Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He is the author of The Death and Life of Mal Evans and is a regular contributor to www.pastthewire.com. This work examines Spectacular Bid from his humble beginnings -- he was born in a mud puddle on a horse farm in Versailles, Kentucky -- to his recognition as one of the greatest American racehorses. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. A Triple Crown - Undone by a Safety Pin. For Spectacular Bid's 4 … I highly recommend this book to any reader who loves horse racing and wants to learn the full story of this champion." Unfortunately for Franklin, his career will likely be defined by … Delp said that on the morning of the Belmont Stakes Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin that had fallen off a leg wrap. Associated Press: UNADILLA, N.Y. -- Spectacular Bid, a steel gray colt whose drive to win the Triple Crown in 1979 was derailed by a safety pin on the day of the Belmont Stakes, died at 27. Spectacular Bid's walkover in the Woodward Stakes was ranked #92 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments , a review of racing in the 20 th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006. Unfortunately, young jockey Franklin, determined to one-up his fellow jockeys after his previous tussle earlier in the week, pushed his horse too hard early on. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. He was voted the tenth greatest Thoroughbred of the twentieth century according to Blood-Horse magazine, and A Century of Champions places him ninth in the world and third among North American horses -- even ahead of the renowned Man o' War. Learn how Spectacular Bid, a $37,000 colt, missed horse racing immortality by an inch but went on to become one of the greatest racehorses of all time. It's difficult to say, but Lee's well written and thoroughly researched book is excellent fodder for the argument." Learn how Spectacular Bid, a $37,000 colt, missed horse racing immortality by an inch but went on to become one of the greatest racehorses of all time. In the 1+-mile Belmont, Spectacular Bid chased a speedy longshot early in the race … Trainer Bud Delp wanted Spectacular Bid to run in one more race before his 2-year-old campaign was over—the Heritage Stakes on November 11—which, if he won, would help jockey Ron Franklin […]. From the Blog. The pin lodged in Spectacular Bid’s hoof, creating a wound and minor infection that required frantic treatment to get the colt ready to run in the “Test of the Champion.”. In the 1½-mile Belmont, Spectacular Bid chased a speedy longshot early in the race and tired in the stretch. The main knock against Spectacular Bid is that he never won at 1 1/2 miles. -- Steve Haskin, Blood Horse Senior Correspondent, "When I started Peter Lee's book, I knew of Spectacular Bid: the safety pin, the world record, and the failed Triple Crown run were the oft-repeated narrative about this dynamite gray champion. That’s too easy because we all know it’s coming up the first Saturday in September instead of the first Saturday in May.” This work examines Spectacular Bid from his humble beginnings -- he was born in a mud puddle on a horse farm in Versailles, Kentucky -- to his recognition as one of the greatest American racehorses. A once-in-a-lifetime horse for his owners, for a veteran trainer best known for his success with claimers, and for an inexperienced jockey beset with problems, Spectacular Bid was the best of his generation. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. He notched stakes victories in the Grade IIIWorld's Playground Stakes, the Grade I Champagne Stakes, the Young America Stakes, the Grade I Laurel Futurity (in which he set a track record, a rarity for a two-year-old in a route race, running 1 ⁄16 miles in 1:41.6), a… It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Spectacular Bid had now won seven straight in 1979 heading into the Belmont Stakes. These cookies do not store any personal information. On the morning of the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin in his stall, injuring his foot. Even with knowledge of the safety pin incident, bettors attached Spectacular Bid with a phenomenal 1-5 line, making him the fourth-largest favorite in Belmont’s 102-year history. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Spectacular Bid, the horse whose trainer said was the greatest horse to ever look through a bridle, won the 1979 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. The greatest horse to ever look through a bridle. Race horse. On February 3, 1980, Spectacular Bid stunned the horse racing world by winning the Strub Stakes at Santa Anita in 1:57 4/5, obliterating the world record set 30 years earlier by the great Noor and equaled by Quack in 1972. When he returned to racing later in the year, Bill Shoemaker became his rider. So. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. So for years everyone joked that the horse "allegedly" lost the race because of a safety pin. Champion race horse who came up short winning the Triple Crown in 1979. January 5, 1980: Spectacular Bid Starts a Streak in the Malibu, Nov. 11, 1978 – Spectacular Bid Wins Heritage Stakes in Philly. All Rights Reserved. Cutting the deepest was his Belmont Stakes loss, in which the Triple Crown "sure thing" had allegedly been compromised when he stepped on a safety pin in his stall. "Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century" was recently released by University Press of Kentucky. The colt stepped on a safety pin in his stall before the race. This work examines Spectacular Bid from his humble beginnings -- he was born in a mud puddle on a horse farm in Versailles, Kentucky -- to his recognition as one of … Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century A safety pin was all that kept Spectacular Bid from becoming the 11th horse to take the Triple Crown in 