This year we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Secretariat’s run to immortality. His three-year-old season made headlines in newspapers and was the lead story on television broadcasts across the country.
Let’s go back to 1973.. fifty years ago.
A STAR IS BORN
The year was 1973. The Chinese were celebrating the Year of the Ox. Here in the States we were celebrating the Year of the Horse. This was not just any horse. It was one in particular. His name was Secretariat. This colt would capture the imagination of the horse racing public on a level not seen since the immortal Man O’ War unleashed power and fury in his breathtaking season of 1920.
The Secretariat saga dates to 1969. In a breeding shed at Arthur “Bull” Hancock’s farm in Kentucky’s Blue Grass Country, the immensely talented Bold Ruler was mated with Something Royal, a broodmare whose sire was the legendary Princequillo. The combination of these proven bloodlines were about to create the perfect thoroughbred racehorse specimen.
The following year on March 30, a chestnut-colored foal was born at Christopher Chenery’s Meadow Stable. Due to his declining health, Chenery’s accomplished daughter Penny had taken over the management of the horse racing concern. Lucian Laurin, a product of the Canadian racing scene was the stable’s trainer. He would guide the newly named Secretariat throughout his career. Ron Turcotte, a highly skilled jockey who also claimed his roots north of the border took over as his rider in the early stages of Secretariat’s story. This trio were headed for a magic carpet ride of historic proportions.
1972 WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR
Secretariat made his debut on Independence Day of 1972 at Aqueduct racetrack. He was sent off as the betting favorite as he would in 20 of his 21 outings. He got off to a slow start, yet managed to close to within a length and quarter of the winner at the finish line. Less than two weeks later, racing again at the Big A, he won his second start with ease.
Here at Saratoga, the quest for greatness was about to begin. On the last day of July with jockey Ron Turcotte aboard he took an allowance race by a length. The racing world was beginning to take notice of the big chestnut. Secretariat was pointed for the Sanford Stakes. In this one he would face his first serious competition. Albany movie theatre mogul Neil Hellman had Linda’s Chief, a top contender in the juvenile division entered in the race. Secretariat blew by the would be chief in mid stretch and logged his first stakes win. Next up was the Hopeful Stakes, the Spa’s major event for two year olds. It was all Secretariat in this one.
The Belmont Futurity was next up on his calendar. In this one he put another notch on his bridle. A month later he strolled home in the Champagne Stakes. Unfortunately he was disqualified and placed second for impeding Stop The Music. Later that fall the Garden State Stakes and the Laurel Futurity were his for the taking. He had won the most important juvenile races offered in the country with ease. For his accomplishments he was awarded Horse of the Year Honors, a rarity for a two year old. The road to fame was being paved. In the year 1973 Secretariat would take that finished road to immortality.
THE YEAR OF THE HORSE
Expectations ran high for Secretariat when he made his sophomore debut in the Bayshore Stakes at Aqueduct. It was the first of New York’s three race series for Kentucky Derby hopefuls. “Big Red” as he was nicknamed due to his reddish color and massive size would not disappoint. Despite a rough trip, the big guy just overpowered this field drawing clear by four lengths. The Gotham Stakes was next. Ron Turcotte took him to an early lead and never looked back. Secretariat won easily, equaling the track record for a mile race.
In his final prep for the Derby, the nine furlong Wood Memorial was on tap. The race had produced three Triple Crown Champions in its long history. This time he would face a superb colt named Sham, who had been on a tear in California. His owners Sigmund and Viola Sommer decided to try Sham’s luck against Secretariat on their home turf. The race was advertised as a duel between Secretariat and Sham. It took an unexpected turn when it was won by Angle Light, Secretariat’s lesser known stable mate. Sham got up for second a neck behind the winner. Secretariat settled for third four lengths behind the Sommer runner. They would have to wait for Louisville and the Kentucky Derby for round two.
All roads led to Churchill Down. It was time for the Kentucky Derby, “The Run for the Roses,” “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports,” call it what you may, it’s America’s most sought after horse racing prize. Big Red’s entire entourage of Penny Tweedy, Lucien Lauren, Ron Turcotte and groom Eddie Sweat were along for the ride. They were all reaching celebrity status. Newspaper reporters and television hosts clamored for interviews with those associated with the blossoming superstar.
