Forego's Amazing Four Consecutive Woodwards (1974-1977)

Forego accomplishes one of the most incredible feats in racing history; capping his major stakes career, and displaying his legendary speed and terrific weight-carrying ability.

Final times were: 2:27 2/5 (1974), 2:27 1/5 (1975), 1:45 4/5 (1976), 1:48 (1977).

The great Harvey Pack provides the analysis with Dave Johnson and Chic Anderson calling the races.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Thoroughbred
• Horse
• Racing
• 1974
• 1975
• 1976
• 1977
• Woodward
• Stakes
• Forego
• Chic
• Anderson
• Dave
• Johnson
• Harvey
• Pack
• Bill
• Shoemaker
• Belmont

[Swede326]

Awesome video of my all time favorite horse. Thank you! Gave me chills!

[cf1970]

You're very welcome! To watch this in higher quality, and to see it in the correct 4:3 ratio that I originally uploaded it (YouTube oddly resized videos a while ago when they changed their optimum video upload format from 320X240 to 640X480), add "&fmt=18" to the web address of this video at the top of the screen. It will be clearer, and the audio is better as well.

Happy you liked the video! Forego was a real fighter, and multifaceted as well.

[ebbets1965]

They don't pile weight on like that anymore. Nor do they breed machines that can stay great for so long. They tend to be far too brittle nowadays and nobody in recent years could have won a 11/8 in 145 4/5 and also win at 1 1/2 miles.

It's too bad Secretariat didn't run as a 4 year old.

I only saw Forego on TV and I too had forgotten it was run at 1 1/2 miles. This was a nice touch of nostalgia.

[cf1970]

I couldn't agree with you more, on all points; especially Secretariat not being allowed to run as a 4YO due to syndication and taxes owing on Meadow Farm. Racing was truly robbed because of that. He would have been a MONSTER as a mature four year old.

Glad you enjoyed the video.

[Jazzgirl8888]

I have so much respect for his many accomplishments.

Truly amazing !

[gfn02]

He was a classic battler, and almost always made a stretch drive, even in the races he didn't win. I like how he was so versatile, winning from 6f to 2 miles over the course of his career.

[flatonia]

Great ride by Shoemaker in that first one. Forego never seems to rush or be rushed, just grinds them down and puts them away in deep stretch.

[711ATOM]

Forego carried 135lbs. in the 1976 Woodward to Dance Spell's 115, and yet he still set the race 1-1/8 mile record, 1:45.80! Rachel Alexandra won the 2009 in a time of 1:48.29 while carrying only 118lbs; in 1990 Dispersal became the only horse to tie the record - Dispersal carried 123lbs. I can remember all the talk in 1977 of when Seattle Slew would face Forego - many thought it would be the 1977 Woodward. It didn't happen, then those damned weights finally caught up to Forego.

[Jantelover]

you almost get the sense of a supremely confident force, who, manipulating weight, savvy and experience, toyed with his audience and could whip any horse he sort of decided to -- glad he finally 'decided' to dispatch wajima too... deep thanks for posting this wonderful tribute

[skontch1]

"he's gonna run today folks". thx for posting these races of my all time favorite...

[thelongshot99]

You will NEVER see a handicap horse like him. There are way too many tracks and races so the "WEIGHT" era is long gone!

One of his jockeys said of Forego "Once to race was over and I stopped pushing I thought he broke down". Forego had his physical demons but he knew where the finish line was. Love Forego

[Breyerlover312]

Forgos my fav most people would go for more famous horse like seabiscuit or secretariat. but forgo is my favorite.

[joefederico]

Forego was my favorite horse as a kid but damn could he stop your heart wondering when he would make his move. He was versatile for a big horse. He started every racing season with a 7F Allowance race and think he still holds a track record for it.

In saying that, he always had good competition. Wajima was a great horse. Cinteelo was almost money in the bank in the slop. Great Contractor was the little horse that could. Honest Pleasure ripped some fast fractions. Great time for racing fans.

[patteel]

His great niece Zenyatta reminds me of him. Size and power.

[patteel]

I love this horse. He was so great that he has a race named after him.

[BE109]

Forego was such a versatile performer,he could win from 6f to 16f(2 miles!),that is extremely rare. Almost all horses have distinct distance windows(and usually they are small),like a horse who can win at 7F,and cannot win at 6F(because he needs more ground),and yet cannot win at 8F,because he can't get the distance. Secondly, he ran his whole career on bad wheels! Just a warrior!