@Webuiltthepyramids ......Alydar had every chance in the world to go by him....it's not like he was 5 wide.....now, if Alydar had ever switched leads what might have happened?
Pt. 2 - By strange coincidence Jaipur and Ridan were related in a similar way, Jaipur was by Nasrullah while Ridan was by Nantallah, a son of Nasrullah. cf1970 has the 1962 Travers uploaded so you can compare. I guess the worst fights real are between members of the same family!
Pt 1. - This was the best long range duel I have seen. A little odd note that I just discovered - many people know that Affirmed and Alydar were fairly closely related - Affirmed was by Exclusive Native, a son of Raise the Native, while Alydar was also a son of Raise the Native. The greatest dual of this kind may have been in the 1962 Travers when Jaipur edged out Ridan after a race long head to head. Jaipur was named 1962 3yr. old champion.
Awesome performance by both horses....I wish I could have seen this live. Affirmed was pressed by Alydar the whole way, loses his lead for a bit...but still has enough guts to reclaim that lead down the stretch. Amazing.
who would have guess this would be the last Triple Crown winner so far..given the way syndicates operate these multimillion dollar horses I doubt we will see another horse even attempt it..
Definitely rates as one of the greatest moments in sporting history, if not history generally speaking. You don't have to a racing fan to appreciate this, but if you are a fan, you've got to be lovin' it!
Great race!! Great rivalry!! I'm sure the owners of Alydar must have been cursing Affirmed because if he wasn't there in all 3 Triple Crown races, Alydar would probably have been the Triple Crown winner instead since Alydar finished second in all 3. Wow!!
Had Alydar not been a three-year-old in 1978, that horse also would have been a Triple Crown champion, given the second-place finishes in all three Triple Crown races.
Had Dave Johnson called it, we would've heard "Down The Stretch They Come! Will Affirmed win the Triple Crown or Alydar finally beat his rival??".
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this. Chic was CERTAINLY the best announcer and this was the most exciting race since Secretariat in 1973 and Genuine Risk's Kentucky Berby win in 1980. Affirmed and Alaydar -they were BOTH SO GOOD!
Truly inspirational the way Affirmed and Steve Cauthen fought back to win the Triple Crown ... to this day, when I'm faced with challenges in life, I think about the horse and what he had to do to win.
I remember getting the news that CHIC died when I was at OAKLAWN PARK..It was a sad day...When he was the announcer at OAKLAWN, I remember his great calls..He was and will always be the best...You should be proud....
Having lived in the NY area I thought we were losing a great announcer in Dave Johnson. While "And down the stretch they come!" might be his trademark, Chic had the REAL emotion when calling a race.
Chic sure knew how to call a race. Puts you right there in the booth with him. He even put Secretariat's '73 Belmont in it's proper perspective. As Secretariat rounded the last turn, Chic realized he wasn't calling a race anymore, he was calling Secretariats run into immortality. "He's out there almost a 16th of a mile ahead of the rest of the horses"! It was really Secretariat against the clock and Chic knew it. In this race, he again put us on the edge of his chair in the booth.
Kelly, your dad's call is one of the all time classic race calls of all time. I still get goose bumps everytime I hear it. I mean who can ever forget :
I too get goose bumps and I am so proud. Thanks for sharing the thoughts and the compliments. I look forward to watching and reading more. It's a gift for me to hear him.
You're his daughter? Wow. If Chic Anderson was my dad, I would be telling everybody that you know that voice you hear when you see Secretariat flying around the Bemont track, "yeah that's my dad." Very cool. Your dad was amazing.
Kelly, I got into public-address announcing in large part because of the example your father set. I grew up on Long Island and heard Mr Anderson's calls on CBS-TV, WOR-TV and WCBS Radio. I enjoyed how he was both exciting and respectful of his audience. I have now been a professional PA announcer for almost 25 years, and he remains a hero of mine. To quote his call of Slew's last race, your dad is still the "champion of the world" as far as racecallers go.
He certainly was. He replaced Dave Johnson as the announcer for NYRA and his calls were great. I heard again the Secretariat Belmont Stakes and he called it perfect! I'm glad we get to hear his great calls again.