1979. But now 29 years later the Spectacular Bid safety pin excuse has become gospel. He swept the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and almost certainly would have won the Triple Crown except for a bizarre accident that likely cost him the Belmont Stakes. On the morning of the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin in his … This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Author Peter Lee makes a strong argument that Spectacular Bid deserves a place among the sport's elite despite coming up short in his bid for the Triple Crown. Peter Lee does a masterful job telling the back story of how "The Bid," despite controversy and an ill-timed injury that cost him the Triple Crown, developed into what many still call "The perfect racehorse."" Over a couple of Bud Lights, one asks the other to name the strangest Kentucky Derby of them all, adding: “No fair picking this year’s. LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 30, 2019) — A safety pin is all that kept Spectacular Bid from becoming the 11th thoroughbred to take the Triple Crown in 1979. On the morning of the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin in his stall, injuring his foot. Following victories in the Kentucky derby and the Preakness, he lost the Belmont Stakes due to a safety pin that got embedded in his hoof. A safety pin was all that kept Spectacular Bid from becoming the eleventh Thoroughbred to take the Triple Crown. on Spectacular Bid’s Strub: 40 Years Later, on January 5, 1980: Spectacular Bid Starts a Streak in the Malibu, on Nov. 11, 1978 – Spectacular Bid Wins Heritage Stakes in Philly. A gray son of Bold Bidder, bred in Kentucky by Mrs. William Jason and Mrs. William Gilmore, Spectacular Bid won 26 of his 30 starts. By Maryjean Wall. -- Milton C. Toby, author of Taking Shergar: Thoroughbred Racing's Most Famous Cold Case. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Big Brown (2008) had a … It could have been the infamous safety pin; it could have been just an off day, but Spectacular Bid lost in the Belmont Stakes -- probably the race for which he's best remembered. This horse biography tells the story of the honest and not-so-glamorous colorful characters surrounding the champion -- including Bud Delp, the brash and cocky trainer who was distrustful of the Kentucky establishment, and Ron Franklin, the nineteen-year-old jockey who buckled under the stress and pressure associated with fame -- and how they witnessed firsthand the splendor and triumphs of Spectacular Bid. Decades later, the “safety pin theory” remains as controversial as the trainer himself. Wikipedia presents the story as fact although back when it actually happened people seriously doubted the story and for good reason. A safety pin was all that kept Spectacular Bid from becoming the eleventh Thoroughbred to take the Triple Crown. He was bred at Buck Pond Farm, by Mrs. William Gilmore and daughter Madelyn Jason. Spectacular Bid’s Strub: 40 Years Later. He had impressively won the first two races - the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness - but finished third in the Belmont, most likely due to his injury, making him one win shy of becoming the sport's third straight Triple Crown champion. Charismatic (1999) crossed the finish line with a broken leg. Order now! A safety pin was all that kept Spectacular Bid from becoming the eleventh Thoroughbred to take the Triple Crown. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Even though I chronicled the Bid's career as a reporter, I learned a lot of things about the horse in this all-encompassing book." IntroductionBeginningsSoldPotentialThe Field Shapes UpDerby FeverHome AgainOne More for the CrownGrowing PainsThe StreakEpilogue. NEW YORK -- Spectacular Bid (1979) stepped on a safety pin the day of the race, said his trainer. A safety pin was all that kept Spectacular Bid from becoming the eleventh Thoroughbred to take the Triple Crown. From beginning to end, it's a book that you cannot put down!" Franklin was criticized for his riding during the Belmont, and it was later revealed that Spectacular Bid’s left front hoof had been injured before the race by a safety pin. He had impressively won the first two races -- the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness -- but finished third in the Belmont, most likely due to his injury, making him one win shy of becoming the sport's third straight Triple Crown champion. The colt stepped on a safety pin in his stall before the race. But he was injured by the infamous safety pin in the Belmont Stakes, and was narrowly defeated by a stronger, more mature Affirmed in the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 1979. Incredible stuff by an astounding horse. This book examines Spectacular Bid from his humble beginnings—born in a mud puddle on a horse farm in Versailles, Ky.—to becoming one of the greatest American racehorses. This work examines Spectacular Bid from his humble beginnings -- he was born in a mud puddle on a horse farm in Versailles, Kentucky -- to his recognition as one of the greatest American racehorses. If Spectacular Bid had thrown in a clunker, a lackluster effort with no visible excuse, perhaps the blame could be pinned on the stray safety pin. Peter Lee, a former journalist, maintains the blog. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The author also details the heart-breaking Triple Crown run of Spectacular Bid who could have achieved racing immortality were it not for a loose safety pin in his stall. