Only Horse to Go Through 3-Year-Old Season Unbeaten

By BILL CHRISTINE

May 30, 1998 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Man o’ War is the best horse never to win the Kentucky Derby-- because he didn’t run in it--but at least he sired a Triple Crown champion in War Admiral. Besides winning the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 1937, War Admiral went through his 3-year-old season undefeated, something no other Triple Crown champion has done.

Seattle Slew, in 1977, completed the Triple Crown still undefeated, but his streak ended four weeks later when J.O. Tobin won the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park. That was Seattle Slew’s last start as a 3-year-old.

Sam Riddle, the third- generation textile heir and former amateur jockey, was a Pennsylvania horseman who was never enamored of the Kentucky Derby. Man o’ War bypassed Churchill Downs in 1920, then won the Preakness by 1 1/2 lengths and the Belmont by 20 when only one other horse challenged him in New York.

Seventeen years later, Riddle green-lighted War Admiral and his trainer, George Conway, into the Derby. Conway had worked as an assistant to Louis Feustel, Man o’ War’s trainer.

War Admiral, not as big as his sire, won three of six starts as a 2-year-old, his record compromised by a cough that was with him most of the season. When the weights for the Experimental Free Handicap were released, War Admiral was no better than eighth.

The next year, Riddle was thrilled by War Admiral’s two early wins in Maryland. Pompoon had been considered the best 2-year-old, but in Louisville, War Admiral was favored in the Derby. On a fast track, War Admiral and jockey Charles Kurtsinger, leading almost from the start, beat Pompoon by 1 1/2 lengths.

At Pimlico, War Admiral beat Pompoon by a head and almost broke the track record.

Pompoon was worn out by the time the Belmont was run and finished next to last in the seven-horse field. War Admiral won by three lengths, running 1 1/2 miles in 2:28 3/5. That broke the track record and tied the American record.

War Admiral, who had stumbled leaving the gate, reached the winner’s circle in a trail of blood. He had kicked himself in the race and torn off a piece of the hoof wall on the right foreleg. Conway gave him four months off, and when he returned he won three more races to close out the year with eight consecutive victories.

From the age of 3 until he was 5, War Admiral won 18 of his last 20 starts. The two losses, in 1938, were both shockers. He was fourth, eight lengths behind Menow, in the Massachusetts Handicap, and in the $15,000, winner-take-all Pimlico Special, a two-horse match race, Seabiscuit and George Woolf got the drop at the start and won by three lengths. War Admiral, horse of the year in 1937, was outvoted by Seabiscuit in 1938.

War Admiral retired after running only once in 1939 and became a successful sire. He died in 1959 in his stall.

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TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS

May 26, Sir Barton: 1919

May 28, Gallant Fox: 1930

May 29, Omaha: 1935

Today, War Admiral: 1937

Sunday, Whirlaway: 1941

Monday, Count Fleet: 1943

Tuesday, Assault: 1946

Wednesday, Citation: 1948

Thursday, Secretariat: 1973

June 5, Seattle Slew: 1977

June 6, Affirmed: 1978

1937: THE BREAKDOWN

*--*

Date Race (Time, Margin, Odds, Purse) May 8 Kentucky Derby (2:03 1/5, 1 1/2 lengths, 8-5, $52,050 May 15 Preakness (1:58 2/5, head, 3-5, $45,600) June 5 Belmont

Date Distance (Time, Margin, Odds, Purse) May 8 1 1/4 miles (2:03 1/5, 1 1/2 lengths, 8-5, $52,050 May 15 1 3/16 miles (1:58 2/5, head, 3-5, $45,600) June 5 1 1/2 miles

*--*

(2:28 3/5, 3 lengths, 4-5, $38,020)

THE CHALLENGERS

The top three finishers in the races in 1937:

KENTUCKY DERBY

War Admiral

Pompoon

Reaping Reward

PREAKNESS

War Admiral

Pompoon

Flying Scot