Wow Kelly, your father, was the best horse racing announcer ever behind the mic. you should be so proud. the entire time i watch this i am filled with chills and goosebumps. He was a great announcer, and let me assure you, NO one, will ever forget Chic Anderson the "Tremendous Machine" of race announcing.
In addition to owning a 7-3 heads-up advantage, Affirmed proved his superiority over Alydar as a 4 year old. Whereas Alydar was only 2 for 6 at age 4, with only one graded stakes win (grade 3), Affirmed won the last 7 races of his career at age 4, with 6 of those wins coming in grade 1s. Affirmed won the gr1 Strub by 10, the Santa Anita Cap by 4.5 under 128, grade 1 Californian by 5 under 130, the gr1 Hollywood Gold Cup under 132, the gr1 Woodward, and gr1 Jockey Club Gold Cup over the Bid.
Alydar won only 2 of 6 due to the injury of the year before, it was stated at that time that that kind of injury if a horse comes back from it they are seldom the same.
This has to be my last one of the night. My merves couldn't take another another one like this! Whoa...outrageous horse race. Two absolutely magnificent animals. Heart, heart and more heart.
CF - you are just a treasure to find these and post them for us to come watch. Thank you so much. :)
This is awesome. I've always felt something was missing (or *cough*faked*cough*) in the more famous video footage. It's just not right with all that silence (no crowd, and the announcer going quiet before the horses went under the wire)
Not faked at all. Track recordings of calls traditionally do not have crowd noise under them. And until the 1980s, many big tracks - including Belmont - discouraged announcers from calling the moments of victory on the PA system. There are recordings of the TV calls of Kentucky Derby in which you hear Chic Anderson (the track PA announcer as he is here ) making the call up to about the 16th, then you can hear him shutting off the PA mic while still keeping his network TV mic hot.
One exception to the practice of tracks not miking their crowds for non network race calls is Santa Anita, where in the stretch you can clearly hear the crowd rise behind Trevor Denman's voice.
I have been wanting to hear Chic's call at the end of this race forever; also, it's great how the mics picked up the crowd noise as the two joined battle. What a fantastic spectacle! Thank you, my friend!
Sure thing. Yes, the crowd noise was a nice bonus, and the CBS camera angle was different as well. Mr. Anderson sure was an awesome caller, he's greatly missed.
RIP both, but im sad for Alydar and the way he died.
eamber729 3 days ago
what a incredible performance by affirmed.
t3arsofdarkness 1 week ago
2 of the most under rated horsed of the 20th century.
gotch09 1 month ago
The stage was set.. A duel for the ages.
jkmooreelle 1 month ago
What a duel!!
Jhensy2012 2 months ago
Just finished the new book about Affirmed by Lou Sahadi- READ it.
It was very well written, and it gave me a new level of respect for Affirmed & Alydar.
Pari28 3 months ago
Only five horses in the race?
samslick90 5 months ago
Poor Alydar. He was on the outside. He had farther to run. Had their positions been switched, there would have been no Triple Crown that year.
Webuiltthepyramids 5 months ago
@Webuiltthepyramids ......Alydar had every chance in the world to go by him....it's not like he was 5 wide.....now, if Alydar had ever switched leads what might have happened?
Beachrunner333 5 months ago
Probably Cauthen's best ride. Amazing how he kept those early fractions so slow so he'd have enough horse for the stretch run.
qhsperson 6 months ago
what a great , great , great performance by affirmed. tremendeous race for alydar too
magnetism98 6 months ago
Pt. 2 - By strange coincidence Jaipur and Ridan were related in a similar way, Jaipur was by Nasrullah while Ridan was by Nantallah, a son of Nasrullah. cf1970 has the 1962 Travers uploaded so you can compare. I guess the worst fights real are between members of the same family!
711ATOM 9 months ago
Pt 1. - This was the best long range duel I have seen. A little odd note that I just discovered - many people know that Affirmed and Alydar were fairly closely related - Affirmed was by Exclusive Native, a son of Raise the Native, while Alydar was also a son of Raise the Native. The greatest dual of this kind may have been in the 1962 Travers when Jaipur edged out Ridan after a race long head to head. Jaipur was named 1962 3yr. old champion.
