1987 Breeders Cup Classic

[tedd29]

Tom Durkin is absolutely hands down the greatest commentator i have ever heard, i could listen to that all day.

[riotracer]

@tedd29 Completely agree!

[sendmeword]

thank you for amazing videos that were moments in my life.

[leighor]

So which one won?

[caliwaters88]

@leighor ferdinand

[ezgoer89]

My best friend and I gave ourselves a college graduation present and flew to LA for our first Breeders Cup... and we got to see this race!!! I've been to many sporting events with larger crowds, but the roar down the stretch for that race was as loud as anything I've ever heard.

[GBeret83]

Damn shame what was allowed to happen to Ferdinand in Japan!! Whoever made that decision should be strung up on a flag pole somewhere. Why the farm where Ferdinand was standing stud didn't offer to send him back to America, and let him at least be retired to the Kentucky Horse Park is beyond me?? A horse that won both the Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup Classic certainly deserved a far better fate than dying in a Japanese slaughter house!! TJMO.

[porkrollboy]

does anybody know anything about this judge angelucci horse? he ran a hell of a race

[DIGBYS]

@porkrollboy He was a great horse. Shoemaker rode him on the regular. In all the stakes races at Santa Anita he was a work horse

[bigroan]

@porkrollboy Judge Angelucci was also trained by Charlie Whittingham; named for a Kentucky circuit judge, as I recall. Made 1.5 million in 22 starts; mostly in California, save 2 allowance races at Keeneland and one Longacres Mile in '87. A wonderful horse, but was always behind the division leaders at the time, Ferdinand and Alysheba

[ahsans786]

Love the sound of this replay, spine-tingling.

[charliescigar]

Alysheba was a badass!

[BIGRED224FOREVER]

Hands down the greatest race ive ever seen...............too many champions slugging it out not to be cosidered the greatest!

[johnnysmash416]

tom durkin is my choice but there is one in jamaica called chris almond and he is up there just wished more peopled heard him

[pascualbr]

breeders cup is not the some without Dirkin

[DartsRme312]

that might be the best race EVER!

[kerryd8]

durkin is the greatest trevor denman race calls are garbage

[JustaRegularPatriot]

Dirkin has been supplanted by Trevor. Tom was great, but by far Trevor Denman has him surpassed to be the current best. His past as a jockey gives him insight that others cannot match. His effortless cadence and timing, along with his unhurried description as the race progresses, rising to a crescendo makes him the man. Just listen to his BC Classic from last year. He kept the public's enrapture with Zenyatta the entire time. His stretch to finish call is poetry of the moment. None better!

[rusinrockt]

Let's be clear. Durkin in his prime was legend. He couldn't produce this call today if he tried. He hasn't aged well, he has gaps in his calls all the time, he mispronounces names (check and see how many times Rachel Alexander was called in her Preakness). He WAS great. He is but a shadow of his former self I am afraid.

[Kostly]

That was a SICK call. What a RACE!

[xmango93x]

A classic Tom Durkin call in a classic performance by two great horses. :) If only he was still calling the BC. Trevor Denman is a good announcer, but he can't compete with Durkin. Though I was impressed with Denman's calls in Zenyatta's races, you can't top Durkin's calls. He really knows how to transmit the race's energy to the crowd.

[Kostly]

@xmango93x 2005 Preakness Afleet Alex nearly falling and somehow Jeremy Rose stays up (track call by dave Rodman). One of the best as well.

[bigjoetube]

One of the best and flawless race calls ever. This ranks with Anderson's Affirmed/Alydar. Just a great race and call.

[Tampaslice]

"The 2 Derby winners...hit the wire together". Best race call ever. Alysheba was my favorite horse of all time. Falls to his knees and still wins the Derby! Ferdinand was spent at the wire in the Classic and Alysheba was just getting cranked up. McCarron had his worst ride of his life on Alysheba in the Belmont, otherwise Alysheba is a Triple Crown winner! McCarron takes all the blame....and he should. Sheba and Gate Dancer ran similarly, didn't like to pass horses but could've ran on by.

[ALYSHEBANDTHEBID]

there is no question about the fact that Alydar sons Alysheba and the Easy Goer raised the Breeders cup into the next level,...regardless of their performance.....

[SouthlandKing]

Tom Durkin is hands down the greatest announcer of all time.

[Dahaas2003]

I'm with you on that one, Southland King. I could listen to that call in the stretch 100 times without getting tired of it.

[bigfred3217]

@SouthlandKing agreee...its not even debatable!!!!

[DIGBYS]

@SouthlandKing ...hmmm...Vic Stauffer is really, really good..He is climbing my list.

Durkin, Johnson, Stauffer, Hensen, Denman....all close

[all66books]

The '73 Belmont may have been the best performance, but it wasn't much of a race. When I say race, I'm thinking about thrilling competition between great thoroughbreds. Secretariats only competition that day was the clock.

[jdavidcole64]

Many factors make for different types of "greatest races", the Belmonts you mention as greatest performance and head-to-head, I say 97 Preakness is overlooked- for how often do the clear top 4 of a 3yo crop finish a length apart in a Triple Crown race? All considered though, I keep looking for a race to top 87 BCC and havent found 1 yet as the greatest race Ive ever seen. Historically, it was the moment the BC grew up...not just the Classic but when the entire card became a household name.

