10 Racehorses Famous for Something Other Than Winning

 Horse racing is commonly known as the sport of kings, but its high financial stakes can attract crime and controversy in equal measure. Add to that scandalous headlines, unsolved mysteries, and jaw-dropping comebacks for a list of ten racehorses famous for something other than just winning.

10. Amner - The Racehorse That Killed a Suffragette

Being trampled by a one-ton racehorse travelling at around 35 miles an hour can be tragically hazardous to your health, as middle-aged suffragette Emily Davison discovered at the 1913 Epsom Derby. After being denied a degree at Oxford, Ms Davison became a political activist for women’s rights. For the 4th of June 1913, she planned a courageous stunt that went horribly wrong.  

With ten racehorses rounding the final bend, Emily boldly stepped in front of Amner, a thoroughbred owned by King George V. A recent Channel 4 documentary speculated that Ms Davison was most likely trying to attach a flag to Amner’s bridle. Instead she was knocked down and died three days later. 

Jockey Herbert Jones also went down with the horse and suffered concussion. The collision haunted him for the rest of his life. Fifteen years later, he honored Davison with a wreath at the funeral of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst. He killed himself in 1951. 

For many years, Amner’s fate remained unknown, but recently, a keen-eyed researcher discovered the final piece of the puzzle on a memorial plaque in Ontario. Three years after Ms Davison’s death the racehorse that became an embarrassment for the monarch was gifted to Canada, where he served as stud horse.

9. Copenhagen - Left the Racing World to Preside over a greater Victory

Foaled in 1808 and descended from former Epsom Derby winner John Bull, Copenhagen was suitably named to honor a military victory the year before. He began his racing career around 1811 and impressed punters with his stamina and powerful hindquarters, but was retired a year later after just a few wins. For the next chapter in his life, the showy chestnut stallion came into the possession of Sir Charles Steward, a soldier bound for the Napoleonic front. Here he caught the notice of Stewart's commanding officer, none other than the dashing Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington. 

Sir Charles Stewart soon became cash-strapped, and Wellington made his move, riding Copenhagen to preside over the greatest British victory of the 19th century. As befitted a high-profile warhorse, Copenhagen had a stormy temperament and famously answered a friendly pat from his appreciative owner, by attempting to kick him. answered one gesture of affection by attempting to kick his owner. After Waterloo, Copenhagen became a celebrated favorite of society ladies and lived to the ripe old of 28.  

8. Thruxton - The racehorse Andrew Jackson dueled over

US president Andrew Jackson was a passionate racing enthusiast, and he did not let presidential protocol get in the way of this lucrative pastime. During his term in office, the presidential stables were simply bursting with prized thoroughbreds. To avoid scandal, he entered racehorses under the name of his nephew, Andrew Jackson Donelson for the duration of his presidency. But the most famous of Jackson’s horse racing exploits happened two decades before his term in the White House. 

Jackson was eager to see how his prized Thruxton would fare against Ploughboy, the undefeated champion of the day. The matter would have been decided in a much-anticipated challenge. But then Ploughboy’s owner, Joseph Erwin canceled. Jackson was furious. A heated row between the thwarted Jackson and Mr Erwin's son-in-law, Charles Dickenson rapidly escalated to a duel, in which the future president fatally wounded his opponent. He did not esape unscathed from the encounter. A bullet from Dickenson's gun remained lodged near his heart until his death 38 years later. Thruxton, the racehorse that caused all the trouble, would later reside in the presidential stables at the White House.

7.  Potoooooooo - Famous for His Unusual Name

Racehorses are notorious for their attention-grabbing names, but one 18th century racehorse took the concept of equine onomatology to the next level with his unique moniker. His owner, the Earl of Abingdon had intended to name the chestnut colt Potatoes and instructed a stable boy to paint the name on a feed bin. But the stable boy misunderstood the instruction and took down Pot-eight-O’s instead. When the earl later saw his young employee’s handiwork - literally Potoooooooo - he had a good laugh, and decided to keep the name as is.

