Legends

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Needles in the 1956 Kentucky Derby winner's circle.

Needles: The Racehorse Who Overcame Pneumonia to Put Florida-Breds on the Map

It’s not every day that a horse can be said to have single-handedly inspired an entire breeding industry and turned the horse racing world upside down, but such accolades are only fitting for Needles, a fairly plain bay colt with two white feet who rose from an inauspicious beginning to become a two-time champion.

Stackin’ Cheddar: Looking Back on Start of Something Special for Wise Dan

This marks the latest edition of “Stackin’ Cheddar: Looking Back”, a new biweekly series on America’s Best Racing. Here, we’ll look back on an early race in the careers of some of the greatest horses of all time, including spots where they went off at a big price.

Earl Sande: Hall of Fame Jockey, Leading Trainer, Racing Legend

When Justify completed his historic sweep of the Triple Crown on June 9, 2018, his veteran Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith received well-deserved praise for his part in guiding the colt to glory, becoming the oldest jockey in history to win the Triple Crown in the process.

But Smith is hardly the first veteran jockey to reap the rewards of a Triple Crown. In fact, there was once a jockey — the undisputed best in the country — who had earned such a high level of respect that he was called back from retirement to ride a Triple Crown winner. His name? Earl Sande.

Whirlaway in the Belmont Stakes winner's circle.

Triple Crown Winner Whirlaway: Calumet's Mercurial and Brilliant Star

It's never a good thing when your boss calls you a knucklehead.

“You can teach him,” quipped legendary trainer Ben A. Jones of Whirlaway in the spring of 1941, “but you can't teach him much. ”

Stackin’ Cheddar: Looking Back on Rare Chance to Cash on ‘The Queen’

This marks the first edition of “Stackin’ Cheddar: Looking Back,” a new biweekly series on America’s Best Racing. Here, we’ll look back on an early race in the careers of some of the greatest horses of all time, including spots where they went off at a big price.

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