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. If the safety‐pin puncture was a contributing factor in Spectacular Bid's first defeat since last August, it was hardly the only one. Was Spectacular Bid really the last superhorse of the twentieth century? Spectacular Bid The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century (Book) : Lee, Peter : A safety pin was all that kept Spectacular Bid from becoming the eleventh Thoroughbred to take the Triple Crown. Race day was warm and sunny—typical of Southern California in winter. -- Brian Zipse, managing partner of Derby Day Racing, "No chronicle of racing's Golden Age of the 1970s, with one superstar after another, would be complete without the story of the $37,000 yearling purchase Spectacular Bid, who rose from the barn of Maryland hardboot Buddy Delp to become one the greatest superstars of all time. -- Barry Irwin, owner of and former writer for the Blood-Horse, "Despite missing out on the elusive Triple Crown, Spectacular Bid, along with Secretariat, was one of the two greatest racehorses I've ever seen. © 2021 The University Press of Kentucky. Bid was assigned 126 pounds, the heaviest in the field, and seemed ready to resume his racing career, pawing at the […], At Keystone Racetrack in Philadelphia on November 11, 1978, Bid ended an outstanding 2-year-old season with a dominating six-length victory in the Heritage Stakes. Bud Delp disagreed, blaming the loss on a hoof infection caused by Bid's having stepped on an open safety pin. Peter Lee, a former journalist, maintains the blog The Way to Churchill Downs, which reports on Derby hopefuls for the coming year. The Spectacular Bid Profile But that loss did not prevent him from becoming one of horse racing's greatest competitors. After taking two months to recover, the battleship gray colt would go on to win 26 of 30 races during his career, with two second-place finishes and one third. Purchased for $37,000, he won 26 of 30 … Spectacular Bid, a charcoal gray colt whose attempt to win the Triple Crown in 1979 was waylaid on the morning of the Belmont Stakes by a mysterious safety pin, died Monday at age 27. The colt stepped on a safety pin in his stall before the race. On the morning of the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a … Three weeks later at his next start at Pimlico, an allowance race, he equalled the track record of 1:04.2. But the champion was handed an awfully difficult task of expending energy early to no purpose, and the tactics remain a far likelier explanation. Forty years later, the record still stands. Including contemporary newspaper accounts of Bid's exploits and interviews with key players in his story, this is an encompassing look into the legacy of one of horse racing's true champions. Spectacular Bid began his racing career on June 30, 1978, at Pimlico Race Course, where he came within ⁄5 of a second of the track record for 5 ⁄2 furlongs. He had impressively won the first two races―the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness―but finished third in the Belmont, most likely due to his injury, making him one win shy of becoming the sport's third straight Triple Crown champion. We now have the definitive story on this great horse and his colorful connections. Two guys walk into a bar. Where do they fit in the hierarchy of Thoroughbred racing's history? "Peter Lee has written a fast-paced and exciting look at the life and times of one of the modern era's most impactful horses. On the morning of the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin in his stall, injuring his foot. This book showed me that the story of "The Bid" was much more: a horse with an average pedigree and superior talent; a blue-collar trainer who proved he could compete with the sport's elite; owners that genuinely loved and enjoyed their remarkable horse; and a jockey whose burning passion for horses and the sport of horse racing could not outrun the demons of success. In the aftermath of the defeat, Delp blamed the loss on a hoof injury that was caused when Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin. In Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century, Peter Lee does a masterful job of telling the entire and real story of a racing star who overcame numerous obstacles. Spectacular Bid wins the final leg of the Strub Series in a world record mile and a quarter time of 1:57 4/5. -- Jennifer S. Kelly, author of Sir Barton and the Making of the Triple Crown, "Winning a Triple Crown is an automatic stamp of immortality -- think Secretariat, Citation, and the others -- but what about those horses that didn't quite make it? Here’s how good that 1:57 4/5 is: Secretariat […], In his first race of 1980, the Malibu Stakes on January 5, Bid faced only four other horses in the short, seven-furlong race. Bid had already won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and looked to be a sure thing in the Belmont Stakes until he stepped on the fateful safety pin prior to the race and ended up third. Some believe it as gospel truth, others scoff at it. The resulting infection nearly ended his career. University Press of Kentucky New Poetry & Prose Series. Published by: The University Press of Kentucky, Imprint: The University Press of Kentucky, 280 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 x 0.00 in, 16 b&w photos, 2 tables. Theories of Defeat. Strange Derbies: Spectacular Bid First, Great Redeemer Last — by 47 Lengths. Delp said that on the morning of the Belmont Stakes Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin that had fallen off a leg wrap. Unfortunately for Delp, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin the morning of the Belmont Stakes and lost to Coastal, who incidentally, is a son of Majestic Prince. In the 1½-mile Belmont, Spectacular Bid chased a speedy longshot early in the race … By all rights, he should have won the Triple Crown, but a safety pin would stand in his way. This work examines Spectacular Bid from his humble beginningshe was born in a mud puddle on a horse farm in Versailles, Kentuckyto his recognition as one of the greatest American racehorses. Sums up the Bid enough.his trainer, Grover "Buddy" Delp, passed away on December 30, 2006
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