Outsiders (and often regulators) consider betting on the races to be just another form of gambling. They are mistaken, of course: you can't compare playing a slot machine at the Royal Vegas Casino with a day at the races. Besides, none of the games (not to mention the players) at the Royal Vegas will ever be as revered as some of the jockeys, and especially the horses, participating in races. What the Royal Vegas offers its players is a simple form of entertainment, while horse racing is about much more: anticipation, excitement, and dedication.

Below you'll find a list of the 5 Top racehorses of all time, who will be remembered not for the money they won but for their performance at the races.

Frankel (Record: 14–0–0)

Frankel is a British thoroughbred sired by Galileo, unbeaten in his career of 14 races. The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings Committee rank Frankel as the best racehorse they have assessed since their ratings were introduced in 1977, by a margin of two points.

Frankel's performance at the 2000 Guineas was described as "one of the greatest displays on a British racecourse" by The Guardian author
Chris Cook. With career earnings of £2,998,302, Frankel retired in 2012. He is now standing at stud at Banstead Manor Stud at Cheveley in Suffolk, where he was born.

Phar Lap (Record: 37–3–2)

Born in 1926, Phar Lap was sired by Night Raid, who has also sired Nightmarch. Trained and raced in Australia by Harry Telford, Phar Lap dominated Australian racing, winning a Melbourne Cup, two Cox Plates, an AJC Derby, and 19 other weight for age races. His promising career was ended by a mysterious illness, that killed him in 1932, at the age of five.

Seabiscuit (Record: 33-15-1)

Seabiscuit, sired by Hard Tack, of Man o'War's lineage, was undersized and lazy at first, starting his career with 17 losses in a row, usually finishing back in the field. He gained attention after winning two races at Narragansett Park and setting a new track record in the second - a Claiming Stakes race. Still, his true potential started to show under a new trainer, Tom Smith, who brought Seabiscuit out of his lethargy and turned him into a most valuable racer. After several wins, Seabiscuit quickly became a fan favorite, becoming the leading money winner in the US in 1937. By the time he retired, he was horse racing's all-time leading money winner. Besides, he became a pop culture icon, being portrayed in several documentaries and feature films, and turned into a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression.

Man O' War (Record: 20–1–0)

Man O' War is considered one of the greatest racehorses of all time, winning 20 of his 21 races - and even that one loss is considered to be due to the starter's error. Often referred to as Big Red, he often outclassed his competitors by several lengths. While the honor of being the fastest ever doesn't belong to him, he is surely one of the best racehorses ever to run by most other standards.

Secretariat (Record: 16–3–1)

Secretariat was known for breaking record after record at the race tracks, and most of his losses were controversial. After retiring from a successful racing career, he served as a successful stud, siring several champions, including General Assembly, Lady's Secret, and Kingston Rule.