The Race He Lost

""While it is widely believed that the term "upset", referring to a surprising loss, originated with this horse, that is not the case. The use of the word in horse racing dates to at least 1877, and the meaning "to overturn" or "overthrow" appears to be even older."

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  ~~ Cronin, Brian (May 10, 2011). "Sports Legend Revealed: Did the term 'upset' in sports derive from a horse named Upset defeating Man o' War?". Los Angeles Times

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'People have often said that Man o' War was never fully extended. This true, even for this race. Being hard-checked in a race can make it very difficult for a horse to regain his momentum. Loftus waited too long for moving Man o' War outside, and Man o' War didn't reach his top speed before the finish line. So, even then, being pushed, Man o' War never gained the momentum to reach his full speed. He simply ran out of track.

From the Man o' War Memorial at the Kentucky Horse Park and International Horse Museum, Willie Knapp tells how he was able to beat Man o' War.

The plaque says:
"People are still surprised to hear that Man o' War actually lost a race - to a colt appropriately named Upset. It happened on August 13, 1919, in the Sanford Memorial stakes. But this was not a case of Big Red having finally met his match on the track. In fact Man o' War beat Upset on six other occastions in his racing career. The reason for the one loss - though still argued about - can be laid partly to circumtances and partly to the shrewd riding tactics of Upset's jockey, Willie Knapp. In the following account (reported by Horace Wade), Knapp tells how he won.

"There was nothin' wrong with Man o' War's race 'cept that I wouldn't let Johnny Loftus through on the rail. There were seven horses in the Sanford, with Man o' War held at 11 to 20 odds, but, when the field bounced away, it was Golden Broom setting the pace with Upset on the outside just a neck away. Man o' War didn't make his bid til we hit the turn, and then he churned up along the rail 'til his head bobbed into the corner of my eye. There he was, tossin' those 28 foot strides of his, an' tryin' to squeeze through on the inside of Golden Broom and Upset.

"If I'd given so much as an inch, the race would have been as good as over, but jockeys don't ride that way. I could have breezed past Golden Broom any time I took my feet out of the dashboard, but that would have let Man o' War out of his mousetrap and he'd have whooshed past us in a dozen strides.

"When Johnny Loftus, ridin' Man o' War, saw we weren't goin' to open up, there was only on thing left for him to do. He pulled up sharply and ducked to the outside. That's what I'd  been waiting for. That same moment I gunned Upset with my bat and galloped to the top in a pair of jumps. Man o' War then had to come out around the two of us, and it cost him all o' two lengths. From there to the finish he was chargin' again like a jet plane, but Upset had just enough left to push his head down in front.

"Sure I won the race all right - it was the greatest thrill of my life - but lookin' back at it now there's sure one horse which shoulda retired undefeated. Never was a colt like him. He could do anything and do it better than any horse that ever lived. If I'd moved over just an eyelash that day at Saratoga, he'd have beat me from here to Jaloppy. Sometimes I'm sorry I didn't do it."