The Mostest Hoss

The Mostest Hoss. . This was Man o' War., Golden red, with white star on his forehead, he was tall, deep-chested and unforgettably proud in bearing. Bred and foaled in Kentucky, he was the “complete horse”, one for whom no excuses were necessary. His reputation towers above all others in American Thoroughbred racing., Among his accomplishments as a racehorse were winning 20 out of 21 races, all but one of them stakes, breaking seven track records and establishing five American time records, while earning $249,465, a record sum in 1920., Among his achievements at stud were siring 64 stakes winners, nine champions, and begetting daughters that kept his name among the ten leading broodmare sires for 22 years., Born March 29, 1917, at August Belmont II's Nursery Stud near Lexington, Kentucky, he died November 1, 1947, at the age of 30, at Sam Riddle's nearby Faraway Farm. His remains are interred beneath this monument, sculptured by Herbert Haseltine., To see Man o' War run was an experience to remember. Always the odds-on favorite, he won on fast tracks and off tracks. Breaking away fast, he would usually move quickly to the front and set the pace all the way to the finish. In the eloquent words of his well-known groom Will Harbut: “He's got everything a hoss ought to have, and he's got it where a hoss ought to have it. He's the mostest hoss that ever drew breath.”, Man o' War's greatness was no matter of chance. He was the product of a carefully planned pairing of magnificent bloodlines by his owner August Belmont II. His father, Fair Play, a three-time leading sire, was a son of Hastings, a two-time leading sire, and a grandson of famous Spendthrift. All three horses were high-spirited but carried weight well. As a counter-balance, Belmont bred Fair Play to Mahubah, daughter of the calm, intelligent Rock Sand, winner of the English Triple Crown. Mrs. Belmont took special trouble with his name, wanting to call him something “full of power”. It was 1917 so he became Man o' War., The following year, with America at war and Major Belmont serving in Europe, the farm's yearlings were auctioned at Saratoga. There the young colt caught the eye of Louis Feustel, trainer for Sam Riddle's Glen Riddle Farm. He purchased him for $5,000 – not a great sum today, but one of the highest prices at the sale. Unsure of Man o' War's potential, Riddle said: “If we can't make a racer out of him, maybe he'll make a good hunter.” That was the fall of 1918. In a year, Man o' War would prove himself a racer for all time.