It's Kentucky Derby day. That means it's Secretariat time.

[Faygo Kid]

It's Kentucky Derby day, and that means, as always, remembering Secretariat. What memories, of 1973, and one of the greatest ever sports heroes of my lifetime. He still holds every Triple Crown speed record.

[CottonBear]

1. Here's a link to the race:

https://m.

[Ohiogal]

2. Gives me chills every time I watch it.

[a kennedy]

13. I know......almost start crying as well, such an outstanding performance.

[in2herbs]

3. I owned a TB with Secretariat bloodlines. His racing history was over before I owned him, and he

became a victim of what owners do to TBs when they no longer can race and give them an income. I rescued him and rode him on trail until I retired him at age 26. He passed at age 35, pampered from the day I got him to the day he passed. Regal.

[MicaelS]

11. How was his behaviour?

Was he good? High strung?

[in2herbs]

17. Sorry, I had to log off for a while. My TB was extremely well-mannered while still being a horse.

It was always fun to watch him after a rinse off/shower. He'd strut around the arena with such graceful moves. After retirement he was fabulous with teaching and caring for the younger horses. Towards the last years of his life, because of his age, his diet was a watery beet pulp mash and pellets which had been soaked to soften. (This was before the 1/4-inch mini pellets they sell today.) I always offered him a flake of alfalfa to munch on even though I knew he had trouble eating it and when the food would get stuck between his teeth I had to water-pic his teeth. He was special and I miss him dearly. There was also Man O'War in his bloodlines. I let a friend of mine ride him one day while I rode my other TB and we rode in the desert --- two TBs running a neck to neck race to see who would win. The TB I was one won. People miss a lot when they don't interact with horses.

[MicaelS]

19. What a wonderful story.

Thanks for sharing it.

[elleng]

4. WOW!

Thanks!

[Elwood P Dowd]

5. Don't think the performance in the 1973 Belmont will ever be equaled.

I'm no horse racing aficionado, but I watched that one on my brand new Zenith color TV back in the day. It's been 46 years since then and there hasn't been a horse come along in all that time that could have beaten Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont. His record time on dirt still stands.

[former9thward]

21. The track is no longer "dirt".

Sand is mixed in to reduce the chance of injury but it also slows the track. So yes, the record will not be beaten for that reason alone.

Also horses are much more inbred now than in 1973. They are inbred for speed which is fine for sprinting but not for stakes races which are longer. 96% of all yearlings sold carry Northern Dancer's bloodline.

[CottonBear]

6. He was and is the greatest race horse of all time.

I love Thoroughbreds. I’ve ridden many, including some right off the track. They are so beautiful and powerful and fast.

[Totally Tunsie]

7. No matter how many times I see that race, I still hold my breath

until Secretariat crosses the Finish Line...always exciting.

Just watching the movie on Lifetime now!

[kentuck]

8. Probably the greatest horse of our lifetimes...

He was one magnificent animal!

[mobeau69]

9. Secretariat's last footage.

[Faygo Kid]

12. A great regret is that I didn't visit him before he died.

There will never be another like him.

[Green Line]

10. The most exciting, perfect horse I've ever seen.

In a poem written in 1937 by the editor-in-chief of The Blood-Horse, Joe Estes, some 17 years after Man o’ War was retired, Estes wondered if ever another horse could match Man o’ War’s talents.

The poem was titled “Big Red” and it finished:

We watch the heroes parading,

We wait, and our eyes are dim,

But we never discover another

Like him.

A foal is born at midnight

And in the frosty morn

The horseman eyes him fondly

And a secret hope is born.

But breathe it not, nor whisper,

For fear of a neighbor's scorn:

He's a chestnut colt, and he's got a star-

He may be another Man o' War.

Nay, say it aloud—be shameless.

Dream and hope and yearn,

For there's never a man among you

But waits for his return.

And so it remained for more than 50 years after Man o’ War’s final race. The world waited for his return. In 1970, on a farm in Virginia, the wait finally ended. A bigger, redder chestnut was foaled. The first five names submitted for the horse were rejected by The Jockey Club, before they finally settled on Secretariat. It mattered not to Penny Chenery, the horse’s owner. She always just called him “Big Red.”

[Corgigal]

14. The most beautiful horse that ever existed.

Last week my family did a tour of Coolmore stable and saw American Pharoah and Justify. They both seem healthy and gained some weight. Pharoah is a kind horse and loves it when people talk to him. Justify still runs hot but what a beautiful red colt. Ticket was only 20 dollars, if any one wants to see those big guys.

Going to clairborne, where Secretariat is buried, when my heart allows. Will bring blue and white carnations for his grave. He is buried whole.

Will add some photos, if anyone is interested.

[Faygo Kid]

15. Add the photos, please.

[Corgigal]

20. Justfy and American Pharoah last week.

At Coolmore, Versailles Kentucky.


https://ibb.co/6v8hM7h%5D%5Bimg%5D%5B/img%5D%5B/url


[url=https://ibb.co/b6LrL8V][img][/img][/url]

[Bayard]

16. He always had another gear

I watched that race with some of my other horse-crazy friends. We were actually rooting for Sham, but you couldn't help being awed by the big guy, especially in next 2 races.

A shame he didn't reproduce that well.

[mobeau69]

18. Time came out with this cover during the Watergate scandal.

Naturally, Time had printed the photos of numerous Nixon cronies on their covers like Mitchell, Haldermann and Erlichman during this time period. One night after this issue was on the newsstands Johnny Carson held it up and quipped that it was nice to see the other end of a horse for a change. I was watching that live and LOL. Still do.

[MurrayDelph]

22. This is the Secretariat I thought of

https://m.

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