711ATOM 9 months ago
Awesome performance by both horses....I wish I could have seen this live. Affirmed was pressed by Alydar the whole way, loses his lead for a bit...but still has enough guts to reclaim that lead down the stretch. Amazing.
dabomb2045 9 months ago
i agree regarding the crowd noise. gosh, that was loud.
idster7 10 months ago
BEST EAST WEST RIVAL EVER !
DL261 11 months ago
who would have guess this would be the last Triple Crown winner so far..given the way syndicates operate these multimillion dollar horses I doubt we will see another horse even attempt it..
lakings13 1 year ago
Definitely rates as one of the greatest moments in sporting history, if not history generally speaking. You don't have to a racing fan to appreciate this, but if you are a fan, you've got to be lovin' it!
singbecause 1 year ago
Great race!! Great rivalry!! I'm sure the owners of Alydar must have been cursing Affirmed because if he wasn't there in all 3 Triple Crown races, Alydar would probably have been the Triple Crown winner instead since Alydar finished second in all 3. Wow!!
crimsonskyfire 1 year ago
Had Alydar not been a three-year-old in 1978, that horse also would have been a Triple Crown champion, given the second-place finishes in all three Triple Crown races.
Had Dave Johnson called it, we would've heard "Down The Stretch They Come! Will Affirmed win the Triple Crown or Alydar finally beat his rival??".
altfactor 1 year ago
what a decade for great horses: cannanero II, riva ridge, seattle slew, affirmed, and of course the greatest of all-time secretariat!!!
TheTzdope 1 year ago
What a great battle between this 2 titans. That's what horse racing is all about.
surfboyabry007 1 year ago
very fitting the way they galloped right next to eachother after race......
PlaYah1979 1 year ago
This rivalry ranks second on the list of things I love about horseracing, next to the birth and life of Secretariat... Simply phenomenal!
RAV52 1 year ago
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this. Chic was CERTAINLY the best announcer and this was the most exciting race since Secretariat in 1973 and Genuine Risk's Kentucky Berby win in 1980. Affirmed and Alaydar -they were BOTH SO GOOD!
libralady1010 1 year ago
Chic Anderson was a wonderful man. A great family man and a great friend. We certainly miss him. God bless him!
Sherrie124 1 year ago
the best
sonjaxfactor 1 year ago
A duel for the ages .... here that Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta? Or rather, their connections, as horses don't get to pick their races.
Vydio 2 years ago
Truly inspirational the way Affirmed and Steve Cauthen fought back to win the Triple Crown ... to this day, when I'm faced with challenges in life, I think about the horse and what he had to do to win.
Homingbird8 2 years ago
I remember getting the news that CHIC died when I was at OAKLAWN PARK..It was a sad day...When he was the announcer at OAKLAWN, I remember his great calls..He was and will always be the best...You should be proud....
kennethhuens 2 years ago
Having lived in the NY area I thought we were losing a great announcer in Dave Johnson. While "And down the stretch they come!" might be his trademark, Chic had the REAL emotion when calling a race.
joefederico 2 years ago
Chic sure knew how to call a race. Puts you right there in the booth with him. He even put Secretariat's '73 Belmont in it's proper perspective. As Secretariat rounded the last turn, Chic realized he wasn't calling a race anymore, he was calling Secretariats run into immortality. "He's out there almost a 16th of a mile ahead of the rest of the horses"! It was really Secretariat against the clock and Chic knew it. In this race, he again put us on the edge of his chair in the booth.
MelC1954 2 years ago
Greatest race EVER!
Karoke77 2 years ago
Chic was REALLY good. I am his daughter. He is the best we'll ever see.
kellyeanderson1 2 years ago
Kelly I agree, he was possibly the best ever. You have a lot to be proud of
xmi11 2 years ago
Kelly, your dad's call is one of the all time classic race calls of all time. I still get goose bumps everytime I hear it. I mean who can ever forget :
"And we'll test these two to the wire."
djc728 2 years ago
I too get goose bumps and I am so proud. Thanks for sharing the thoughts and the compliments. I look forward to watching and reading more. It's a gift for me to hear him.
kellyeanderson1 2 years ago
You're his daughter? Wow. If Chic Anderson was my dad, I would be telling everybody that you know that voice you hear when you see Secretariat flying around the Bemont track, "yeah that's my dad." Very cool. Your dad was amazing.