[lengua92]

The '88 Preakness may be the most thrilling and exciting race ever

[all66books]

Best race ever would have to be the '78 Belmont.

[FabulousBet]

well, as long as horses race or reproduce well they are a desired "item"; then interest is decreasing and a lot of them end up at some kind of auction ... finally the slaughterhouse, where slaughter is not really humane

[moatomaixx]

the world should know how he died in Japan.

[FabulousBet]

awesome race,

Ferdinand was truly a champion, and ended in the slaughterhouse ...

[bnegs521]

That is a disgrace. I remember hearing about that a few years back. How does something like that happen? The true ugly side of horse racing.

[BIGRED224FOREVER]

awsome! i love alysheba and ferdinand was all guts an amazing race by great champions and derby winners deserve only to be seperated by a nose any other way would just not be right.........the horses deserved each others best and that what they delivered!

[bigroan]

Best race ever? Slew vs. Exceller in the 78 JC Gold Cup; or Sunday Silence vs. Criminal Type in the '90 Hollywood Gold Cup-your call

[susannreno]

I mean 2009. Sorry.

[susannreno]

Rest in peace, Alysheba. He died March 27, 2008, at the age of 25 after a fall in his stall.

[ashado19]

wow! That was great!!!

[BIGRED224FOREVER]

the greatest race ever.......this assembled field had champions from every post.

[porkrollboy]

my favorite durkin call

[tattynsmokey]

i love these 2

there amazing

alysheba stuck his ears forward asoon as he passed the line its so cute

[thoroughbredrescuer4]

Ferdinand won by a nose, for a minuet there you think that Ferdinand won't win but then he just has this big energetic sprint and passes them! It pains my heart to know that he was slaughtered for a stupid reason! SHAME ON THOSE OWNERS!!

[zephoral39]

Brillant race call for a brilliant race.

[donprude]

Tom Durkin, by far the best!!!!!

[krisstruss]

Quality race,but i still think High Chaparral/Johar and Falbrav's was the best i've seen.

[tattynsmokey]

Same Here i still think gigh chapparal won tho

[LiquorWreckedEm]

Id go with the 1989 Preakness with Sunday Silence and Easy Goer personally. Best race ive ever seen.

[chuckiesjamochashake]

Personal Ensign over Winning Colors. Undefeated horse making an unbelieveable drive at the end to defeat the Kentucky Derby winner.

[susannreno]

Great races, but the 1978 Belmont is the greatest of all time, with the 1973 Belmont the greatest single performance in the history of sports.

[pincay05]

that was the best race of the year first time ever in breeders cup history two derby winners in the same race shoemaker puts the horse in the right that was the difference between winning and losing whittingham is the greastest trainer ever he space this horse between races

[all66books]

That stretch run was a heart attack! Alysheba could run all day and almost pulled it out. Great race!

[bballlui2008]

Tom Durkins call is the best breeders cup race call ever!

[porkrollboy]

agreed on durkins best call

[drfager01]

3 classic winners in this race something you dont see today.

[drfager01]

you had to be a monster to win the classic in the 80s, nothing was free ,you had to fight to win.

[drfager01]

durkins best call ever.

[drfager01]

the two derby winners h-t the wire oh what a race.

[drfager01]

these were tough horses.

[talos124]

JESUS CHRIST!! What a Fucking Finish!!!!!!!!

Tom Durkin is absolutely hysterical at the wire.The crowd was in a frenzy,and these two wonderful horses gave us "The greatest finish of all time"Wonderful Wonderful stuff!!!

[isitingood69]

Great call, two fantastic Horses it's a shame Ferdinand ended up in a Japanese slaughter house.

[fadetohammet]

One question what´s the name of official hymn of the breeders cup classic

[ahsans786]

AWESOME! I get goose bumps listening to that call. Racing at its best.

[stivo1975]

I love the epic races. This is one of the best classics along with the 1998 classic and the '84 one as well.

[therock401]

What a call by Durkin!

[sharpie311]

greatest call i've ever heard! and i've been an avid fan for the past 15 years.

[kapcuse79]

agreed. i believe it's among the best call in horse racing history. especially with the crowd in the background, wow.

[lpca12]

The 98 Belmont Stakes for me is the best call ever.

[lengua92]

in my opinion the best call ever is the 1989 classic

[jasonm921]

Absolutely correct in my opinion.

[drfager01]

ALYSHEBA MOST BEAUTIFUL, AND CLASSY ANIMAL. CHRIS MCarron SAY HE IS THE BEST HE EVER RODE,COMING FROM A HALL OF FAMER OF HIS CALIBER, THATS SAYING A LOT.

