Legends

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Beholder: A Racing Diva Who Never Backed Down From a Fight

Beholder, one of racing’s greatest mares, was a diva long before she built the credentials to act that way.

“She had a very aggressive side that made her a little difficult to work with at times,” said Richard Mandella, her Hall of Fame trainer. “Saying that, it’s part of what made her the fighter she was.”

The Enduring Legacy of Darby Dan Farm

From the 1960s through the 1980s, few racing silks were as recognizable and iconic as the silks of Darby Dan Farm. The silks were fairly plain – a fawn-colored shirt with brown sleeves – but it was their simplicity and their regular appearances in the winner’s circle that made them famous.

John Hay Whitney leads Stage Door Johnny into the 1968 Belmont Stakes winner's circle.

John Hay Whitney: Racing’s Great Ambassador

The Whitney family has been involved in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing since the 1800s, and during that timeframe they’ve campaigned some of the greatest horses ever seen on the American turf. Their contributions to the sport have been immeasurable; to the extent that historic Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. honors the family each year with the running of the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes.

Ramon Dominguez: World-Class Jockey and World-Class Person

Five months after a spill on Jan. 18, 2013, Ramon Dominguez sat in a doctor’s office and received news no jockey ever wants to hear. His career was over.

The doctor explained the severity of a traumatic brain injury Dominguez had suffered. He outlined the risks that would be associated with another such injury, risks so great that they made it unthinkable for the jockey to enter the starting gate ever again.

Davona Dale: A Dominant Calumet Star

The great work by trainer John Veitch in revitalizing the fortunes of Calumet Farm is most commonly associated with the legendary Triple Crown runner Alydar.

Yet for all the fame generated by Alydar’s trio of runner-up finishes to Affirmed in the 1978 Triple Crown, Veitch enjoyed more success with three homebred Calumet fillies that he turned into champions.

Foremost among that group was a filly who gave Veitch a sweep of a series for 3-year-olds – times two.

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