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SARGA.CO – A racehorse’s fame isn’t always determined by the number of championship titles it collects throughout its career. Sometimes, a horse that repeatedly finishes behind the winners can still steal the spotlight—even becoming a serious candidate for Horse of the Year.

Such a horse must, of course, have something special. Its running ability can make eyebrows shoot up at its speed—especially when paired with a life story that includes surviving a lightning strike that hit its stable.

This true story belongs to a horse named Thanksgiving. His name is forever tied to his trainer, Max Hirsch.
 

In the 1930s, Hirsch was a giant in the world of horse racing. He won the Travers Stakes in 1934 with Observant and trained Bold Venture, who won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness in 1936. With all his achievements, Hirsch was well on his way to the Hall of Fame.

Highly experienced, Hirsch had trained horses belonging to some of the richest and most powerful people in America. One of them was Arnold Rothstein, a wealthy gambler and mastermind behind the 1919 World Series scandal.

Hirsch eventually became the trainer for the King Ranch stable in 1934, which would later become one of the most successful in America.

Despite his lack of victories, Thanksgiving’s performances raised eyebrows across the racing world. His name was even proposed for Horse of the Year.

This proposal was supported by Elizabeth Grinnell, writing in Country Life and the Sportsman:
“Although he may not be the fastest, I think Thanksgiving is perhaps the most fascinating of them all. Within five weeks, this small bay colt, in four consecutive starts at three different tracks, equaled two track records and broke two others without winning a single race,” she wrote.
 

Then came the Butler Handicap, where Thanksgiving seemed poised for victory against older horses. But the result was different. He lost by one length to the winner, Esposa. Once again, all three top finishers broke the previous track record.

Later, Mary Hirsch brought Thanksgiving into another handicap race against older horses: the American Legion Handicap in July at Saratoga. The race was won by Airflame, who broke an 18-year-old track record. Thanksgiving, who finished just a head behind the older Airflame, also broke the record—but once again did not win. 

Palmer and Grinnell observed that Thanksgiving always finished among the leaders, no matter how fast they ran. His summer campaign proved that any horse hoping to beat him had to run extraordinarily fast.

That proof showed again when Hirsch brought him to race at Saratoga. There, he once more faced Stagehand and Jolly Tar, both favored to win.

During the race, Thanksgiving ran strongly and led through both turns. But anxiety grew as Stagehand and Jolly Tar closed in from behind—both known as powerful closers.

However, jockey Eddie Arcaro believed Thanksgiving wasn’t done yet. He kept pressing him until they crossed the finish line six lengths ahead of Jolly Tar.

Looking back, this victory was extraordinary for a horse that once survived a lightning strike. For Mary Hirsch, Thanksgiving’s triumph made history—she became the first female trainer of a major stakes winner. This achievement would not be matched again for 85 years until Jena Antonucci won with Arcangelo in 2023.

Through this victory, Thanksgiving proved that lightning really can strike twice in the same place.