[drfager01]

THANK,I LIVED 5 BLOCKS FROM HOLLYWOOD PARK AT THE TIME,WALKED IN ON THE BACKSIDE TO SEE [ALYSHEBA] AND [FERDINAND] UP CLOSE.I WAS ONLY KID,THE 80s AT HOLLYWOOD WAS SO MAGICAL,TO THIS DAY I STILL SAY SEEING ALYSHEBA AND FERDINAND WAS LIKE LOOKING AT A REMBRANT,AND FERDINAND WAS LIKE WATCHING GOLD GLISTENING IN THE SUN, BUT EVEN BEYOND THIER BEAUTY, THEY WERE FEROCIOUS WARRIORS ON THE THE RACETRACK,TOM DURKIN RACECALL SAYS IT ALL "THE TWO DERBY WINNERS HIT THE WIRE" AS HE RUN OUT OF BREATH. THANKS

[drfager01]

ALSHEBA and FERDINAND were the two most beautiful animals i have ever seen on a race track, horses of this era were very competitive, and even for great horses like ALYSHEBA and FERDINAND. They did'nt posess spectacular race records, because anyone of the top 10 horses in the country could have jumped up, and handed you a defeat,unlike the mid 90s.

[ALYSHEBANDTHEBID]

seems like you have seen this race live, i can't imagine how that felt, this is one amazing race and if u did u r very lucky, i like ur name, i don't think anyone can beat dr fager on 8 f.

[springbreak203]

i feel like these horses are faster than the race horses in this race in recent years

[hewey24111]

Alysheba is now the second oldest Kentucky Derby winner still alive and living somewhere in Saudi Arabia. It would be nice to see him returned to the U.S. to live out his retirement years before he ends up like Ferdinand did.

[ALYSHEBANDTHEBID]

he is also the best derby winner...saving horses n winning with class n style

[talos124]

This is the most EXITING finish i have ever seen in my life.What a fantastic race these wonderful horses gave us.If this race doesn't give you goose bumps,you may as well be dead.These people what did that to Ferdinand should be FUCKING TORTURED TO DEATH!!!

[easygoer13]

What makes Ferdinand's demise especially unforgiveable is that it happened AFTER the murder of Exceller and people were aware of and discussing this topic widely. French people eat horses...actually, that explains a lot!

[CraftyTequila]

Totally awestruck. the crowd was in a frenzy. Thanks

[ReadySteadyWho]

This video made me cry--such a great champion, only to end up dying a horrible death. R.I.P. Ferdinand.

[ALYSHEBANDTHEBID]

that and other worse things are done everyday by human, does anything make sense in this world?

[ahsans786]

awesome, everything the breeders cup classic should be

[ALYSHEBANDTHEBID]

The great alysheba made Ferdinand sweat for this one...i am glad that Ferdinand won this...perhaps the greatest ever breeders cup...now that i know what happened to him......"if you watch this race closely you will see that alysheba slows down when he is hit with the whip"..funny how the jockey didn't see that cause alysheba was flying all the way..

[GreenStarEquestrian]

I could watch this race over and over and I love it everytime!! Tom Durkin is the best in dramatic stretch calls, like he was with Sunday Silence and Easy Goer in the 1989 Classic

[jasonm921]

Greenstarequestrian....absolut­ely correct. Durkin turns these great reaces into Legendary races....watch the espn broadcast of the Breeders cup and when they do flashbacks of the old BC races and Durkin calls them they are extremely dramatic..unfortunately compare that to Denman and there is no comparison.....Just think how would the 2006 juvenile with Street Sense would have been called by Tom Durkin.

[thonger10]

I would have loved to buy Ferdinand and ride him around my farm; typical Japanese, just like in real estate, over pay for everything, and when it doesn't work out, get rid of it!

[bnegs521]

The Japaneese can never be trusted. That's why we bombed the living crap out of them and never felt bad about it for a minute. I am happy for Harry Truman.

[FabulousBet]

not only the Japanes do it ... sorry to say this, but some of you Americans do the same ... whenever people "use" animals, neglect and misuse happens

[ponybobreno]

Although a decent sire in Japan, Ferdinand ended up being killed in a Japanese slaughterhouse when he was older... Americans were very willing to adopt him, but somehow he slipped through the cracks and died in the slaughterhouse...Vote to outlaw slaughterhouses for horses in your state and country., unless the horse is old and infirm....

[jetshull]

man i loved watching those 2 run, excellent footage!!!

[rebecca11391]

love alysheba and ferdinand...and i like the name alysheba..sounds cool when you say it haha

[alydar61]

What a race! I thought Alysheba had him, a couple of more steps and he would have. Great, great race!

[rory317]

Spectacular Race....

Ferdinand, one of my favorite horses of all time.

[downhomesunset]

alysheba is my fave of all as well

[cf1970]

What a race and finish! Ferdinand by a nose! Thanks for the great post, flex194.

[Bassman968]

One of the great races ever. Alysheba was one of my all time favorites.

[emmteez]

Who won that race? Alysheba..great horse.

[Venckman]

RIP Ferdinand. If only the humans in your life gave you as much as you gave them your life would have had a happy ending.

[Alysheba]

Awesome! I've looked around in vain to find the entire replay of this race - thanks so much!

Alysheba, of course, is my favorite race horse of all time!

[glendunbar]

What do you say about that? A tremendous race that helped to cement the Breeders Cup as the best day in racing.