On the first Saturday of May in 1973, at 5:37 p.m. the horses were loaded into the gate. A relatively small field was entered in the race. Sham was Secretariats main competition. The future handicap star Forego was also a starter. His career would take off in the following year. The race was all Secretariat. Sham had the lead at the top of the stretch. The big horse made his move and blew by Sham taking the race by two and a half lengths.
Two weeks later it was time for a trip to Baltimore and Pimlico for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. The Preakness field drew only six starters. Sham again was the main threat in the race. Turcotte moved Secretariat to the lead on the clubhouse turn. From there on it was no contest with Sham a good four lengths behind at the finish line.
The inevitable chatter started to roar. Was “Big Red” going to be a Triple Crown Champion. It had been twenty-five years since Calumet Farms spectacular racehorse Citation had become the seventh winner of the crown.
The Belmont Stakes, “The Test of Champions,” once around Belmont Park’s mile and a half oval was the barrier that Secretariat would need to hurdle to attain immortality.
IMMORTALITY
The entire sporting world was fixated on Belmont Park. If you hadn’t heard about Secretariat by now chances are you were living under a rock. About the only thing that worried the Secretariat camp was could he go the mile and a half. The entire world was about to find out. 70,000 fans filled Belmont Park in anticipation. A field of five lined up in the starting gate. The bell rang and the big horse was off to a good start. Sham was on the lead at the clubhouse turn.
When they hit the backstretch the two gladiators raced as one. Midway down the backstretch “Big Red” accelerated into a high gear. He began to eat up real estate like a fine tuned Ferrari. Sham was finished. Secretariat opened up a twenty length lead. Race caller Chic Anderson made this now famous comment. “Secretariat is moving like a tremendous machine.” The lead grew to an incredible 31 lengths at the finish line. Secretariat had reached out to immortality. He had crushed all opposition in a display that has never been duplicated. He was not only the eighth Triple crown Champion. In doing so he set track records in all three of the events that comprised the Triple Crown series. In the Belmont Stakes his time of 2:24 is a world record that stands to this day.
The Champ was given a breather and arrangements were made to resume his career at Chicago’s Arlington Park at the end of June. He won this one in a laugher. Next up, a trip to
Saratoga. He was pointed for the Whitney Stakes. It was a foregone conclusion that he would just need to show up to take this one. As anyone knows who have bet on a horse race nothing is for certain. Saratoga has always owned the reputation of being “The Graveyard of Champions.” Unfortunately for “Big Red” the adage was right on target. In a shocker an outsider named Onion was up to the challenge on Whitney day. He took the measure of the Champ holding him off by less than a length at the wire. The race did nothing to dampen Secretariat’s standing in the public’s eye.
He was given a rest and made his next start in the Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park. In this one he faced the stiffest competition of his career. He took on his illustrious stablemate Riva Ridge, along with top notch contenders Cougar 2nd and Key To The Mint. The Champ was back in form for this one. He toyed with the outstanding field while setting a new world record for the nine furlong distance.
He raced one more time on the dirt in the mile and a half Woodward Stakes. The track came up sloppy. The big guy didn’t care forthe wet track and came up second best to Prove Out.
He finished out his 1973 season with easy wins on the grass. He took the aptly named Man O’ War Stakes at Aqueduct in another track record performance. For his finale he headed north of the border to Toronto. In his swan song he thrilled the Canadian crowd with a performance befitting a champion. He strolled home six and a half lengths clear of the field at the finish line.
The fabulous career of Secretariat was over. There was nothing left to prove. He was awarded Horse of the Year honors for the second time. He stands tall in the lore of the sport. In any given poll Secretariat mirrors Man O’ War as one of the two greatest race horses ever produced in this country. It is a well deserved honor.
In closing I would like to quote the late Charles Hatton. He is considered by many to be the premier horse racing correspondent of the Twentieth Century. He witnessed them all from Man O’ War to Count Fleet, Citation and all the rest that left their mark on the American turf. He had these poetic words to sum up the magnificence that was Secretariat.
“Weave for the mighty chestnut a tributary crown of autumn leaves, the brightest then when autumn leaves are brown. Hang up his bridle on the wall, his saddle on the tree, til time shall bring some racing king worthy to wear as he!”
The immortal Secretariat.. A Half-Century Ago.
