Spectacular Bid was a grey colt owned by the Hawksworth Farm. (Originally his owners consisted
of Harry, Teresa and Tom Meyerhoff.) He was trained by Grover (Bud) Delp and ridden by jockey
Ronnie Franklin. Ronnie rode Bid for most of his 2 year old races except for the Champagne and Young America stakes
races. Ronnie would also end up riding Bid in the three triple crown races - The Kentucy Derby, The Preakness Stakes
and The Belmont Stakes. (The duo winning the first two legs of the triple crown.)
As a 3 year old most of Bid's races were with Bill Shoemaker aboard.
There was a lot of talk comparing Spectacular Bid to a triple crown winner named
- Affirmed. Then there was rumor of a race between these two great horses. That day finally came during the Jockey
Club Gold Cup. Affirmed and Bid challenged each other during the race, but in the end Affirmed was the better horse
that day.
Spectacular Bid went on to win all of his
other races with Bill Shoemaker aboard.
Spectacular Bid was
said to be one of the greatest horses of his time, winning twenty-six of thirty starts. Over two million in
purses won.
