“He’s moving like a tremendous machine.”
Tonite, one of the networks should have scheduled a re-showing of that really good movie. Every time I’ve seen it, I end up cheering as that magnificent horse runs from the pack, the jocky looking like he is astride a HARLEY.
Maybe one did and I’ll surely have to check early to see what is on. So seldom is that anything worth the time.
I saw Secretariat win the KD in person! Then I went back and saw him up close. He was huge - tall. Never forget that experience.
Thanks for posting! I was 12. I remember that race. No doubt in my mind the greatest horse ever. Horses like Secretariat only come along once in a lifetime. What a joy it was to watch that race again!
Just like 45...
like a tremendous machine.
At his autopsy they found he had an enlarged heart by twice the size of normal not good for people but okay for horses. One of the most beautiful animals and athletes ever.
Appearance and conformation
Equine anatomy
Secretariat grew into a massive, powerful horse said to resemble his sire’s maternal grandsire, Discovery. He stood 16.2 hands (66 inches, 168 cm) when fully grown. He was noted for being exceptionally well-balanced, a big, powerful horse described as having “nearly perfect” conformation and stride biomechanics. His chest was so large that he required a custom-made girth, and he was noted for his large, powerful, well-muscled hindquarters. An Australian trainer said of him, “He is incredible, an absolutely perfect horse. I never saw anything like him.”
Secretariat’s absence of major conformation flaws was important, as horses with well made limbs and feet are less likely to become injured. Secretariat’s hindquarters were the main source of his power, with a sloped croup that extended the length of his femur. When in full stride, his hind legs were able to reach far under himself, increasing his drive. His ample girth, long back and well-made neck all contributed to his heart-lung efficiency.
The manner in which Secretariat’s body parts fit together determined the efficiency of his stride, which affected his acceleration and endurance. Even very small differences in the length and angles of bones can have a major effect on performance. Secretariat was well put together even as a two-year-old, and by the time he was three, he had further matured in body and smoothed out his gait. The New York Racing Association’s Dr. M. A. Gilman, a veterinarian who routinely measured leading Thoroughbreds with a goal of applying science to create better ways to breed and evaluate racehorses, measured Secretariat’s development from two to three as follows:...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretariat_(horse)#Appearance_and_conformation
It was estimated that his heart weighed 22 pounds.
Great to watch. One of the comments says he could have fallen down 3 times and still won, haha.
[...]
Secretariat's 31-length victory roused 30 million viewers. As the Belmont unfolded, golfer Jack Nicklaus fell to his knees before his TV set, cried and pounded his fist on the floor.
His reaction disturbed him. "Why me? I'm not a racing fan," Nicklaus told CBS race commentator Heywood Hale-Broun.
"Jack," he said, "your whole life is a quest for perfection, and you saw it in the Belmont, and it moved you."
Nicklaus nodded.
[...]
One of the best sports moments ever.
I was there. You should have seen him in the post parade. he kept nodding at us, as if he knew it was his crowd.
Paid $2.10 across.
That black and white pole you saw today is 31 lengths from the finish, in honor of Secretariat. That’s his margin of victory.
Over the last few days, there have been quite a few postings with a link to Secretariat’s 1973 win at Belmont. What I don’t understand is why it’s always a grainy black and white version. Here’s a significantly better colour version... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG_27cCW5bw