Comments on: Horse Racing’s Greatest Rivalry: Affirmed vs. Alydar

By: Randy "coddfish" Codd

Randy "coddfish" Codd — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:07:56 +0000

I remember this great horse racing rivalry so very well. Seatle Slew had captured the countries imagination with his unlikely triple crown win just the year before. All eyes were on Affirmed and Alydar and they didn’t disappoint !

You asked about other great horse racing rivalries and two stand out in my mind. Both involve offspring of Alydar, Easy Goer and Alysheba.

Most of you remember the epic battles between Easy Goer and Sunday Silence in 1989′s triple crown. After Sunday Silence won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, he was denied the third and final jewel in the Belmont by Easy Goer. This classic rivalry is right up there with Affirmed and Alydar in my book.

I was lucky enough to have been at Santa Anita when Ferdinand and Alysheba went head to head in the 1987 Breeder’s Cup Classic. Alysheba had won the Kentucky Derby earlier in the year and Ferdinand won it the year before. Both these great champions were battling for Horse of The Year. In as good a stretch duel as I have ever seen in a race of this magnitude, Ferdinand stuck his nose in front at the wire to win it. I’m getting chills as I type this almost 25 years later !

By: Richard Foley

Richard Foley — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:56:32 +0000

Wonderful to see those races again. I followed Harbor View Farm horses and naturally bet on Affirmed. Steve Cauthen was the wonder boy of NY racing and the rivalry with the magnificant Alydar was incredible. I was at the Belmont Stakes and my heart was in my throat for the last mile of that epic battle. I never heard the roar of the racetrack crowd so loud! I could hardly hear the call, only “Alydar got a nose in front” as they approached the top of the stretch! When Cauthen raised his arm at the finish, we knew the winner. The Travers was a shame, everyone wanted to see those two champions go at each other again, but Pincay on Affirmed closed the rail to Alydar and caused Jorge Velazquez to pull Alydar up. Incredibly Alydar recovered and chased Affirmed to the wire, closing ground all the way. What a pair! Alydar was a hard luck horse who was murdered for insurance money, he deserved far better. Affirmed was greater because of Alydar.

By: R.A.C.E. Fund, Inc

R.A.C.E. Fund, Inc — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:09:43 +0000

The R.A.C.E. Fund and many loyal supporters rescued a daughter of Alydar named Promethia this past May, 2011. Join the R.A.C.E. Fund on Facebook and the Promethia Fund and read about her amazing story and recovery.

By: Joyce Daugherty

Joyce Daugherty — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:21:58 +0000

If you want to read a real ly good, accurate story about Alydar, get a book called, “My Racing Heart”. I can’t remember the author’s name; it was a woman. She was also an Alydar lover, of which I am proud to say I am also. There never was a better horse than him. All heart and class; that was Alydar. Brave and good, and full of spirit. And generous with his prodigious running skills. And did I mention beautiful? That he was, perfect confirmation, a lovely head and eye. I will love him forever, and forever mourn the manner of his passing. In the pantheon of great horses, Alydar is right up there with the greatest. RIP, beautiful, courageous Alydar.

By: Dairn

Dairn — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 01:23:57 +0000

This triple crown is the first I can remember betting on. I lost all three times as I took Alydar in each race. I have been an admirer of horse racing ever since, mostly because of watching this rivalry. In later years I won some money back by betting on Alysheba, so I guess Alydar came through for me in the end. Sad to hear the demise of Alydar is tainted with some possible foul play.

By: Averie HoRsEy CrAzY!

Averie HoRsEy CrAzY! — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:12:43 +0000

Affirmed and Alydar in my opinion had the greatest rivalry in the history of the sport. I got into horse racing at the beginning of the year and i read books on multiple racehorses including Secretariat, Seabiscuit, and the new book on Affirmed. I watched all the videos of their meet ups. The most recent book i got was the top 100 racehorses of the 20th century by bloodhorse magazine. Affirmed and Alydar of course were both in it! Affirmed ranks #12 while Alydar ranks #27, but two of Alydar’s sons are also on the list, Easy Goer at #34 and Alysheba at #42. None of Affirmed’s offspring are on the list (Though Affirmed did sire the Canadian Triple Crown winner Peteski.) I never got to see Affirmed and Alydar at the races. Alydar had already passed away 7 years before i was born and Affirmed died when i was only 3. I think they had the greatest rivalry because no two other horses that had a rivalry had such an amazing and close, anticipating ones like Affirmed and Alydar did!

By: KAkerley

KAkerley — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:46:37 +0000

At 12 years old, I was already a huge fan of thoroghbred racing and will never forget the races. Alydar was my pick and to this day I will never be convinced he wasn’t the better horse. I agree that if Affirmed hadn’t been running, Alydar would have been a Triple Crown winner. However, I don’t know if Affirmed would have been able to do it without Alydar!

By: Roberto

Roberto — Sun, 22 May 2011 08:25:13 +0000

Without Affirmed, Alydar may have also been a Triple Crown winner

By: Claude

Claude — Sat, 21 May 2011 05:37:33 +0000

I’m looking around the internet for information here on the eve of the 2011 Preakness. I watched the 78 Preakness and was surprised that Alydar and Affirmed raced at the same time! Then I searched Alydar and came here where I learned all about those two. I have seen quite a few past performance sheets from Brisnet and I always look at the breeding – Alydar comes up much more than Affirmed and I always assumed he won at least one triple crown race…
Thanks for the information. claude

By: Randy Mitchell

Randy Mitchell — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 02:24:55 +0000

I’m not a horse race guy. I don’t know a bridle from a saddle. But, I’m a 58 year old sports guy. I remember vividly the Triple Crown of ’78. It was one of the most exciting sports memories that I possess (and, I’ve been to 44 consecutive Indy 500s and countless of other ball and bat sport events). The videos were a great reminder of the excitement and drama. Two great athletes going heat to head and there was no loser or “2nd place”. Randy