The unthinkable does happen. The unsinkable Titanic sank, and in the summer of 1919 Sam Riddle's unbeatable Man o' War was beaten. Ironically, two days before the infamous run in the Aug. 13 Sanford Memorial Stakes, where H.P. Whitney's Upset did just that to the public's fair-haired boy, Man o' War's noted jockey John Loftus in an interview at the Traymore Hotel in Atlantic City declared his mount to be unbeatable; ironic in that Loftus' decisions in the Sanford brought such ill luck even the incomparable Man o' War couldn't overcome; decisions so poor, that in the words of one New York turf writer: "Loftus rode him like (a) stableboy and not like a jockey."
Such is the aftermath of any defeat that the public in general—and many hopeful horsemen in particular—begin to doubt.
Thus, forgetting that Man o' War carried 130 pounds to Upset's 115, and that Man o' War had missed the break at the barrier, breaking fifth of the seven entries, and that Loftus had wedged him in a corner not once but twice over the six-furlong trip, and that Man o' War's furious charge in the stretch had left him but a half-length shy at the wire and a half-length in front one stride after the wire, they turn their attention to the new.
No wonder then that the Aug. 22 Grand Union Hotel Stakes drew a field of 10. Named for Saratoga Springs' largest hotel, where the wealthy held sway during the summer meet at the Spa, the Grand Union had become an important component of the racing calendar, attracting the cream of the 2-year-old crop.
With the title of "king of the 2-year-olds" up for grabs, trainer James Rowe had Upset there, hoping to prove the Sanford win was deserved rather than favored by fortune's smile. Among the other eight were Blazes, recent winner of Saratoga's Grab Bag Handicap over the always dangerous filly Cleopatra, and King Thrush, who was third to the highly regarded Golden Broom in the Saratoga Special. They were joined by fresh faces that had recently come to hand as is the wont of Saratoga in August.
For the fifth consecutive race, Man o' War shouldered 130 pounds, giving from five (Upset's 125) to 18 pounds to his opponents. After five minutes to get the bulky field of unruly juveniles settled at the barrier, starter Mars Cassidy sent the field away at 3:40 p.m. in front of an estimated crowd of 35,000 raucous racegoers.
Unlike the Sanford Memorial, Man o' War, who had been quite the gentleman at the barrier, had firmly secured the lead from Evergay before reaching the first quarter-mile, with Upset in close pursuit.
As the furlongs disappeared, victims to the reaping strides of the big red harvester, the field fell farther and farther apace. Nearing the finish, Loftus never really asked Man o' War for anything more than a gallop. His length advantage at the wire might easily have been 10 or 20 had Loftus urged him for more.
A chastened Upset finished second, four lengths ahead of Blazes in third, a half-length better than Commander J.K.L. Ross' King Thrush.
Riddle was ecstatic: "He is a great racehorse, probably one of the greatest we have seen in a decade, and I look for great things from him as a 3-year-old. He will always remain my property. I feel that a great horse like this is in a way public property. The turf has a claim on him, and when he has finished his racing career, I shall use him as a sire."
The following day the New York Times reported that an obviously impressed Ross offered Riddle $130,000 ($2,052,219 today) for Man o' War.
Man o' War remained with Riddle and Ross raced 1919 Triple Crown winner Sir Barton the following year.
