March 1 2017

:47 1/5

Only Secretariat posted a faster last half mile in the Kentucky Derby than Animal Kingdom

It goes without saying that Secretariat was truly a horse for the ages; arguably the best ever. His Triple Crown certainly exemplified all that he was. And his Derby? A record-setting performance that has stood the test of time. Comparisons to “Big Red” are few and far between but just to be mentioned in the same breath is rare. Which brings us to Eclipse Champion Animal Kingdom.

The horse that made his first-ever dirt start in the Derby came close to making history. Among all the winners in the 142-year storied history of the “Run for the Roses”, only Secretariat ran a faster last half mile than did Animal Kingdom:

Secretariat (1973): 46 2/5
Animal Kingdom (2011): 47 1/5
Proud Clarion (1967): 47 4/5
Whirlaway (1941): 48
Canonero II (1971): 48 1/5

It’s certainly worth another look so click here to see Animal Kingdom’s Derby again.

2011 Kentucky Derby

Fast forward six years and we are now seeing Animal Kingdom’s first two-year-olds at the current sales. All signs point to him being in a strong position to pass along his great talents to the next generation. Among his sire crop, he has had the best books based on the racing class of the mares bred to him. And foals from this first crop have earned rave reviews from the conditioners of some of his early two-year-olds. Here are a few:

“Beautiful mover.” – Eddie Woods
“Generous stride. Classic look.” – Tristan DeMeric
“She can really run.” – Ian Brennan
“As nice a horse as you’ll see.” - Hal Hatch
“Looks crazy fast.” – Ken Lejeune
“Class! Moves very well.” – Todd Quast