Potooooooo notched up numerous wins and then went on to a successful second career as a stud horse, but thanks to social media, he is now mainly remembered for his unusual name. Interestingly, that was not his only resurrection. When Potoooooooon- or Pot-8-Os, to give yet another variation on his name - passed in 1800 at 27 years of age, he was buried beneath a tree at Hare Park, his last home. But in 1990, the tree marking his final resting place was uprooted and his remains were uncovered. His skeleton now stands in a place of honor in the National Horseracing Museum at Newmarket. 

6. Sallie Gardner - The World's Oldest GIF

Most people don't know that cinema was born at the Palo Alto Stock Farm of railway entrepreneur Leland Stanford. What began as a hobby soon evolved into serious obsession and in his bid to improve the performance of his racehorses, Stanford recruited the eccentric photographic genius Eadweard Muybridge for an interesting experiment. 

Muybridge, a landscape photographer, tweaked his shutter speed and then lined the track with cameras that were connected to trip wires. To maximize contrast on the images, he added white background screens and a layer of white dust across the racetrack. The result was a series of photographs featuring racehorse Sallie Gardner at different stages of a full gallop. Shown in succession, these snapshots simulated motion. And they settled an important question for Stanford, who had a running bet on whether horses lifted all four hooves off the ground when galloping.

An early dry run of the project had featured a harness trotter named Occident, and the successful shoot with Sallie Gardner spurred further experiments with other animals, such as camels, ostriches, donkeys, elephants, and even human athletes. Muybridge’s demonstrations later caught the attention of inventor Thomas Alfa Edison. Edison’s team later devised a peephole projector. The clip of Sallie Gardner survives even today on social media as a 145 year old GIF.

(For more detail about how Muybridge achieved this amazing feat, read my article Stanford's Horses and the Birth of Cinema in this publication)

5. Phar Lap - Who killed the New Zealand-born champion?

Right from the beginning, Phar Lap’s arrival in the Americas was fraught with tension and drama. After a stellar career in Australia, and an assassination attempt just before he won the Melbourne Cup, his owner was understandably nervous and extra security measures were already in place.

Tommy Woodcock, Phar Lap's American handler, reported seeing a suspicious person with known gang connections hanging around the stable yard in Mexico. Less than a month after the final win, Woodcock found Phar Lap in his stall in great distress. Within a few hours, the New Zealand superhorse was dead. Rumors of poison instantly circulated around the world. 

The postmortem revealed Phar Lap's secret advantage. His heart, preserved and on display in Australia's National Museum, was shown to be more than 2kg heavier and considerably larger than that of the average racehorse. But the mystery surrounding his death would endure for decades. The initial autopsy indicated signs of inflammation and later tests confirmed the presence of arsenic in Phar Lap's hair follicles. But so many questions about this compelling mystery remain unanswered.

4. Haru Urara - The Lovable Loser That Became a Pop Culture Icon

In 2003, when the embattled Kochi Racetrack faced possible closure due to financial problems, a local newspaper decided to boost interest with an endearing human interest story. They introduced their readers to Haru-Urara, the hard-luck mare who had failed to score a single win after competing in nearly a hundred races. Readers were so captivated by the plucky loser horse that they showed up in droves to watch her run. Betting tickets with her name on, became a good luck charm. 

The Kochi racetrack was saved and Haru Urara became a pop culture sensation. She was featured in a short, animated biopic entitled The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere, and even got immortalized in a Biffy Clyro song. Despite her dismal performance record, Haru Urara, whose name means "gentle spring" became a symbol of Japanese resilience.

3. Touch of Class - From Racehorse to Olympic gold

Although the thoroughbred filly Stillaspill was bred by a prodigy - the talented female jockey Jennifer Rowland Small - her racing performance proved so disappointing that after just six races, she was retrained as a hunter. This brought her remarkable talent for jumping to the attention of showjumper Joe Fargis.

