I’ve always been fascinated by how fast horses can run. So I decided to find out what makes some run faster than others, the physical traits that are most important when it comes to racing, and what are the top speeds horses can run.
55 MPH is the top speed of the world’s fastest horses. Quarter horses racing 440-yard have been timed running 55 mph, the fastest recorded speed of any horse. Guinness World Record recognizes Winning Brew, a Thoroughbred, as the fastest horse in the world at 43.97 mph.
The world’s fastest horses are incredible animals. They are large, many weighing over 1,000 pounds, yet can outrun almost every other animal on the planet. How are they able to do this? Let’s find out as we explore their magnificent bodies.
Horse racing is one of the oldest and most popular sports in the world. And while there have been many great horses over the years, only a handful can lay claim to being the fastest.
The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes a Thoroughbred as the horse with the fastest recorded time, but other breeds can be faster over shorter distances.
For example, a Quarter horse has a shorter stride than a Thoroughbred but can reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour. And an Arabian horse can sustain high speeds for longer periods of time.
So while the Thoroughbred may hold the Guinness World Record, it is not necessarily the fastest horse over all distances.
Did American Pharoah beat Secretariat’s time?
His winning time of 2:26.65 was the sixth-fastest in Belmont history and the second-fastest for a Triple Crown winner, and his final quarter-mile time of 24.32 seconds was more than a half-second faster than Secretariats final quarter-mile time of 25.00 when the 1973 winner set a world record and won by 31 lengths…
American Pharoah has already surpassed Secretariats earnings of $2 million and is expected to finish with more than $3 million in winnings.
At age 9, American Pharoah is the youngest Triple Crown winner in history. His victory also marks the first time that a horse has won the three major races in a single season.
Secretariat held every major racing record before he came along. He had won all nine of his starts prior to becoming the champion 3-year-old colt of 1972. His 1,944-day winning streak is still standing today.
American Pharoah has now tied Secretariat for third place on the career wins list with 16 victories.
Both horses were undefeated when they met at the Belmont Stakes on June 6, 1989. American Pharoah defeated Secretariat by 31 lengths to claim his first championship.
The last Triple Crown winner to lose was Northern Dancer in 1975. The last undefeated Triple Crown winner to fall was Dominant in 1933.
Has any horse run faster than Secretariat?
Secretariat set speed records at multiple distances as well as on different racing surfaces. However the Guinness World Record recognizes Winning Brew because the fastest horse ever. Secretariat may be the finest racehorse ever he annihilated his opponents and shattered course records.
The Fastest Quarterhorse ran 55 mph.
Quarterhorses have been clocked running 55mph, the fastest rate of any horse breed. Quarterhorse racing started in colonial America over 200 years ago.
The breed was named after the usual distance they raced, a quarter of a mile. The Colonial quarterhorse owners were always breeding for speed.
The establishment of Quarter horse racing began with the formation of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). There are 11 recognized distances raced by quarterhorses, from 220 yards to 870 yards.
The All-American Futurity has the largest purse in quarter horse racing at 3 million dollars.
The Guinness Book of Records lists the top speed run by a thoroughbred at 43.97 mph. The horse holding the record is “Winning Brew.”
She was only a two-year-old when she broke the record in 2008 at the Penn National Race Course. For comparison, the average Kentucky Derby winner typically runs about 37 mph. Secretariat won the race running 38 mph.
Thoroughbreds race long distances and have to pace themselves over the course. Thoroughbreds have long legs with lean muscular bodies. They are also taller and lighter than quarter horses. Thoroughbreds are built to run a longer distance race than a Quarter horse.
FAQ
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