920
Won
• Preakness Stakes
• Withers Stakes
• Belmont Stakes
• Stuyvesant Handicap
• Dwyer Stakes
• Miller Stakes
• Travers Stakes
• Lawrence Realization Stakes
• Jockey Club Stakes
• Potomac Handicap
• Kenilworth Gold Cup

Man O' War defeats rival Sir Barton by seven lengths at Kenilworth Park in Windsor, Canada, his last race before being retired at age three.

Stud career:
Man O' War was a top sire who produced more than 64 stakes winners and 200 various champions.
Though many believe that Riddle did not breed the stallion to enough good mares after the first five seasons, he still sired many leading horses.

Man O' War sired American Flag and Crusader, who won successive Belmont Stakes in 1925 and 1926. Although there were no official champions in America at the time, both colts were generally considered the best three-year-old colts of their year, and Crusader was also largely accepted as the best racehorse of 1926.

Among Man O' War´s other famous offspring were
• Clyde Van Dusen, 1929 Kentucky Derby winner
• Battleship (who won the 1938 English Grand National steeplechase),
• War Admiral, the 1937 Triple Crown winner and the second official Horse of the Year.
• Hard Tack, sired Seabiscuit, who was Horse of the Year in 1938.

Man O' War´s most successful sons at stud were War Admiral and War Relic, and War Relic's branch of the male line survives today.
Tiznow, Honour and Glory, and Bertrando are also all sire-line descendants of Man o' War. According to Kent Hollingsworth, 37 per cent of stakes winners in 1966 were descendants of Man o' War. Despite not covering more than 25 mares in any season, Man o' War sired 379 named foals during 22 seasons at stud. His daughters kept Man o' War listed in the 10 leading broodmare sires list for 22 years.
https://man-o-war.info/offspring.html

Awards:
• United States Champion 2-Yr-Old Colt (1919)
• United States Horse of the Year (1920)
• Leading sire in North America (1926)

Honours:
• U.S. Racing Hall of Fame (1957)
• #1 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
• Associated Press #1 Horse of the 20th Century
• Sports Illustrated #1 greatest horse in racing history
• Life-size statue at Kentucky Horse Park
• Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park
• Man o' War Boulevard in Lexington, Kentucky
• Man o' War Road in Riddlewood, Pennsylvania

MAN Ò WAR  was Pensioned from stud, March 1943. Died Nov. 1, 1947 at Riddle's Faraway Farm at the old age of 30.

MAN Ò WAR  loved his groom so much that It was rumored that MAN Ò WAR  grieved himself to death. After Harbut’s death, the spark went out of the horse. He died just 4 weeks later on November 1, 1947 at the age of 30 of an apparent heart attack.
He was the first horse to be embalmed, and his casket was lined in his riding colors. Man o’ War’s funeral was broadcast internationally over the radio and over 2,000 people came to pay their final respects. Thousands more sent their condolences. The most famous Thoroughbred in the world had touched people deeply. Owner Sam Riddle had commissioned artist Herbert Haseltine to sculpt a life-size bronze statue of Man o’ War in 1934.
His remains, along with those of War Relic and War Admiral, were later moved to the Kentucky Horse Park.

https://man-o-war.info/pedigree_information.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_o%27_War
https://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/ManOWar.html
https://www.secondrunning.com/Man%20o'%20War.htm
https://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016132.html

Magnificent Man o' War:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=aESLobHGVeM
The Greatest Race Horse Ever :    www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO4HSbva9gY
Horse Racing Legends:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hCSLpkM3fY
Actual race footage: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DilPEF9t3c8
The Greatest Racehorse In History:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj9T5Mu37Ng
Man O' War:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmGcgrxmy4Y

*All copyright and credit for the posted photo/paintings of MAN Ò WAR  goes solely to the photographer/Artist, who took/made the picture. All rights are therein reserved.