Farms: Whirlaway - Documentary
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Whirlaway (April 2, 1938 - April 6, 1953) was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse. The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Jimmy Jones, son of the colt's trainer, recalled that "Whirlaway was a creature of habit. You had to create habits for him. So we created the habits we wanted him to do." [Keeneland Magazine, Oct. 1998] The champion colt had a habit of bearing out, drifting toward the middle of the racetrack, during the latter part of his races and getting himself beaten. In preparations for the Kentucky Derby, this had been such a problem that trainer Ben A. Jones fitted the colt with a full-cup blinker over his right eye. In Whirlaway's final work before the Derby, he cut a small hole in the blinker so that the horse had a tiny field of vision. Jones then positioned himself ten feet off the inner rail and told jockey Eddie Arcaro to ride the horse through that space. Whirlaway was able to see his trainer, Arcaro was able to keep him on a straight path, and Whirlaway won the Kentucky Derby. Whirlaway was voted the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in 1940 by Turf & Sports Digest Magazine. The rival Daily Racing Form award was won by Our Boots. Trained by Ben A. Jones and ridden by Arcaro, Whirlaway won the U.S. Triple Crown in 1941. He also won the Lawrence Realization Stakes and the Travers Stakes that year. He was voted the Horse of the Year in 1941, beating Alsab by 96 votes to 91 in a poll conducted by the Turf and Sport Digest magazine. A year later, Whirlaway repeated his win in the poll, beating Alsab with 76 votes to his rival's 45. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whirlaway
Comments
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Very good documentary. What an outstanding record. Whirlaway had some great moves that broke the hearts of the competition. He should have won the match race between him and Alsab. He should have been closer to the lead or on the lead. Very few horses come from behind in match races. Seabiscuit beat War Admiral at Pimlico in a match race because he wouldn't let the Admiral get by him..
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we don't have many horses today like whirlaway and the other triple crown winners :(
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Whirlaway did not receive the proper credit he deserved in the Blood-Horse historic rankings. Among other achievements, he's the only Triple Crown winner to also win the Travers Stakes - known as the "4th leg of the Triple Crown" and also as the graveyard of champions. He also did much more. (Broadwell's book is an essential historical account of Whirlaway's life and career.) Whirlaway almost certainly ranks among history's top five greatest thoroughbred racehorses.
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what a wonderful story and what an icon for thorougbred breeding
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When I was four years old, my Father took me to Churchill Downs and I got to pet Whirlaway after his win in his stall.
Today I went in my back yard and petted the Grandson of Storm Cat and great-great-grandson of Secretariat and gave him an apple. -
That my friends is what real talent without dope or any kind of drug is... Real talent is real talent and all I know is that Wirlaway naturally had it without question!
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What a fantastic story of a great horse -
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Maybe next to Kelso (who was the GOAT American horse) he is the most unappreciated and forgotten great horse. He's the only one to win the triple crwn & the Travers (which was 1 of 7 stks Ws under 130) . He was a great 2yo & 4yo as well, won stks at 13 diff tracks and is at least the 3rd greatest horse who was a trple crwn winner and an all-time top 10 American horse.
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GOOD GOD!!! And I thought Secretariat's come from behind in the Preakness was the ultimate. Whirlaway BLEW that out of the water!! WOW!
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fantastic!! Would you happen to have any other videos like this?
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Great video! Once in a lifetime horse!