Who would have won- Man 'O War or Secretariat?

Question

This seems to be the ongoing debate among horse racing fans. I run across an article about it today and they are taking a poll for anyone who loves these two greats at http://www.horseplayerhaven.com/vote.html. Out of my own curiousity, I would like to know what anyone here thinks.

Answer 1

secretariat would win

Answer 2

Go to the Kentucky Horse Park and stand in the stride of Man O' War. If that doesn't convince you I don't know what would.

Answer 3

Tough question, and 50 years .  It would be the match race of history.  I truelly don't know.  But have to clarify one thing:  Ron Turcotte pulled Secretariat up in the Belmont, as he said  in many interviews, and  personally told me, I had the privilege of meeting him.  Professional handicappers have also/said/quated that if Ron Turcotte had not pulled Sec up  when he did his momentom alone would have shaved  1-2 seconds off  the shattered Belmont.  Obviously, Secretariat my ultimate.  Yet Man O' War so, so great, and in a different era.  In a way tougher era.  Mr. Ridley, as a Canadian declined to run him in the Kentucky Derby, thought Southern tracks backwaters.  So , we are minus a triple crown winner, but his son vindicated him and stood proxy where Man O 'War would definitely and defiantly stood.  Just gotta go with the immortal words of Sir Lucian Secretariat the best horse he will/would see in his lifetime.  Mr. Ridley said the same about Man O' War.  Would be the greatest race ever, truly a battle of Kings. further, Titans.

Answer 4

Impossible to tell.In a match race I would pick Man O War because he would probably set the pace and front runners have a big advantage in a match race.Secretariat was awesome but 126 weight limit sure makes it easier than the massive amount put on the great Man O War no telling how he would done with the conditions being so much better now.I am adding my favorite to this race and I really think he would win more than lose to any horse who ever ran on any track.just look at his record another awesome one of a kind thoroughbred.Spectacular Bid still owns track records at 7f and 11/4 miles at Santa Anita.On the best day any of these greats would be tough.winner nobody will ever know

Answer 5

That's a question for the ages.It's nearly impossible to pick between arguably the 2 best horses ever because they raced about 50 years apart.But I will say this.Secretariat is my favorite racehorse of all time and on his best days no one would have beaten him.

Answer 6

This is a tough question because they ran in such different times.  

Man O War never really had to try that hard...  he was usually racing just one other horse.  He set all the records that stood for like 50 years.  He had a 28 foot stride.  He lost only once to Upset (who he beat a bunch of other times) either because he faced the wrong way at the start or because Upset's jockey boxed him in and refused to move over because he knew Man O War would beat him.  Man O War carried up to 138 pounds!  and he still won despite the enormous amount of weight.  He won a race by 100 lengths!

Secretariat didn't have as good of a win percentage...  he lost his Derby prep to Sham and he lost later to Onion.  But then he ran the most amazing Triple Crown series ever, setting records in every race!  That's supposed to be the hardest series of races for 3 year olds.

So how do we balance the two to determine a winner?  Secretariat finished his races faster than Man O War did, but Man O War was never fully extended and wasn't challenged all the way to the finishline like Secretariat was.  Man O War didn't win the Triple Crown but presumably would have had he run in the Kentucky Derby...  and he did beat a Triple Crown winner in his match against Sir Barton.  Secretariat ran the 3 biggest races faster than any other horse in history, but then lost in a couple other races.  

Each one was amazing...  if forced to pick one, I'd have to say Man O War would win.  I think the 28 foot stride would help him power to the lead if there was a battle in the stretch.  And given the amount of weight he carried and the 100 length win, I don't think Secretariat would be able to tire him out like he did to Sham in the Belmont.  I think Man O War faced more obstacles and over came them to do bigger things (100 lengths!) than Secretariat who was beaten a couple times despite his amazing accomplishments in the Triple Crown.  So I'm going with Man O War.