Guest Column: The First Frankel: Man O’ War

Guest Column: The First Frankel: Man O’ War

22 November, 2012
– Lisa Barrett

A rare video of the iconic American stallion Man O War has just been released on You Tube. The 30 odd second clip, taken when Man O War was 22 shows the great stallion having a good roll and gallop around his paddock. Even at that relatively advanced age, once can see just how good a sprinter Man O War was, as he tears around the paddock with the sprightliness of a two year old.

A tall regal chestnut Man O War was the “Frankel” of his day, with a flashy commanding presence. He won 20 of his 21 starts, and was voted by Bloodhorse magazine as one of the greatest horses of the era. One of his most memorable races was against the legendary American Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton, who had given him six pounds for the race, and who was suffering from hoof problems at the time. Despite this, Sir Barton put up a gallant race in an attempt to overhaul Man O War, but in the end it was a humiliating show of superiority as Man O’War won by seven lengths from the struggling champion.

Man O’War’s dam was the Rock Sand mare Mahubah, a winner of some minor Stakes races, and his sire was Fair Play, son of the well-known but extremely temperamental stallion Hastings. War intervened, and Mahubah’s colt was sent with the rest of his stock to the Saratoga Sales as a last minute entry by the legendary breeder Major August Belmont (who was called up for service). In a sale which averaged $1,038 per horse, the tall rangy colt stood out, and was sold for $5 000 to a newcomer to the game, Samuel Riddle, who gave him to trainer Louis Feustel to break in.

This proved to be quite a task, as Man O War as he was now known, previously being called My Man O War by Major Belmont’s wife, was a difficult and nervy individual, probably due to the Hastings/Rock Sand influence in his pedigree.

Nevertheless, he developed into a beautifully muscled individual, with a high head and an unusual bounding gait and tremendous stride. Despite being a tall horse, he had amazing agility and acceleration on him, something Feustel managed to use to his best advantage throughout his racing career.

Man O War’s only loss in an otherwise stellar career was in the Sanford Memorial Stakes, where it was only a poor start that saw him lose by ½ length to Upset. It was his run in the Lawrence Realization Stakes that was to become the stuff of legends and records. No one wanted to enter their horses against the invincible Man O War, but eventually one brave soul, Sarah Jeffords entered Hoodwink to go up against him. In the end it was one of the most complete demolitions ever witnessed, Man O War won by 100 lengths, setting a new course record of 2:40-4/5 for a mile and five-eighths, one which has to this date not been beaten.

Retired to stud in 1921, Man O War managed to produce an impressive first crop with three champions: the brilliant colt, American Flag who won the Belmont, Dwyer, Withers Stakes, and the two fillies Florence Nightingale C.C.A. Oaks, and Maid At Arms the Alabama Stakes, Pimlico Oaks, in the process becoming the toast of the 1925 racing season in America.

Man O’War managed to sire many successful sons: War Admiral, the 1937 American Triple Crown winner, and ranked by Bloodhorse magazine as the 13th greatest horse of the twentieth century and famous for his great duel with another Man O War descendant, Sea Biscuit; Crusader, the leading horse of 1926 with wins in the Belmont and the Travers Stakes to his name, and perhaps his greatest legacy, War Relic, a moderately successful racehorse, who managed to ensure that his great sire’s line exists to this day in the thoroughbred champions Tiznow, Well Armed and Betrando.

His daughters were the most successful legacy that Man O War left to the breeding and racing world, becoming highly successful broodmares: Vagrancy, Level Best, Pavot, High Fleet, Blue Swords, Dawn Play, War Plumage, Columbiana, Mata Hari, Bushranger and Dauber were the results, and they kept Man O War listed as one of the leading broodmare sires for 22 years.

Pensioned from stud duties in the early forties due to a heart problem, Man O War lived to the ripe old age of 30, dying in 1947 just a few hours after his long-time groom Will Harbutt. He had an open coffin, and thousands filed past to pay their respects to an equine legend. His remains were moved to Kentucky Horse Park in the 1970’s, where there is a life size statue of him by Herbert Haseltine.

So what of Frankel? How does he shape up to Man O’War? Both were and are, exceptional specimens, both had a huge reach and stride when in full flight, both were sprinters and could accelerate to incredible speed when called upon to do so. As Frankel settles into stud duties, it will be interesting to see how he is mated, considering his book will be restricted. Will he be able influence the breeding and racing landscape to the extent that Man O’ War has, that remains to be answered.

Frankel, like Man O’War comes with a stellar pedigree. His dam Kind, is a daughter of the immortal Danehill, and winner of four races in a row, including the Listed Flower of Scotland Stakes. Kind is a brilliant mare, who has produced three winners of Group races to date.

Frankel’s sire hardly needs any introduction, being the world’s most successful and expensive sire, Galileo, sire of well over 100 Stakes and Group One winners from just his first seven crops. Galileo’s progeny continue to break price records at sales around the world, and if Frankel turns out to be as good a sire as he was a racehorse, then all bets could be off as to whether he might emulate or surpass his illustrious sire.

If Man O War had been around today, he might have been serious competition for Frankel, not only in terms of racing ability, but sheer personality and charisma. One thing is for sure, Frankel has a lot of work to do if he is to leave behind a legacy as great as that of Man O War!