War Admiral Raced Unbeaten in 1937
Man o' War's Little Son Achieved Historic Status Without Popularity
Although small of stature, War Admiral was big of heart and matched his famous father's will to win. Man o' War's most significant son had his year in 1937.
Connections and Stats:1937
Awards and Stud Career: War Admiral
His daddy, arguably the most significant horse of the 20th Century, didn't win a Triple Crown simply because he wasn't entered in the Kentucky Derby. War Admiral's own Triple Crown championship in 1937 was forever overshadowed by his loss the next season to the enormously marketed and gravitating Seabiscuit in a nationally promoted match race.
Opportunity Knocks
Yet, War Admiral's victories in the three classics were outstanding efforts of courage and stamina. He didn't have Man o' War's greater size, but like his sire, War Admiral had a mountainful of determination and the will to win in his TC title races. The great horse's small son got his chance in 1937 to show his stuff, and War Admiral made the most of it.
The two-year-old champion of 1936 was Pompoon, while War Admiral was placed in the top ten of the year's juveniles after winning three of six starts and placing second twice and third once. By the beginning of the next season, 1937, War Admiral had gained his full size at 15.2 hands and 900 pounds. While small, his conformation was admirable.
Gatebuster
With his daddy's bad starting gate manners intact, War Admiral arrived at Churchill Downs for an allowance race four days before the Kentucky Derby run. He won in a cakewalk. Although not a wildly popular choice among racing fans, he thus earned favorite status for the first leg of the Triple Crown series.
War Admiral held up the Derby start for eight minutes, refusing to load into the gate. It was all insignificant. He ran easily, and under Charles Kurtsinger, bursted Pompoon's bubble by 1-3/4 lengths.
Having beaten a Derby field of 19 rivals and maintaining his unbeaten recorded on the year, War Admiral traveled to Maryland for the Preakness Stakes, the triple's second leg. He had raced to the Derby's then second fastest time at 2:03-1/5. Only seven competitors came to Pimlico Race Course for the shorter Preakness.
Pompoon Delivers
The previous year's juvenile champ and War Admiral's best competitor in the Derby, Pompoon, was one of them. A better strategist this time around, Pompoon caught War Admiral on the inside in the stretch to challenge for the lead. The Admiral had to dig to win by a head.
Mission Accomplished in Style
In New York three weeks later, War Admiral acted up so badly concerning the gate that he was finally permitted to break from outside of the contraption. He stumbled at the start, clipping himself badly, but righted himself to run down the field of six challengers in track record time of 2:28-3/5.
He entered the winner's circle gushing blood from the injured hoof. War Admiral had won the battle and the three-race war in championship style, while posting eight wins from eight starts on the year.
