The history of horse racing is quite long. The sport was present in ancient Greece and Persia. It is one of the rare sports where the focus is not on the athlete but rather on a wonder of nature – a noble animal called horse. Racehorses are the main stars of horse racing universe where their jockeys play a second fiddle to them. So, it’s no wonder that the names of some horses remain written in the history of the sport, and are talked about to this day.

In this article we’re going to talk about some of the biggest names in the world of horse racing. These horses are the ones whose names echo through the times, and have left the spectators in awe back in the day when they were active.

Frankel

Frankel is a name that every horse racing fan knows. After all we’re talking about a horse that was never once defeated during his 14 year career. Due to this amazing feat, Frankel is seen as the greatest racehorse of all time. The dominance and speed of Frankel hasn’t been since him nor ever before. The noble beast was trained by none other than Sir Henry Cecil, and was owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah. Those who were following Frankel back in the day certainly remember his greatest feet as seen in him winning 11 lengths at the 2012 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Frankel holds a 147 Timeform rating which is the highest number ever recorded, which is just one of the things that makes his legacy impeccable.

Arkle

With Arkle we’re going to jump straight back into the 1960s where he was the most dominant steeplechaser. Some would argue that he remained one to this day. The elderly fans of horse racing will remember Arkle dominating the National Hunt during the entire decade. If one had access to a crypto casino back in the day, Arkle would be one of the safest bets possible. As far as chasers go, his rating of 212 remains without precedent to this day. Back in the day Arkle was able to win three consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups from 1964 to 1966, having been heavily handicapped immense weights and yet coming out victorious with ease. As far as jump racing goes, the legend of Arkle will hardly ever be rewritten by another horse, and it’s all thanks to immense strength and talent of this animal and its trainer Tom Dreaper.

Red Rum

When you think about the Red Rum you’re also thinking about the Grand National where Red Rum has become a synonym for the competition through the years of dominance. Those who are familiar with the exploits of Red Rum know that he has won the Grand National three times in 1973, 1974, and in 1977 making him the only horse to win the competition on three occasions to this day. What made the Red Rum a household name in the world of horse racing were his incredible stamina and jumping ability. It’s what made it possible for this horse to win a Grand National in 1973 despite trailing the race leader by 30 lengths at one point. For all of you non-educated on the subject this is still seen as one of the greatest if not the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport. Red Rum was so dominant that Horse Racing Odds would favour him even today if he was to race despite the difference in eras. It’s just how good he was.

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid was not only one of the most dominant horses of its era, it was a horse renowned for its charisma making it one of the most beloved steeplechasers of all times. Its front running and versatility are a feat that were new to the era, and have been left unmatched to this day too. It is a gelding that has taken home an 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup, and remains remembered as a horse that has won 34 out of 71 starts it had in its entire career. As far as the UK goes, this horse is seen as a national treasure, amplifying the feelings of the entire nation during his title runs that saw him beating heavy competition and overcoming heavy grounds on the path to reaching eternity as far as horse racing is concerned. It’s the horses such as Desert Orchid that have helped elevate the sport even further than its already massive status.

Nijinsky

For top horses the breeding process, and natural ability is just part of the process of becoming one of the greats. Proper training plays a vital role, and that was something Nijinsky received during his career. Also, Nijinsky had the honour to be ridden by one of the greatest jockeys of all times too. To keep the story short, this horse was trained by now legendary Vincent O’Brien, while his jockey was none other than Lester Piggott. What makes Nijinsky so amazing is the fact that we’re talking about the last horse that managed to win the United Kingdom Triple Crown. This colt took home 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, and ST. Leger way back in 1970. Considering that this feat hasn’t been seen for more than half a decade you understand that we’re talking about a horse with an unparalleled presence of stamina and speed. Nijinsky was the most dominant horse of his era and far beyond it too. Ensuring that his legend lives on past his demise was achieved by making Nijinsky a stud after his career was over, ensuring that his legacy lives on through many horses he has sired.

