Upset (horse)


Upset was notable as the only horse to have ever defeated Man o' War. Man o' War, who won 20 of his 21 starts, faced Upset in the seventh running of the Sanford Memorial Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on August 13, 1919. Losing by a neck, Man o' War had been fractious at the starting line and got a bad start, leaving close to last. He also carried 15 pounds more than Upset. The loss snapped a six-race winning streak by Man o' War.
Upset was owned by Harry Payne Whitney. The two horses met six more times, including in the 1920 Preakness Stakes, with Man o' War victorious every time.
While it is widely believed that the term "upset", referring to a surprising loss, originated with this horse, that is not the case. The use of the word in horse racing dates to at least 1877, and the meaning "to overturn" or "overthrow" appears to be even older.