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.
That’s part of the reason I liked him so much.
I’d forgotten until now, but...... When I was very young, I read a great book about Man ‘O War. I think my love of horses started then.
For sure, it was cemented years later when my Dad became a horse racing fanatic. I’ve never reached that level.... I still think it’s WAY too hard to win money betting on horses. But, I LOVE living in Louisville, and having a job that lets me attend the Derby, for free!
IMO, the Derby is the BEST race of the year to bet on. Best odds ever.
“He’s moving like a tremendous machine.” Greatest words ever said in horse racing.
I think he was born about the time Kurt Waldheim was elected. He sired “General Assembly.”
Sham’s heart was also huge. If he had not been born in the same year as the spectacular Secretariat, Sham would have gone down in history as a suoer horse instead of an also ran.
SUPER horse.
What an incredible horse that was. Turcotte never used the whip in any of those races and he just ran away.
His and him
My parents taught me to love horse racing. We used to go to the track at least once a year, and we always had a big party for Derby Day, with small wagers and everything. Derby Day is one of the most important days in my calendar.
The very first horse I ever bet on paid me $36.40. It isn’t always that easy, but I do know how to read a racing form, and I’ve kind of taught my wife how to do it, though she ultimately leaves it up to my judgment.
I’m a paddock better. Dad taught me that. I can pick a few horses off the form, but I want to see them in the paddock before I put my $2 on them. How they’re walking today is important. Some are too relaxed, some are overeager, some walk with a confident gait. Those are generally the ones I like, unless it’s a short race.
A pure stroke of luck. We would go to Belmont Park (great track, BTW), but Mother wanted to go to the Belmont Stakes. Dad did a little investigation and found out that you have to get those tickets about a year in advance. he bought them — for June 9, 1973. Look what we walked into!
I do seem to have a knack for being in interesting places. A friend and I bought tickets for Yankee Stadium for August 3, 1979, almost a month in advance. On August 2, Thurman Munson had his fatal plane crash. That was a weird night.
And I was at this performance of the opera with my mother. We had bought tickets to see Domingo, and, well...
Is there a Preakness thread?
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