Brigadier Gerard

This list contains many past champions and Brigadier Gerard is surely one of the greats too. It is a colt that has 17 wins from 18 starts making him easily one of the best horses in the milers category. Thanks to superb coaching from Dick Hern, Brigadier Gerard managed to win races regardless of the distance before him. To this day, this horse remains one of the more versatile champions in the world of horse racing, managing to be victorious regardless of the length put in front of him.

Not only that the mileage didn’t matter to him, but he also was amazing regardless of the competition in front. This is why the victory at the 2000 Guineas where he finished first in front of none other than Mill Reef was written down in the history of horse racing with gold letters. When you add the fact that Brigadier Gerard was one of the top horses in career earnings and having an unbeaten record in most major mile races during his heyday, you get the idea why his place in history is well deserved. There weren’t many horses better than him, and those few that fit into that category are listed below

Sea The Stars

For folks that have developed an interest in horse racing in the last few decades, the first modern hero on the turf probably have been Sea The Stars. What helped in making Sea The Stars a fan favourite is the fact that this amazing animal has managed to win six consecutive Group 1 races. Anyone who is even remotely into horse racing remembers fondly the year 2009 where Sea The Stars took home 1st place rewards at 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and a few others. The ideal training courses and care was provided by the legendary John Oxx, who made this horse one of the best to ever race.

Some would argue that Oxx had an easy job considering that Sea The Stars had an unparalleled mix of speed and stamina, and naturally present tactical brilliance. We would argue that the latter had to be trained and that’s where John deserved his flowers. Sea The Stars’ legacy will continue to live on through all the horses that he has sired since his retirement. The best part is that all of his offspring will have the honour to have been fathered by an undefeated champion who retired as such after a three year run that will echo through ages long after we’ve gone.

Mill Reef

One of the greatest champions of the 1970s and we all know that this was the golden age of horse racing. Mill Reef managed to take home most of the top prizes in 1971 including the Epsom Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. One of the most competitive horses of all time managed to beat out the competition by applying a unique blend of elegance in movement paired with the never seen before ability to accelerate when it mattered the most. The only bad part of everything Mill Reef has done through his career is the fact that it ended prematurely by an injury that has finished a career that could have been even greater. Just as many top thoroughbreds on this list, Mill Reef legacy continued to live through the siring process as it is another field where it continued to be successful.

Dancing Brave

A stallion carrying its name proudly, and with a well translated presence on the turf where the Dancing Brave was dubbed as one of the horses that had an incredible turn of foot ability. During the 1980s no horse could come near Dancing Brave, and even today we haven’t seen a horse more talented than him. Some have come close, or become equally good, but we can’t claim that too many have surpassed it. The best year in the career of the dancing Brave was 1986 when this colt took home 2000 Guineas, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. It had the help of a legendary coach Guy Harwood, who can take a fair share of credits for Dancing Brave’s amazing victory at the Arc. To this day, this victory remains as one of the greatest in the history of the sport. Dancing Brave wasn’t forgotten by history, and to this day remains one of the most revered stallions to have ever run a mile.

Secretariat

Talk about greatness, and you will speak the name Secretariat at least once. It is a horse that transcendents sports. Secretariat is one of the greatest race horses of all times and its name will be mentioned whenever there’s a Kentucky Derby. This horse entered the legend as early as in 1973 when it recorded a Triple Crown. Looking back, Secretariat’s 31-length victory at the Belmont Stakes remains one of the most dominant wins ever seen at the top tier of horse racing. Even half a decade later no one has come close to its record-breaking time of 2:24 at Belmont Stakes. Secretariat, also known as the Big Red, managed to expand its influence across the world, and thoroughbred racing was never the same since its ascending. To this day, this amazing horse has managed to inspire and motivate horse breeds across the world, and even today people become fans of horse racing by watching videos of old Secretariat races.

There you have it, the ten greatest horses in the world of racing, in our humble opinion. It is never too late to watch some of the old horse racing videos just to witness the sheer speed of Frankel, or the top-notch endurance of the Red Rum. In this article we have touched upon some of the top-tier racing horses that have ever graced the turf. These horses haven’t just been champions at one point in time, but have managed to create feats of such magnitude that their names still resound with today’s horse racing audience. The world of equines has had plenty of legends, and even if you do not agree with our list completely, you can’t argue that we haven’t listed some of the best horses to ever race in this article.