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.
He holds the stakes record for all three Triple Crown races — the All Time Triple Crown, so to speak.
I was at Belmont when he won the Triple Crown.
Big spender ($2.00 / {two dollar} window bet @ the track) from the coast. /s
“I was at Belmont when he won the Triple Crown.”
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Lucky you. I just watched the video of that incredible race and it must have been wonderful to have been there.
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When he won the Belmont, he paid that straight across.
And pulling away!
At the longer Belmont, it was an absolute embarrassment, like T ballers playing against the major leagues. Usually a horse that is fast early dies in the longer Belmont, that damn horse just kept picking up speed, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfCMtaNiMDM
When Secretariat won the Triple Crown, it hadn’t been won since Citation in 1948 — 25 years. (Interestingly, my dad was at Churchill Downs for Citation’s Derby and we were at Belmont for Secretariat’s epic win there.)
Subsequently, there were the back to back Triple Crowns of Seattle Slew and Affirmed in 1977 and 1978 — just 4 and 5 years after Secretariat.
And then...crickets. Until American Pharoah, three years ago. A 37-year gap.
There have only been 12 Triple Crown winners. Interestingly, three of tehm have names starting with S (Sir Barton, Secretariat, Seattle Slew), three with A (Assault, Affirmed, American Pharoah), two with W (War Admiral and Whirlaway), two with C. (Count Fleet and Citation.) The other two are Gallant Man and Omaha.
If you want to win the Triple Crown, give your horse a name that starts with A or S.
Thanks! I’d missed it but am delighted to learn justice has been done to a most deserving horse and for all of us who refused to believe an official story!
And GAINED speed throughout the race.
My all-time favorite athlete.
That sounds like a good analogy. That’s just an amazing feat.
I had to look him up. Sadly he didn’t win the Belmont.
I suppose winning all three would be like an Olympian trying to win both a sprint and a marathon.
BookMark!!
Such an incredible animal. All that strength and beauty, and heart.
Tatt
I felt much the same way about Barbaro. Never before or since have I won as much money on a single race as I did when he won the Derby. I can’t explain why... but from the first time I saw him, I was SURE he was going to win.
I missed the tri, but with win and exacta tickets (Bluegrass Cat) I cleared over $5k. I’m 100% sure he would have won the triple crown had he not been injured in the Preakness.
Even better... I feel eternally linked with Barbaro. At that race, I was fortunate enough to be in the box right on the rail, right on the finish line. I can see myself in photos of Barbaro crossing the finish. In the video of the documentary that HBO aired years ago, I can myself very obviously.
I’m the guy in a white shirt, red tie, dark sunglasses, with
two hands in the air, pumping. I KNEW he was winning from the top of the stretch. Good times.
And then, heartbreak three weeks later.
Another horse I will never forget.
I think Barbaro would have won the TC if not injured in the Preakness.
Also, War Emblem. He won the Derby and Preakness easily. For the Belmont, I was at Caesar’s Palace in Vegas to watch him run. I bet $200 on him... still at 2:1. When the gate opened, he fell to his knees. Literally. It’s amazing that the jockey didn’t fall off. When he recovered, he was 10-15 lengths behind.
He ran his heart out from there, and ALMOST pulled it off. Without the bad start, I think he wins easily.
There were a few bad breaks that extended the years between TC winners.
I’ll Have Another got himself hurt the day before the Belmont. I’m pretty sure he would have won.
BTW, the dates for the Triple Crown races this year are the same as in 1973.
I believe that War Emblem was a descendant of War Admiral, who was a Triple Crown winner.
War Admiral was a son of Man o’War.
I was at that Belmont. Greatest race I ever saw, by far.
I wonder if that’s where the satirical website, “The Onion”, took their name?
Or better, “Did YOU place?”
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