Initially, Fargis intended to match her to one of the junior riders he coached. But there were no takers for the plucky little mare. At that point Fargis decided to work with the thoroughbred himself, renaming her Touch of Class. But then came a crushing setback. Fargis was injured. Fortunately, teammate Conrad Homfeld was willing to fill in, qualifying for the 1983 World Cup Finals with Touch of Class. The best was yet to come. In 1984, with Joe Fargis back in the saddle, Touch of Class won team and individual gold at the Olympic Games for the United States with two faultless rounds. That's not too shabby for a failed racehorse.

2. Shergar - Kidnapped by the IRA?

By the end of 1982, the Irish-bred racehorse Shergar seemed set for a glorious, off-track future. After several high-profile wins, including the 1981 Epsom Derby where he left the nearest contender a staggering 10 lengths behind, Shergar's owner/breeder, the Aga Khan was ready to retire him to stud duties and had already set up a syndicate, offering stakes in Shergar's future earnings to 34 investors. 

But one cold February morning, the lucrative arrangement was shattered when a team of armed men overpowered Shergar's groom, James Fitzgerald and sped off with the racehorse to an undisclosed location. Within twenty-four hours, the owners were contacted with a ransom demand of 3 million, but soon far more disturbing interactions followed. The shareholders, who had each forked out $382,000 for their stake in the would-be sire, couldn't agree on whether to give in to the kidnappers' demands. The police were informed eight hours later, when the trail was already cold. But the next day, an anonymous caller informed Shergar's owners that the horse had met with an accident and died. What became of him, remains one of racing's most enduring mysteries. Decades later, a former IRA operative claimed that the kidnappers had to kill the panicked stallion, when they were unable to control him. No body was ever found.

1. Huaso - A 76-year-old World Record

According to his bloodline, El Huaso, formerly known as Faithful, should have enjoyed as illustrious a career as his ancestor, the former Epsom Derby winner, Persimmon. But whenever the Chilean-born colt entered the starting gate, his pent-up nervous energy always got in the way of a win. At six, he was finally retired from racing. His new owner, a cavalry officer, had great plans to train him for the dressage ring. Unfortunately, a yard injury ended this new career for the hapless thoroughbred. His handler switched to showjumping, but Huaso's lack of focus remained a problem. During one memorable training session, the horse surprised everyone by sailing across a wall of over 2 meters. This gave the Cavalry Director an idea. Could the spirited stallion be trained to jump higher than any other horse?

Two years later, Huaso cantered into a packed arena to make history. The man in the saddle was 29-year-old Colonel Alberto Larraguibel Morales. Their objective was an obstacle of 2.47 meters. Two years of training and a strong bond of trust between horse and rider paid off when Huaso flew across the jump on the third attempt. The stallion touched down, securing a place in the record books for the highest jump. His world record remains unchallenged to this day, making it one of the longest running sports records.

Bonus Horse #1 Popcorn Deelites

On the racetrack, Popcorn Deelites achieved only moderate success, winning no more than 11 races out of 58 entries. But in 2003, he won acclaim of a different variety. Along with four other equines, the thoroughbred gelding were selected to portray one of the greatest racehorses in history in a motion picture entitled Seabiscuit. Popcorn's part had been to burst through the starting gates convincingly. Upon retirement, Popcorn Deelites became a favorite resident at the Old Friends retirement facility for thoroughbreds. He died in 2022 from complications of colic.

Bonus horse #2 Snickers

Did you know that a popular chocolate bar was allegedly named after a horse? After the initial success of the Milky Way chocolate bar, Frank Mars and his wife Ethel established the Milky Way farm in Tennessee as a breeding facility for thoroughbred racehorses and Hereford cattle. A persistent legend suggests that the Snickers bar was named after one of those racehorses, a family favorite that died shortly before the bar's release. But was Snickers a racehorse? According to sources, farmland was purchased in 1930, with construction of the establishment taking place between 1931 and 1933. Milky Lane farm's first racing season was only in 1934, four years after the Snickers bar launched. While Mr and Mrs Mars may have owned and raced Snickers before this time, it is difficult to conclusively prove that Snickers had been a racehorse, as no racing record for him was independently sourced. It is possible that Snickers had been the barn name for another racehorse, or that he had been a non-racing family pet.

