I don’t want to be argumentative, but now you’re focusing in one one race.
You’re still ignoring the fact he set records that are still standing in all three TC races. He ran on turf just as well as he ran on dirt. And he was HOTY two years in a row, while racing against class competition. None of those things have to do with Bill Nack or Raymond Wolfe.
Your original point was that he was mostly a one-hit wonder and had multiple chinks. Perhaps I am reading this incorrectly and by chinks you mean losses rather than flaws.
I get it, you’re a student of racing history. But there are many, including myself, who don’t agree with your original premise... if I translated it correctly.
In my experience (including with racing fanatics) of arguing “who’s the greatest horse”, etc, even racing fans tend to focus on this one race, the Belmont. The better arguments deal with much more but fanboys and non-fans alike tend to focus squarely on Belmont Stk, one race. There won’t be much talk about others.
You are right that he set (track) records for the TC races. And as I stated elsewhere, he set a total of 6 time records out of 12 that year. Officially, Sec equaled 1 world record (1974 ARM - not separated by dirt/turf, so only 1-1/8 counted), 1 American (specifically dirt course), and the rest (4) track records.
Sec never carried more than 126, much less massive differentials in weight, and ran with plenty time between.
On the positive side, he did run turf 2x, and he did face elder several times.
Sec was a great horse. No question. He just cannot be unequivocally called greatest. Even with a spectacular Belmont.
(BTW, records were being set like crazy that season at Belmont - do you know that *every single* distance record up to the 1-1/2mi was set in 1973? Even of the 8 time records for turf - 6 of them were 1973! Oh, and guess who was still on the charts in 1973 at Belmont?)
Don’t worry about being argumentative. I’m usually accused of that. I just can’t resist these Sec-loving threads. They suck me in every time. I just have a chip on my shoulder.
I liked the movie. Just not as good as it could’ve been - and hate that they ignore poor Riva Ridge.