Top 7 Horses in Racing History Revealed

You don’t have to be a huge horse racing fan to know or even hear references pertaining to some of the most celebrated racehorses in history. From Secretariat to Winx, there's a bunch of legendary horses whose names have become synonymous with greatness. These equine athletes have left an indelible mark on the sport, captivating audiences and setting records that still stand today.

1. Secretariat

Jockey: Ron Turcotte
Estimated Earnings: $1.3 Million
Races won: Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes

If you’re asking, “Is this the horse from the 2010 movie by Randall Wallace?” Yes, it’s the most popular racehorse in American history, at least. His Triple Crown victories in the US cemented his legacy. He started from last position and won the Kentucky Derby in less than two minutes, making history as the first racehorse to do so.

After winning the Preakness Stakes, he surpassed his own record of winning streaks by winning the Belmont Stakes and adding the Triple Crown to his collection. His incredible victory over four racehorses by thirty-one lengths, which set a record for the quickest time ever on a dirt track for a one-mile, four-furlong race, was one of his most notable achievements.

2. Zenyatta

Jockey: Mike Smith and David Flores
Estimated Earnings: $7.3 Million
Races won: 19 of her 20 career starts and 13 Grade 1 victories

A formidable force to be reckoned with was Zenyatta. She didn't race when she was two years old, in contrast to many other racehorses in the business. Her birth year is 2004; she didn't start racing until 2007.

Zenyatta was considered to be a huge equine, weighing more than 1200 pounds and was over 17 hands tall. Zenyatta was so large, in fact, that she felt cramped at the starting gate.

Her "dancing" routine prior to the race gained her notoriety. During her career, many race watchers noticed that she would joyfully prance around, seemingly like she was performing for the audience before a race (we'll chalk this up to being a mare and needing to release all of her pent-up energy).

Having only lost once in her 20 races, her greatest accomplishment was winning the 2009 Breeder's Cup, where she defeated the winners of the European Group 1, the Kentucky Derby, and the Belmont Stakes. In addition to being the first mare to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, Zenyatta was also the first horse to ever win two Breeders' Cup races in a single day.

3. Man o’ War

Jockeys: John Loftus, Clarence Kummer, Andy Schuttinger and Earl Sande
Estimated Earnings: $250,000
Races won: 20 out of 21 starts

Man O'War monument image

Between 1919 and 1921, Man O' War raced. He is still regarded as the best racehorse of all time. A chestnut stallion named Man O' War won 20 of his 21 races. He once competed and won while weighing 138 pounds, which is one of his most famous triumphs.

Man o' War, a legendary racehorse, was denied a chance at the US Triple Crown by his owner despite being a great value at $5,000. Named for his dominance, he revived North American horse racing post-war. As a stud, he sired notable offspring, including War Admiral, a Triple Crown winner, and Battleship, the only horse to win both American and English Grand Nationals.

4. Seattle Slew

Jockeys: Jean Cruguet
Estimated Earnings: $1,208,726
Races won: 14 out of 17 starts

Born out of the $17,500 purchase of My Charmer and Bold Reasoning, Seattle Slew continues to be the only racehorse to win the Triple Crown with a flawless career. Seattle Slew was the only racehorse to win the US Triple Crown of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes without suffering a loss prior to the arrival of Justify in 2018. From 1976 to 1978, he won the titles of Champion Juvenile Colt, Three-Year-Old, and Older Male Horse, in that order.

In 1977, Seattle Slew was again named American Horse of the Year. Seattle Slew, after recovering from a life-threatening illness, nearly broke the world record in the Marlboro Cup. His influence persisted in his stud career, with descendants like Kentucky Derby winners California Chrome and Orb. Seattle Slew's popularity sparked "Slewmania" at racetracks, capturing the public's imagination during a golden era for US horse racing.

Seattle Slew image

5. Winx

Jockeys: Hugh Bowman, Jason Collett, Tommy Berry, James McDonald, and Larry Cassid
Estimated Earnings: $26,441,174
Races won: 37 out of 43 starts

With 25 victories in Grade/Group 1 races, Winx holds the record for most in the world. After Black Caviar, she was the third horse to be inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2017 while still in training.

Winx earned more prize money than any other horse in the Southern Hemisphere and shared the same sire as Zenyatta. In addition, she won the Cox Plate four times in a row, setting a record. From 2015–16 to 2018–19, she was the Australian Horse of the Year.

6. Citation

Citation image

Jockeys: Eddie Arcaro, Al Snider, Warren Mehrtens, and Jack Westrope
Estimated Earnings: $1 million in career earnings
Races won: 32 out of 45 starts

Citation is from Lexington, Kentucky's Calumet Farm. Calumet Farm's founder, Warren Wright Sr., bought Hydroplane II from Britain back in 1941. After mating with Bull Lea, Hydroplane II gave birth to a bay colt that would later be given the name Citation.

Given the horse racing dynasty he established during his lifetime, Mr. Wright would be considered extremely fortunate. Citation was foaled in 1948 and won the Triple Crown three years later. Not that Mr. Wright produced many winners from his stables, but Citation was the main attraction.

7. American Pharoah

Jockeys: Victor Espinoza
Estimated Earnings: $8,650,300
Races won: 9 out of 11 starts

Eighteen of the top racehorses in the world were lining up for the Kentucky Derby in 2015. The American Triple Crown hadn't been won by a racehorse in 37 years, but temperamental American Pharoah had race fans everywhere on tenterhooks as he battled valiantly to win it by a mere length. After defeating a top-tier competition to add the Breeder's Cup Classic to his Triple Crown in 2015, American Pharoah became the first "Grand Slam" champion in history.

Race to the Finish

In the world of horse racing, these amazing animals have made a lasting impression by attracting spectators and breaking records that are still in place today. Every horse has its own tale of success and brilliance, from Winx's unprecedented Group 1 victories to Secretariat's amazing Triple Crown triumph. Whether you're interested in racing or not, their incredible accomplishments never cease to amaze and inspire followers all across the world.

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