Sources & Further Reading:

           1. Huaso

http://www.fecuestre.cl/fecuestre_V3.0/html/hitos/cont_hitos_4.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20061118073926/http://www.fecuestre.cl/fecuestre_V3.0/html/hitos/cont_hitos_4.html

https://sporthorse-data.com/articles/remember-thoroughbred-option-seven

https://sporthorse-data.com/pedigree/huaso

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/highest-jump-by-a-horse

https://www.futilitycloset.com/2020/01/08/huasos-jump/

https://www.authorea.com/users/760996/articles/737073-kinematic-analysis-of-the-world-record-for-horse-jumping-the-duo-huaso-larraguibel

2. Shergar

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg7pxrg5leo

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/feb/05/aga-khan-dies-with-mystery-of-shergar-kidnapping-still-unsolved-horse-racing

https://www.racingandsports.com.au/thoroughbred/feature-race/united-kingdom/the-derby/1096

https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/shergar-irish-horse-kidnap

3. A Touch of Class 

https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/articles/2272/looking-back-top-class-track-thoroughbreds-yesteryear/

https://equestriancoach.com/touch-of-class-1984-olympic-double-gold-medal-winner-and-show-jumping-hall-of-fame-inductee/

https://paulickreport.com/news/jennifer-rowland-small-rides-winner-in-lady-legends-for-the-cure

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/129429/small-wins-pimlicos-third-lady-legends-race

https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2019/03/13/touch-of-class-show-jumpings-great-thoroughbred-mare/

4. Haru Urara

Biffy Clyro on how life, death and Japanese horse shaped their new album

https://www.racingandsports.com.au/thoroughbred/trainer/dai-muneishi-85097

https://iol.co.za/news/eish/2004-03-12-meet-haru-urara-the-little-horse-that-could/

5. Phar Lap

https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/1628

https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/whats-on/phar-lap/

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/racing/how-did-australasias-first-champion-racehorse-phar-lap-really-die/CXJZJIQZPEZZPQY2J3X52FSJP4/

6. Sallie Gardner

https://stanfordmag.org/contents/what-you-don-t-know-about-leland-stanford-s-horses

https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/new-way-thinking-about-motion-movement-eadweard-muybridge

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-19th-century-photographer-first-gif-galloping-horse-180970990/

https://equineink.com/2008/07/22/the-horse-in-motion-courtesy-of-eadweard-muybridge-and-occident/

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/early-photo/early-photo-france/a/eadweard-muybridge-the-horse-in-motion

7. Potoooooooo

Remembering Potoooooooo, the Racehorse with the Best Name Ever - Atlas Obscura

8. Thruxton

https://www.whitehousehistory.org/presidents-as-horsemen

https://www.presidentialpetmuseum.com/pets/truxton-andrew-jackson/

9. Copenhagen

13 – Copenhagen — The War Horse Memorial

10. Amner

Truth behind the death of suffragette Emily Davison is finally revealed | Social history | The Guardian

Anmer, King George V’s Horse Sent in Canada: An Update

Snickers

https://archive.ph/20070610103425/http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=M097

https://www.tastingtable.com/1042389/the-racehorse-snickers-candy-bars-are-named-after/

https://www.turftalk.co.za/snickers-chocolate-bars-closer-to-our-souls-than-we-thought/

Popcorn Deelites

https://oldfriendsequine.org/horse/popcorn-deelites/

https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2022/01/25/popcorn-deelites-passes-away-after-23-years

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popcorn_Deelites

It's 12 years on - and the Black Mambas are STILL kicking ass.

 They are dressed in military style fatigues and heavy combat boots, their hair braided African style. As  they patrol an area as large as 20,000 hectares, they expertly study the terrain for signs of predators. Not lions. Not hyenas. Nor leopards or cheetahs. These ladies are looking for human predators. Their name is enough to strike terror into the heart of their opponents. They are the Black Mambas of the Olifants River Game Reserve and they mean business. Their journey is one of courage and compassion. Its beginning marked the moment when a frustrated game ranger with a devastatingly huge problem, decided to switch to a revolutionary new approach. 

