Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

vic — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 20:50:36 GMT

I always thought the St. Liam/Ghostzapper deul never got its props - Two BC Classic winners & HOY winners going at it // great stuff

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

bsinboots — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:55:49 GMT

Ummm...You/Carson Hollow over Rags to Riches/Curlin? That makes your entire list meaningless right there.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Soldier Course — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:35:14 GMT

hoofprintsandhorseplay:

Then what will happen if the BC is held at Belmont Park? Assume that Trevor Denman is still under contract with ESPN for the BC. Will NYRA allow him to announce the races?

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

WhiteCamry — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:01:39 GMT

Howzabout a "Most Memorable Race Call" list? Some doozies were really out there, even if they weren't top stakes races. Who could forget "Arrrr"?

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

CajunCountry — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:58:41 GMT

That incredible duel between Read the Footnotes and Second of June! Still gives me a little frisson just thinking about it. I'm so glad Steve remembered it as well.

But the one where my heart was in my throat was Rags/Curlin.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

ML/NJ — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:55:33 GMT

I also rank the You - Carson Hollow battle way above the others. I have always wondered if Carson Hollow would have come down if she had prevailed. ("You's in SO TIGHT!")

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

hoofprintsandhorseplay — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:31:49 GMT

The Belmont is over Mr Durkins home track - NYRA doesn't allow anyone to call its races for TV other than Tom Durkin. Have you ever heard a race call on TV from NY that didn't use the NYRA track announcer?

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Miramartzu — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:41:07 GMT

Ghostzapper vs. St. Liam would be tops on my list. But what about You and Carson Hollow in the Test Stakes. Those girls where something else that day.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Philip — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:58:55 GMT

I would have put the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby up higher on the list.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Soldier Course — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:49:09 GMT

hoofprintsandhorseplay:

Re Tom Durkin and the BC: I had read that business about network contracts when the BC moved from NBC to ESPN, but Tom Durkin still calls the Belmont Stakes and it's now on ABC. What's the difference?

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

jamesb — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:44:25 GMT

It didn't even dawn on me that Curlin - Street Sense wasn't on here.

Interesting that only two horses appear on this list twice, and Curlin very well could have been on here three times.

And they would have all been in the same year in a four race span.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

DerbyDean — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:39:54 GMT

I imagine the best stretch battle as being the one we never got to see. 2006 Preakness Bernardini vs. Barbaro

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

LITTLEGUYBREEDER — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:34:30 GMT

Wow, Steve! You remembered that incredible duel between Read the Footnotes and Second of June! That race was INCREDIBLE! Thanks for bringing back a really nice racing memory!

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Alysse — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:50:37 GMT

The 2002 Test is definitely my favorite. It helps that Durkin couldn't have been more on his game with that call. My only problem with it is that there WAS a loser, and it was the horse I'd have preferred to be the winner. But truly, it was a photo finish that didn't deserve a loser.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Karen in Texas — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:41:55 GMT

Tiznow's BC Classics definitely belong at the top, but I thought the 2001 effort was the more exceptional of the two. I agree with da3hoss that Curlin's battle to catch Street Sense in the 2007 Preakness was one of the best races ever.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Marcia — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:39:04 GMT

I must say that they all gave me chills but I was moved with the Proud Spell and Music Note duel. Proud Spell was a gutsy little girl! And I do agree with hoofprintsandhorseplay about Trevor and his "catch phrases" I much prefer Tom Durkin. Tho, I do like "They will have to sprout wings to catch ---- today". Happy New Year to all!!

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

hoofprintsandhorseplay — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:01:22 GMT

Best duel is You and Carson Hollow by far. They were neck to neck for many furlongs in a very fast race.

The second best is Rags to Riches and Curlin.

Another note - Mr Durkin has a contract with another TV network and when the Breeders' Cup was moved from NBC - they also gave up Mr Durkin.

Just a horrible ripple effect since Trevor Denmon has lost his originality the last few years and uses the same catch phrases over and over. His race calls don't hold a candle to Mr Durkins ...

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

sweet_tea — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:56:23 GMT

ROUND POND - HAPPY TICKET at Oaklawn in the 2006 G3 Azeri Breeders Cup Stakes. A brillant dual - it is worth digging up video and watching the replay. That same year ROUND POND went on the win the Breeders Cup Distaff and Happy Ticket was in the money as well.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Robyn — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:49:46 GMT

Ah I can still hear Tom Durkin shouting "And Rags to Riches is coming with a four wide sweep!" Just thinking about how he called the 2007 Belmont gives me chills. He's not the perfect race-caller but there's something about the way he's so excitable that translates well when there's a dramatic duel in the stretch.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

jamesb — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:20:33 GMT

Round Pond vs. Happy Ticket 2006 Azeri Stakes.

The entire race they were never more than a half length apart.

Made tragic now that Happy Ticket is no longer with us.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Soldier Course — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:35:42 GMT

oahunick:

I would love to have heard how Tom Durkin would have called Zenyatta's 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic. I wish he could come back for the BC.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

oahunick — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:20:34 GMT

I think think that a factor in these stretch battles is the call.

Trevor has never been good at "amping up" the call in a desperate stretch battle.

It's no surprise that Stauffer's calls make Steve's list - he and Durkin have a great sense and great terms for getting the action just right.

"These two are nip and tuck"

"And these two throw it down"

Etc.

The Lava Man Gold Cup and Curlin/Lawyer Ron battle would not be so memorable if we had to watch these races on mute.

I don't wanna put myself in Steve's head too much ...

But I venture if either Vic Stauffer or Tom Durkin called the Congaree/Brew Big 'Cap - it would be higher rated by him.

I wonder what emphasis Steve Haskin puts on a race-caller explaining the stretch duel?

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

PointGiven — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:07:16 GMT

Booklet and Harlan's Holiday

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

Johnny — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:43:57 GMT

I won't pick the best duel, nor rank them, because I didn't see all of them; however, one that stands out for me is the 2007 Belmont Stakes. Two remarkable horses, one male, one female, giving their all, eyeball to eyeball to the wire. Neither flinched.

Curlin had known the sting of battle in the two previous Triple Crown races, emerging victorious in the "middle jewel". By the third contest, he was far from being a fresh horse.

Rags To Riches had her own pressures to overcome as well. She was behind the 8-ball right from the start, stumbling at the break, from the outside post, and now she had to try and run down six males. Maybe going 12 furlongs made it a little easier or maybe it was harder. I don't know.

Curlin and Rags overcome the fatigue and adversity, and both demonstrated the essence of the Thoroughbred: speed, stamina, perseverance, and courage. The filly, who became that year's three-year-old divisional champion, prevailed to become the first of her gender to win since Tanya in 1905. And for Curlin, his reputation remained intact, validated with future conquests and two eventual Horse of the Year titles.

That edition of the Belmont Stakes was in the truest and purest sense, "the Test of the Champion".

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

John T — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:12:22 GMT

Yes,I totally agree.For Tiznow to produce two efforts like that in a

race like the Breeders Cup Classic

against some of the best horses racing had to offer was truly an amazing feat.