Man o’ War

Man o´ War (1917-1947) won the 1920 Belmont Stakes. He also won the Preakness Stakes that year, but his owner didn´t want him to race in the Kentucky Derby. Back then, the idea of these three races forming a Triple Crown hadn´t really formed yet. It was also well known that Man o´ Wars owner, Samuel D. Riddle, didn´t like racing his horses in Kentucky, so Man o´ War´s absense in the Kentucky Derby wasn´t considered strange. Also, the derby took place just a few days before the Preakness Stakes, giving horses little time to travel and recover. Today, most experts agree that Man o´ War would most likely have won the 1920 Kentucky Derby if he had been allowed to race.

Man o' War

Man o´ War: A Belmont horse

Man o´ War was bred by August Belmont, Jr., son of the Belmont Stakes founder August Belmont, Sr. When Man o´ War was foaled in 1917, Belmont, Jr. was serving in the army and stationed in France. In honor of her husband´s war service, his wife named the foal Wan o´ War. Eventually, Belmont, Jr. decided to get out of the horse business and sold his remaining horses. Man o´ War was bought by Samuel D. Riddle for $5,000.

About Man o´ War

Man o´ War was a chestnut stallion. He lived 1917-1947 and was a succesfull race hourse as well as an impressive stud. His nickname was Big Red, because of his size and his chestnut color. His main trainer was Louis Feustel. During his racing career, Man o´ War brought in $249,465 in prize money. As a stud, he sired 64 stake winners and champions.

Pedigree of Man o’ War

Man o´ War´s maternal grandfather was Rock Sand, a British race hourse who won the 1903 English Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing. Eventually, he became the grandfather of both Man o´ War and the 1973 US Triple Crown winner Secretariat.

PEDIGREE OF MAN O` WAR

Sire
Fair Play

Hastings

Spendthrift

Cinderella

Fairy Gold

Bend Or

Dame Masham

Dam
Mahubah

Rock Sand

Sainfoin

Roquebrune

Merry Token

Merry Hampton

Mizpah

Racing career

Record: 21: 20–1–0

Examples of prestigious races won by Man o´ War:

  • Tremont Stakes (1919)

  • Grand Union Hotel Stakes (1919)

  • United States Hotel Stakes (1919)

  • Hopeful Stakes (1919)

  • Futurity Stakes (1919)

  • Youthful Stakes (1919)

  • Travers Stakes (1920)

  • Jockey Club Gold Cup (1920)

  • Lawrence Realization Stakes (1920)

  • Stuyvesant Handicap (1920)

  • Miller Stakes (1920)

  • Withers Stakes (1920)

  • Potomac Handicap (1920)

  • Dwyer Stakes (1920)

  • Preakness Stakes (1920)

  • Belmont Stakes (1920)

The only race Man o´ War didn´t win was also his last one, and he placed second in it after a very bad start. When the race started, Man o´ War was facing the wrong way and lost valuable time. Still, he managed to finnish second, which says something about his remarkable abilities. The race was won by Upset.

Winning the Preakness Stakes & Belmont Stakes

In 1920, Johnny Loftus was replaced with Clarence Kummer as Man o´ War´s rider. Man o´ War spent the winter at Riddle Farm and grew significantly, reaching a height of 16.2 hands and a girth of 72 inches.

Man o´War made his three-year-old debut in the 1920 Preakness Stakes, which took place on May 18. Back then, the distance was 1 1/18 miles. Even though Man o´ War had never raced more than six furlongs in the past, he was a 4-5 favorite coming into the event, and he didn´t dissapoint. Man o ´ War took the lead within the first ten yards, and established a comfortable two length lead down the backstretch. Upset – who had won the Kentucky Derby – began to get closer as they rounded the final turn, so Kummer loosened his grip and allowed Man o´ War to pull away. Man o´ War won the Preakness Stakes by 1 ½ lenghts over Upset, with a final time of 1:51​3⁄5.

After the Preakness victory, Man o´ War travelled back to his home base at Belmont Park, where he won the Withers Stakes on May 29. The 1920 Belmont Stakes took place on June 12 and was 1 3/8 miles long. Man o´ War took the lead early and won the race at a record time: 2:14​1⁄5. This was the fastest ever for that distance; over 2 seconds faster than the English record and over 3 seconds faster than the U.S. record. Man o´ War kept the U.S. record for over 40 years, as it would take until 1961 until Wise Ship set a new record at 2:14 flat. Notably, Wise Ship raced on a turf course. On dirt, Man o´ War´s record held until 1991.

Only ten days after his amazing Belmont Stakes victory, Man o´ War raced again and won the Stuyvesant Handicap. The odds for him was 1 to 100.