Posted on 05/18/2018 9:09:53 AM PDT by NKP_Vet
Since Secretariat won the Preakness in 1973 there have 45 Preakness Stakes ran. Going into the first turn he’s in last place, then like he was playing with the rest of the horses, he passes them all. It was like he said “clear the way boys, here I come.” His winning time is still the Preakness record.
Not sure if I posted this before but I knew a woman in Ga whose sister lived in Florida. There was an animal abuse case where abandoned horses were found by a Fedex or UPS man - he noticed over a week or so that many horses were getting thinner and coming closer to the front of the fenced in pasture in search of food so he called animal control and found the owner just up and left all these horses with no food or water. After they were taken in and vetted, the many horses were put up for adoption.
The woman’s sister adopted one and at one ooint noticed the mare had a tattoo on the inside of her lower lip. After having the horse for several months, she and her husband decided to try to find out more about their new horse by researching the number tattoo.
Turns out the horse is one of Secretariat’s granddaughters.
Rode.
Sheesh.
5.56mm
Not quite true. While I believe Secretariat set the record in all three of his Triple Crown wins, IIRC in his Preakness the official clock broke. Some folks hand timing him said he broke the record, but I think the official decision has him a tick off it. And I agree, Secretariat in the Triple Crown was the most dominating athletic performance of my life by any species. The Triple Crown winners that followed him seem lackluster by comparison.
I was thinking of dropping a 2 just to have the ticket, but the line was too long to make the post time.
To the best of my knowledge, Secretariat was a HE, not a SHE.
Great story, thanks for sharing. That win at Belmont along with the 1980 Olympic hockey team win are the greatest sports events that I have ever seen. Secretariat was magnificent. He was truly a gift from God.
It is genetic, but it’s passed through the females. It’s called the “large heart gene”.
Thanks for posting that——AWESOME———brought me to tears.
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Brings me to tears too. I remember watching his races when it was happening. Great horse.
Thanks for the post....i think zenyatta had large heart gene also...makes the accomplishment a bit more understandable...but awesome to contemplate.
I can’t watch Secretariat win the Belmont without shedding tears.
It’s a combination of loving horses and witnessing greatness that makes it so emotional for me.
Yes, Secretariat was a male and he was known as “Big Red” off the track.
After his autopsy, it was discovered that his heart was about twice the size of an average horse’s heart.
And he certainly ran his big ol’ heart out that day.
Each year watching the Triple crown races, I find it fascinating to compare Secretariat’s winning time to that of the new winner and then calculate how many lengths he beat them by. Truly a Super Horse.
Each year watching the Triple crown races, I find it fascinating to compare Secretariat’s winning time to that of the new winner and then calculate how many lengths he beat them by. Truly a Super Horse.
I think the analogy they used for him during his day was locomotive. He ran every 1/4 mile faster then the previous 1/4 mile in each of his Triple crown victories.
That has all been officially corrected and he does hold the record at the Preakness.
Supposedly Big Brown was similarly blessed.
Secretariat - "Yeah? Hold muh beer!"
If I could go back in time to view in person just one sports event, it would be the 1973 Belmont (and I'm not even much of a horse racing fan). That race still takes my breath away, just a dominating performance that may never been seen again.
Me too
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