A Species Driven to the Brink by Poachers

In 2013, the annual rhino poaching figures first rose to over 1000 animals lost per year. Although the bulk of the rhino deaths occurred in the Kruger National Park, which is difficult to patrol due to its size, smaller nature reserves were often more vulnerable to the effects of poaching. 

Straddling the western border of the Kruger National Park, the Balule Nature Reserve  consists of a series of interconnected privately owned game lodges, where individual fences had been removed to allow for a greater gene pool of its resident species. It was a great strategy for increased tourism and for biodiversity. But unfortunately, this new policy had one huge draw-back. It also made it that much easier for poachers to carry out their nefarious operations. 

Wildlife operations  were soon overwhelmed by the sheer scale of this onslaught on a single species. But several organizations launched initiatives to stem this tide of blood and violence. Saving the Survivors, a group of wildlife veterinarians, employed pioneering surgery techniques  to save the lives of mutilated rhinos, who had often been cruelly left for dead. Rhino Rescue provided support to young rhino calves orphaned by poaching. And one pilot project used treated rhino horn with toxins to render it unattractive to end users. 

But then Craig Spencer, head warden of the Balule Nature Reserve had a brainwave that would address the problem at its heart. As a visionary, he realized that the struggle needed to make a connection to local communities to become truly effective. And women form the heart and soul of African villages. But Craig needed to think of a name that would instantly terrorize even the most ruthless poacher. He took inspiration from one of the most feared snakes of the region - the black mamba. But would his team of local tough-women live up to the reputation of their namesakes?

Six Brave Girls…

The first six Black Mambas began training in 2013. What they faced, represented a massive culture shock. Although the women were from the nearby rural villages, they were ignorant about the wildlife species who shared the veld with them and unfamiliar with the disciplined group dynamic required for such a project. The training environment was also intensely masculine. These types of boot camps were predominantly run by military veterans, who were a world removed from their raw young recruits. 

The first field trip was an absolute disaster. Instead of being gradually introduced to the animals at a safe distance, they stumbled upon a full pride of lions enjoying a kudu dinner. In  that shocking moment of truth, it wasn’t months of training that kicked in, but the instinctive fear of an apex predator. The ladies ran off, screaming for help on the two-way radio. Hilariously, the object of their terror - the lions - were equally spooked by the encounter, and took off at full speed in the opposite direction. And worst of all, their mentor Craig Spencer laughed his head off. From such an inauspicious introduction, it would have been easy to assume that the Black Mambas were finished even before they got started. But then, something surprising happened. 

This humiliating origin story became woven into the culture of the unit, resurfacing as a humorous little drama which they later performed for their peers. Recognizing the value of roleplay, the Black Mambas still employ it to prepare for their role, to get into the minds of their opponents and to use for educational purposes. 

Determined to rise above this early setback, the Black Mambas knuckled down, perfecting skills such as bushcraft, tactical training, and two-way radio procedure. They also had to complete grueling endurance runs and develop the mental tenacity to spend long hours in surveillance. But despite these hardships, the women were determined to succeed. The program filled recruits with a sense of purpose, an adventurous alternative to drudging through the sort of domestic village chores traditionally assigned to women. When they returned proud and triumphant to their villages, more young girls applied to join the initiative.

Ambassadors For Change

At first, seasoned game rangers were skeptical about the program. How could a team of women who weren’t even armed hope to tackle a criminal network known for its relentless violence and its insidious links to corruption, even at the highest levels in government? An organization that even had the police stumped? The answer lay in the multifaceted approach of the Black Mambas.

By providing visible policing across an area of 20,000 hectares, the Black Mambas act as a deterrent for poaching operations. When on their rounds, they are in radio contact with armed back-up, which can be on the scene within moments. But their real value to the program lies in the positive message with which they return to their communities. As powerful role models to the village children, they share a commitment to preserving the wildlife heritage for future generations. Part of their time is spent in outreach initiatives, such as the popular Bush Baby program. 

