On this Derby Day, regarding Secretariat, 50 years ago

[Goodheart]

When asked to reflect upon my 70 years I always say that the three things that blew me away were Beatlemania, the moon landing, and Secretariat.

I suspect that everybody, regardless of age, can appreciate the momentousness of the first walk on the moon... the culmination of a human dream, a JFK promise, and an American pride project. It was staggering... the weeks before when the astronauts were on their way, "they're almost there", "tonight's the night!" I was 16, already a big fan of history, and I can remember that I was more impressed at the time with the human magnitude than I was of an American achievement.

Those other two things... well, I guess you had to be there to know

The Beatles weren't just a new musical act... they were a cultural revolution. I could go on and on about that, but I'm saving my typing fingers for....

SECRETARIAT.... the greatest athlete that ever lived.

I'm not kidding... I've watched replays of the 1973 Triple Crown races hundreds of times, the Belmont much more than the other two, obviously, and no matter how often I've heard Chic Anderson exclaim "he is moving like a tremendous machine!" I am moved to goosebumps and tears. I was a live witness to perfection, from the most beautiful creature that ever walked the Earth.

[Karadeniz]

1. Totally agree!!!

[brer cat]

2. I totally agree!

[targetpractice]

3. Amazing animal... The Disney movie is great, too...

Amazingly faithful recreation of Secretariat's Triple Crown history... Emotional.

I have mixed feelings about horse racing these days, but my father made me sit down as a kid in front of the TV 50 years ago... He said history is going to be made... He did the same for the moon landing and Nixon's resignation... The latter wasn't memorable to me.

[Goodheart]

4. Super Horse, read the magazine covers

And it's almost as if he knew what was being said of him and didn't want the Triple Crown to be anticlimactic. And then... OH BOY.

[303squadron]

5. Big Red was the greatest non human athlete

The greatest human athlete was Ben Hogan.

[MuseRider]

6. 3 great choices!

I turn 70 the end of this year and had not really started reflecting much.

I would probably come up with the same 3, they were HUGE in their own ways.

I rewatched for about the 20th time The Right Stuff last night and remembered most of those events getting into space. Certainly the first astronauts.

Thank you for this. We have witnessed many things, as all people who get to a certain age can say, but I would have to think hard for a different 3.

[Goodheart]

12. Obama's election night victory speech also made me cry.

So there's that one.

[Phoenix61]

7. My fave Derby race was when Big Brown won.

I was in Belize and talked a bar into putting the race on. It really is the the most exciting 2 minutes in sports. I will be forever grateful I didn’t grow up in an area where I could bet on the ponies. There’s nothing like watching them run and seeing that moment when the jockey decides to go for it..to watch the horse’s stride shift…. magic.

[a kennedy]

8. Absolutely loved Secretariet.......

Loved the story of a 60 Minutes reporter, way back when, went to see Secretariet after he had been retired for quite some time and when this reporter went close to the pasture where Secretariet was grazing......he, the horse looked up and actually posed for this reporter, as if to say, "yup, it's me the greatest horse to ever run". He knew he was the best.

[Bayard]

9. I was in high school then

Another horse-crazy friend and I watched all 3 races of the Triple Crown.

Secretariat had another gear that others didn't have. And he just plain refused to lose.

[yardwork]

10. 50 years ago?!

Damn. I'm old.

[malthaussen]

11. Well, yeah, he had a heart almost three times the size of the average thoroughbred.

A statistic that proves the Universe has a sense of what is appropriate.

Big Red had a few other anatomical advantages over other horses, but that heart is just amazing. It's still the largest heart ever found in a horse, even ones far bigger than he.

-- Mal

[Aristus]

13. My favorite Derby tale is from the 1978 Triple Crown.

I was living in Kentucky at the time, too.

Affirmed and Alydar are the only two horses in Triple Crown history to run first and second in all three races.

That's a rivalry for the ages.