Fastest Racehorse Breeds

Marcus Bazzano
By Marcus Bazzano
Fastest Racehorse Breeds

How Fast Do Racehorses Run?

Racehorses can reach incredible speeds, typically between 40-45 km/h.

However, top thoroughbreds have been clocked at over 70 km/h (43.5 mph) during short sprints. 

How Many mph Can A Horse Run?

Racehorses can run at speeds of 35-45 mph (56-72 km/h), with top thoroughbreds reaching up to 48 mph (77 km/h) over short distances.

What Are The Different Kinds Of Racehorses?

There are several breeds of racehorses, including Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Arabian, Paint Horses, and Appaloosas. Thoroughbreds dominate flat racing, while Quarter Horses excel in sprinting. Arabian and Paint Horses often compete in endurance and mid-distance events.

  • Thoroughbreds
  • Quarter Horses
  • Arabian
  • Paint Horses
  • Appaloosas

What Is The Fastest Racehorse Breed?

The Thoroughbred is widely considered the fastest racehorse breed, bred for speed and endurance. They dominate flat racing, achieving top speeds of 45-50 mph. 

Their lean physique, powerful legs, and athletic ability make them ideal for sprint and distance racing.

How Fast Can A Thoroughbred Racehorse Run?

Thoroughbred racehorses can run at incredible speeds, reaching 35-45 mph (56-72 km/h) over distances of 1-2 miles. Elite thoroughbreds can burst to 48-50 mph (77-80 km/h) for short sprints, making them the fastest breed of racehorse.

What Is The Best Racing Horse Breed?

The thoroughbred is widely regarded as the best racing horse breed, renowned for its exceptional speed, agility, endurance, and athleticism, dominating flat racing and prestigious horse races worldwide.

Runners pass the stands for the first time during The Gold Cup Race run at York Racecourse in England. (Photo by Julian Herbert/Getty Images)

Who Is The Fastest Racehorse In The World?

Secretariat holds the record as the fastest racehorse, winning the 1973 Triple Crown. He achieved a top speed of 49.4 mph. 

Below are some of the fastest racehorses in the world on record:

  1. Secretariat (USA) – 49.4 mph (79.4 km/h) – 1973 Belmont Stakes
  2. Phar Lap (AUS) – 48.7 mph (78.4 km/h) – 1930 Melbourne Cup
  3. Winning Brew (USA) – 48.6 mph (78.2 km/h) – 2004 Penn National Race Course
  4. Go and Go (IRE) – 48.5 mph (78 km/h) – 1990 Belmont Stakes
  5. Ghostzapper (USA) – 48.4 mph (77.9 km/h) – 2004 Breeders' Cup Classic

How Fast Is The Fastest Racehorse?

The fastest racehorse ever, Secretariat, reached an astonishing 49.4 mph (79.4 km/h) at the 1973 Belmont Stakes, covering 1 1/2 miles in 2:24 minutes, which is a world record yet to be broken.

What Is The Fastest Speed Ever In Horse Race? 

The fastest speed ever recorded in a horse race is 49.4 mph by Secretariat at the 1973 Belmont Stakes. This exceptional performance cemented Secretariat's status as one of racing's all-time greats.

The fastest racing speed ever recorded over two furlongs is 70.76 km/h. This was accomplished by Winning Brew in May 2008 at Penn National Race Course.

What Was Secretariat's Top Speed?

Secretariat, the legendary thoroughbred, achieved a record-breaking top speed of 49.4 mph (79.4 km/h) during the 1973 Belmont Stakes. This remains the fastest-recorded speed in horse racing history.

Marcus Bazzano
By Marcus Bazzano

Marcus is a young but experienced sports journalist and content creator, having been in the industry 5+ years. He has written racing specific content for leading racing sites such as RacingBase, Odds and now Fan Odds. Marcus learnt his love for racing from his father, who has owned multiple horses in Marcus' lifetime.