all in Legends

The New York road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve continues this Saturday, with the 143rd renewal of the $250,000 Grade 3 Withers Stakes. Named after prominent 19th-century owner David Withers, the race was held for the first time in 1874 at Jerome Park.

Speed is the name of the game in horse racing, but fame and glory usually gravitate toward those horses with the stamina to negotiate longer distances of ground in two-turn classics.

Sprinters, the horses who can generate electrifying fractions, are usually in the background, except for a handful of champions who possessed speed so dazzling it left a lasting impression on anyone who ever watched them rocket to the winner’s circle.

Housebuster was one of those brilliant sprinters.

No racehorse has ever captured the hearts of U.S. racing fans quite like Secretariat. In 1973, “Big Red” embarked upon an unforgettable Triple Crown-winning campaign with a string of dominant classic victories that will never be matched to become the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years.

Few horses have been able to blend the kind of success that Unbridled enjoyed both on the racetrack and in the breeding shed.

A strapping, 17-hand colt with a long, ground-gobbling stride, he was slow to develop at 2 after a promising 10 ½-length victory in his career debut. The son of Fappiano was then plagued by a sore hoof at 4, succinctly explaining why he won just eight of 24 career starts.

Sports fans love a great comeback story. In recent years, they were captivated by the story of Washington Football Team (now the Commanders) quarterback Alex Smith, who recovered from a badly broken leg to play professional football again after two years on the sidelines.

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