From humble beginnings, the Black Mambas grew into an elite unit with a proud reputation for excellence. The fact that their presence led to a 64 percent reduction in poaching activity in the region they patrol has not gone unnoticed and among the accolades they earned was being named Champions of the Earth by the United Nations Environmental Program and forming an honour guard for then South African president, Jacob Zuma. It’s hardly surprising that there is now talk of turning their incredible story into a Hollywood movie. But despite these honors and awards, the Black Mambas are still as humble, approachable and engaging, as they were twelve years ago.

The Black Mambas Facebook page has over 44,000 followers. Still true to their roots, they often partner with creatives to raise awareness for conservation through storytelling initiatives.  

Sources: 

https://www.traffic.org/news/south-africa-confirms-2014-worst-on-record-for-rhino-poaching/

Balule Nature Reserve - Wikipedia

About Us – Saving The Survivors

Rhino Rescue Centre - The Rhino Orphanage

Poisoned rhino horn won't deter poaching in the Kruger | SAnews

(535) Craig Spencer Interview, June 2017 - YouTube

Kruger Park Times - Myths, facts and more about the Black Mamba…

Black Mamba Anti Poaching Unit (helpingrhinos.org)

(3) Facebook

Heart of a Game Ranger by Mario Cesare (2017/Jonathan Ball Publishers)

Look Who's Crossing the Road...

Rock Tees | Group Walk Lumbar Pillow
by peanuts

Few album covers are as iconic as Abbey Road by Beatles. In fact, concept designer John Kosh felt that the group was so famous that the image needed no further identifiers. His assessment proved spot on. The record went straight to number one and the Abbey Road aesthetic invaded pop culture, leading to numerous parodies and imitations by amongst others Sesame Street, the Simpsons and, of course the Peanuts gang, as shown in today's featured product. Both Kanye West and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers used that same zebra crossing in their cover art for albums recorded in the studio. Paul McCartney himself got in on the act in 1993 with Paul is Live. And that's not counting all the internet memes inspired by Abbey Road. If we ever do get round to colonizing Mars, the Abbey Road parodies will probably follow us to the Red Planet as well. 

The man responsible for this image, Iain MacMillan was born on 20 October 1938 in Carnoustie, a town near Dundee in Scotland. On the day of the shoot, 8 August 1969, he snapped a series of six images that featured the Fab Four crossing and re-crossing the street, which is located just outside the record studio. Traffic was briefly halted. MacMillan mounted a step ladder. And magic happened. MacMillan had connected with the band through commissions he had done for Yoko Ono. He continued to work with Ono on several other projects, including her book Flies. He also provided cover art for several Lennon/Ono recordings, including Live Peace in Toronto, Some Time in New York City and Wedding Album. 

Almost as soon as it was released, the photo gained a life of its own. Fans were quick to spot symbolic clues that supposedly offered proof of Paul McCartney's death three years earlier in a car accident. The record company encouraged this speculation, as the urban legend provided additional publicity. In reality, these elements were mere coincidence. For example, Paul had taken off his shoes because they were uncomfortable and the police van was most likely present to regulate traffic for the photoshoot. 

The image is also infused with the gravity of marking the end of an era, a coming of age for the band. Both Lennon and McCartney married in 1969 and several band members were engaging in side projects. A recently released recorded conversation seems to imply that the group was planning a further album. Abbey Road, however, marked the last time they worked together as a band. 

For music fans, a visit to Abbey Road ranks high on the itinerary of music themed tourist attractions. If you keep an eye on the traffic, you can snap and share your own version of the famous Beatles image. Other nearby sights include Regent's Park and Lord's Cricket Ground. If you can't make it in person, connect to the webcam now installed at Abbey Road. 

Sources and Further Reading https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/iain-macmillan-2469215 https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/beatles/the-beatles-abbey-road-album-cover-facts-meaning/ https://www.biography.com/news/beatles-abbey-road-album-cover-anniversary https://www.nme.com/photos/abbey-road-31-tributes-and-parodies-1436999 https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/11/the-beatles-break-up-mark-lewisohn-abbey-road-hornsey-road https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Macmillan https://freetoursbyfoot.com/abbey-road-crossing/ https://www.earthcam.com/world/england/london/abbeyroad/?cam=abbeyroad_uk