Forego

     Forego was a horse that got better with age, perhaps that way most geldings do, like Kelso, John Henry...and others.
It would be hard to compare the three. Who was the greatest? Does anyone really care? They were all great in their own way.

      The bay gelding was born in 1970, the same year as the great Secretariat. The two actually met on the track once, in the Kentucky Derby. Forego came fourth, as Secretariat went on to become one of the greatest of all time. But Forego would as well, in due time.

      Forego, gelded in hopes to stop his extreme growth, never started till his three-year-old year. His first year racing would not be illuminating to his career, yet, it did not come with out some accomplishments.

      It would not be untill his second start that Forego would break his maiden, a race at Hialeah, that he took by an impressive eight length romp. Next, came a six furlong allowance, that he once again won convincingly.

      Sherrill Ward, Forego's first trainer, then entered him in the Hutcheson Stkaes(G3) at Gulfstream Park. As he broke slowly, Forego was unable to catch the winner Shecky Greene by the end of the stretch drive. He came second, beaten just over three furlongs.

      Going back to an allowance race, Forego won easily, and then was moved back up to a stakes race. This time it was the Florida Derby(G1), a big step up in class and distance. Going off as the favorite, Forego showed great promise as a racer as he came up for second to Royal and Regal. Forego would then try the same nine furlong distance in the Blue Grass Stakes(G1) at Keeneland. He never seemed to try his best in the Blue Grass, finishing fifth behind some very respectable horses.

      He then entered the Kentucky Derby, in which he bumbed into the inner rail on the far turn and couldn't regain his stride. He still finished fourth, eleven lengths behind the winner, Secretariat. He would be sent off at 28-1 odds, the highest you would ever see Forego have.

     The Withers Stakes(G2), was next for Forego. His trainer had decided that it was useless to keep on the Triple Crown trail. Secretariat was a very dominate horse, everyone knew it. So Ward decided to take Forego in a seperate direction.

      He came third in the Withers, caught behind horses. It was after the Withers that Forego was highly successful in a string of allowance races in New York, winning four of five, and coming third to Prove Out (one of the horses that would beat Secretariat in 1973). Following this he would then come second in the Jerome Handicap(G2), and then third in another allowance race.

      It wouldn't be until November 24, 1973 that Forego would become a stakes winner. It was at Aqueduct, the Roamer Handicap(G2).Forego was sent off as the favorite at 2-1, and handled the field of ten horses quite nicely. He drew off by five lengths, and his success would only grow from there. Forego finished off his first year of racing by winning the Discover Handicap(G3), in which he beat

He carried 125lbs. and 127lbs. in the Gulfstream Park handicaps. Then, he won the Widener Hadicap(G1), carrying 129lbs and the Carter Handicap (G2) at the same weight (Forego would beat the famed sire Mr. Prospector in the Carter). It was in the Metropolitan Handi-cap(G1), that the handicapers really piled on the weight. He carried 134lbs, five more than before. It was a test for Forego, one that he could only finish second at.

      It would happen again in the Nassau Handicap(G3). Forego was given 132lbs and finished second behind Timeless Moment, a horse that he had beaten many times before.

      Forego would be given a three pound break in the Brooklyn Handicap(G1), and it seemed to help. Forego got up to the wire just in time to win by just under a length. He would then come third in the Suburban Handicap(G1) carrying 131lbs., fourth in the Govenor Stakes (G1) with 128lbs., and third in the Marlboro Cup Handicap.

      Finishing off a champion-ship season, in which he won Best Handicap Horse, Sprinter and Horse of the Year, Forego won the Woodward(G1), Vosburgh(G1), and the Jockey Club Gold Cup(G1), then held at a two mile distance.

      His 1975 season would be