I own a grandson of Little Current. He raced as Current Half. He's a grey, so he doesn't look much like Little Current. I just feel sorry for him. He almost was a triple crown winner.
Normal size. A beautiful chestnut, like Secretariat. He was named after a river (I think) in Washington or Oregon called "Little Current." He spent his last years there, too.
Little Current and The Bid both ran into trouble. They were both a hair-width away from being TC winners. I'm not saying that LC was as fantastic a horse as Bid was, just that we might have had five TC winners in the 1970's, comparable to the four in the 1940's! LC had a pretty poor field to race against, but he sure looked great. I love how on the far turn the announcer says "And Little Current is 7th" and suddenly he enters the screen from the right burying the rest of the field!
Little Current did have a ton of trouble in the Derby. Otherwise i believe he would have won the triple crown. Sea Bird II, his sire is considered by many to be one of the greatest runners in Europe. We need to produce more like these two. Otherwise we might end up with quarter horses.
My aunt worked for Mr. Galbreath in his home in Florida. We were all excited about this win and the horse of the year honor. It was bad luck in the Derby or we could have had another triple crowd winner. I just read where Little Current lived to be 32 years old. Thanks for posting this video. I am reliving history with my niece who is a horse lover.
I always thought that Little Current was one of the prettiest of the classic winners I'd seen (on TV!).
He could well have been a Triple Crown winner -- he had huge traffic trouble in the 23-horse Derby and overcame a lot of it to finish fifth. He showed lots of talent -- and the trouble that a one-run closer can run into. He had two exciting stretch battles with Holding Pattern in the Monmouth Invitational and the Travers, just coming up short each time.
When Dave Johnson brings his A-Game to the announcer's booth, he is as good as it gets! Question for you, cf, as much as I'm a Chic Anderson fan, is Dave Johnson's 1973 Belmont call somewhere on YouTube?
Hi. I haven't found the '73 Belmont with Dave announcing on youtube, or anywhere for that matter.
I have footage of Riva Ridge's '72 Belmont with Dave calling it, but no, not the '73 race. Believe me, I'm dying to hear his call of Big Red's masterpiece.
It's one of my few bugaboos, with Secretariat's unfound and presumed lost by fire footage of his 1972 Laurel Futurity being my biggest. THAT footage will also be a gem if it's discovered somewhere. But I digress. cont.
Thanks for posting this, cf1970. It's the first time I've seen this race. My family took a trip to Europe that summer, leaving a month before school ended. Lucky me:)
I picked up a copy of the International Herald Tribune in Europe and read a one paragraph summary of this race. I was surprised Little Current did it so easily. And now I know how.
Also that summer, I remember listening on Armed Forces Radio when the filly Chris Evert won a match race by about 50 lengths.
You're welcome. Thanks for the tales of your family and personal travels. I'm surprised that yours is the only comment on Little Current's great effort here. Very surprised indeed. I definitely thought more people would comment. Take care.
I own a grandson of Little Current. He raced as Current Half. He's a grey, so he doesn't look much like Little Current. I just feel sorry for him. He almost was a triple crown winner.
MemoryHauntedPast 8 months ago in playlist Monty's heritage
In the early 1980s I cashed a number of nice prices on offspring of Little Current, particularly first-time on the grass.
BettorOffSingle 1 year ago
wow, never saw this race. Little Current just blew by them in the stretch.
ereaven 2 years ago
@ereaven He was a pretty influential sire for a while, but that has waned. Used to be great with first-time grass runners.
BettorOffSingle 1 year ago
Little Current was the best horse never to win the Triple Crown.
swami1 2 years ago
Oui et c'est bien dommage car il le méritait amplement. Son nom n'aurait pas entaché le palmar-s de la Triple Couronne.
allezfrance04 2 years ago
How little was Little Current?
chazam44 3 years ago
Normal size. A beautiful chestnut, like Secretariat. He was named after a river (I think) in Washington or Oregon called "Little Current." He spent his last years there, too.
1948BigCy 3 years ago
Little Current and The Bid both ran into trouble. They were both a hair-width away from being TC winners. I'm not saying that LC was as fantastic a horse as Bid was, just that we might have had five TC winners in the 1970's, comparable to the four in the 1940's! LC had a pretty poor field to race against, but he sure looked great. I love how on the far turn the announcer says "And Little Current is 7th" and suddenly he enters the screen from the right burying the rest of the field!
1948BigCy 3 years ago
Curribot ran his races just like Little Current did here. Brought back memories of the great horse that Curribot was.
mike01c 4 years ago
Little Current did have a ton of trouble in the Derby. Otherwise i believe he would have won the triple crown. Sea Bird II, his sire is considered by many to be one of the greatest runners in Europe. We need to produce more like these two. Otherwise we might end up with quarter horses.
BE109 4 years ago
My aunt worked for Mr. Galbreath in his home in Florida. We were all excited about this win and the horse of the year honor. It was bad luck in the Derby or we could have had another triple crowd winner. I just read where Little Current lived to be 32 years old. Thanks for posting this video. I am reliving history with my niece who is a horse lover.
dwh02 4 years ago
Wonderful to hear your story. Glad you liked it.
Take care.
cf1970 4 years ago
I always thought that Little Current was one of the prettiest of the classic winners I'd seen (on TV!).
He could well have been a Triple Crown winner -- he had huge traffic trouble in the 23-horse Derby and overcame a lot of it to finish fifth. He showed lots of talent -- and the trouble that a one-run closer can run into. He had two exciting stretch battles with Holding Pattern in the Monmouth Invitational and the Travers, just coming up short each time.
One of my favorites. Thanks!
tchas35 4 years ago
Yeah, Little Current was a terrific horse and quite the looker. Love those chestnuts.
He ran a fabulous race here, very enjoyable.
Take care.
cf1970 4 years ago
When Dave Johnson brings his A-Game to the announcer's booth, he is as good as it gets! Question for you, cf, as much as I'm a Chic Anderson fan, is Dave Johnson's 1973 Belmont call somewhere on YouTube?
Thanks again!
terjer01 4 years ago
Hi. I haven't found the '73 Belmont with Dave announcing on youtube, or anywhere for that matter.
I have footage of Riva Ridge's '72 Belmont with Dave calling it, but no, not the '73 race. Believe me, I'm dying to hear his call of Big Red's masterpiece.
It's one of my few bugaboos, with Secretariat's unfound and presumed lost by fire footage of his 1972 Laurel Futurity being my biggest. THAT footage will also be a gem if it's discovered somewhere. But I digress. cont.
cf1970 4 years ago
A while back on Olliefu's Secretariat video I read user davemock saying that he had heard Johnson's call on tape.
I can only hope that someday, his call will be available.
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
cf1970 4 years ago
Thanks for posting this, cf1970. It's the first time I've seen this race. My family took a trip to Europe that summer, leaving a month before school ended. Lucky me:)
I picked up a copy of the International Herald Tribune in Europe and read a one paragraph summary of this race. I was surprised Little Current did it so easily. And now I know how.
Also that summer, I remember listening on Armed Forces Radio when the filly Chris Evert won a match race by about 50 lengths.
AwsiDooger 5 years ago
You're welcome. Thanks for the tales of your family and personal travels. I'm surprised that yours is the only comment on Little Current's great effort here. Very surprised indeed. I definitely thought more people would comment. Take care.
cf1970 5 years ago