JBLACK12 2 years ago
Kelly, I got into public-address announcing in large part because of the example your father set. I grew up on Long Island and heard Mr Anderson's calls on CBS-TV, WOR-TV and WCBS Radio. I enjoyed how he was both exciting and respectful of his audience. I have now been a professional PA announcer for almost 25 years, and he remains a hero of mine. To quote his call of Slew's last race, your dad is still the "champion of the world" as far as racecallers go.
davemock 2 years ago
He certainly was. He replaced Dave Johnson as the announcer for NYRA and his calls were great. I heard again the Secretariat Belmont Stakes and he called it perfect! I'm glad we get to hear his great calls again.
hamburg1306 2 years ago
"Secretariat is running like a tremendous machine!!..." Excellent race caller. Be proud.
Hipico1 2 years ago
Wow Kelly, your father, was the best horse racing announcer ever behind the mic. you should be so proud. the entire time i watch this i am filled with chills and goosebumps. He was a great announcer, and let me assure you, NO one, will ever forget Chic Anderson the "Tremendous Machine" of race announcing.
Arps103 2 years ago
In addition to owning a 7-3 heads-up advantage, Affirmed proved his superiority over Alydar as a 4 year old. Whereas Alydar was only 2 for 6 at age 4, with only one graded stakes win (grade 3), Affirmed won the last 7 races of his career at age 4, with 6 of those wins coming in grade 1s. Affirmed won the gr1 Strub by 10, the Santa Anita Cap by 4.5 under 128, grade 1 Californian by 5 under 130, the gr1 Hollywood Gold Cup under 132, the gr1 Woodward, and gr1 Jockey Club Gold Cup over the Bid.
jhordanian 2 years ago
Alydar won only 2 of 6 due to the injury of the year before, it was stated at that time that that kind of injury if a horse comes back from it they are seldom the same.
xmi11 2 years ago
The greatest horse race of all time, bar none.
susannreno 2 years ago
This has to be my last one of the night. My merves couldn't take another another one like this! Whoa...outrageous horse race. Two absolutely magnificent animals. Heart, heart and more heart.
CF - you are just a treasure to find these and post them for us to come watch. Thank you so much. :)
nameofthepen 3 years ago
Chic Anderson was REALLY good
STU676 3 years ago
He was wonderful. That's why his death - thirty years ago today - stunned me so much.
davemock 2 years ago
DANG! That horse lived 26 years!
Brian211978 3 years ago
This is awesome. I've always felt something was missing (or *cough*faked*cough*) in the more famous video footage. It's just not right with all that silence (no crowd, and the announcer going quiet before the horses went under the wire)
Katalias89 3 years ago
Not faked at all. Track recordings of calls traditionally do not have crowd noise under them. And until the 1980s, many big tracks - including Belmont - discouraged announcers from calling the moments of victory on the PA system. There are recordings of the TV calls of Kentucky Derby in which you hear Chic Anderson (the track PA announcer as he is here ) making the call up to about the 16th, then you can hear him shutting off the PA mic while still keeping his network TV mic hot.
davemock 3 years ago
One exception to the practice of tracks not miking their crowds for non network race calls is Santa Anita, where in the stretch you can clearly hear the crowd rise behind Trevor Denman's voice.
davemock 3 years ago
What made this rivalry so great was that they were both workhorses and they didn't fear eachother.
rodmaher1992 3 years ago
<3 Alydar
carlykaiser 3 years ago
I have been wanting to hear Chic's call at the end of this race forever; also, it's great how the mics picked up the crowd noise as the two joined battle. What a fantastic spectacle! Thank you, my friend!
gfn02 3 years ago
Sure thing. Yes, the crowd noise was a nice bonus, and the CBS camera angle was different as well. Mr. Anderson sure was an awesome caller, he's greatly missed.
Take care.
cf1970 3 years ago
Love this race...wish Alydar had won though.
jess4metoo 3 years ago
I love these two horses....
ridingxruffian 3 years ago