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On DVD or VHS: See the tenth and FINAL race in its entirety of the AFFIRMED-ALYDAR rivalry
SEE the ENTIRE bittersweet tenth and final race of the legendary AFFIRMED and ALYDAR rivalry on two different TELEVISED BROADCASTS: that of the CBS "Sports Spectacular" broadcast and also that of the NYRA "Racing From Saratoga" Cable TV Channel on August 19, 1978, Travers Stakes.
After the Triple Crown the rivals met only one more time in the 1978 Travers at Saratoga in what would become their most controversial meeting. Only two rivals showed up this time and again AFFIRMED was made a slight favorite over ALYDAR by the record crowd of over 50,000. AFFIRMED was carried out a bit by long-shot SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE who lead for the first 1/2 mile and Velasquez on ALYDAR took aim at the hole on the rail that opened up. Pincay, filling in for an injured Cauthen, gunned AFFIRMED ahead and angled over to the rail, shutting ALYDAR off and causing him to nearly fall. AFFIRMED went on to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 2:02 and ALYDAR recovered to stay second, but as you would expect there was both an inquiry and a jockey's objection. The stewards made the right decision and disqualified AFFIRMED and placed him second to ALYDAR.
They would never meet again on the track as ALYDAR was injured shortly after and laid off for a long time. He came back at age four but was never quite the same and retired after six races. AFFIRMED won the Eclipse Award for Champion Three-Year-Old of 1978 as well as Horse of the Year. He went on at age four to win over a $1 million to become racing's first winner of over $2 million and won the Eclipse Awards for Champion Older Horse of 1979 and Horse of the Year again. Both were eventually elected to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame.
A look back in time at the last meeting of the historic AFFIRMED-ALYDAR rivalry - add this instant classic to your collection today!
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