I wish they didn't run them so hard so young.
But I suppose it could have been worse for him than retirement at stud.
Posted on 08/02/2004 6:14:05 PM PDT by wagglebee
That would be determined by the record books if this were human runners.
The best 400 man in history is?
The best 1.5 mile horse is?
You'd think you could just look at the record books.
Michael Johnson and Secretariat, isn't it?
When exactly did he develop these "bone bruises in all four hoofs"? Let me guess. It was during the Belmont Stakes and they just forgot to check until now. (I don't think Smarty has had a published workout since the Belmont.) I liked the horse. I bet him in the Derby. But this is just too shabby for me.
Come on Tango Tales!
ML/NJ
Retired to stud- just like Bill Clinton.
Eleven horses won the Triple Crown. Man o' War didn't run in the Derby, but won the Preakness and Belmont by huge margins and arguably would have won the Triple Crown. Secretariat and Seattle Slew were almost certainly the greatest horses of the past 50 years. Smarty Jones has the unfortunate distinction of being just the latest of a long line of horses to come up short in the last quarter century.
I believe that Secretariat has the record in the 1.25 and the 1.5 mile race. There is dispute that he has the record in the 1 mile. His Derby mile was not the record, but there is evidence of a timing error.
I'm open to correction on these things regarding which horse really has those records.
Secretariat's overwhelming victory in the Belmont alone earned him immortality, few performances in any sport have ever been as perfect has Big Red was that afternoon.
I agree with you. I became a Smarty fan during his Oaklawn run, and I'm going to miss him a lot. It would have been lovely to see him in the Breeder's Cup Classic. But I respect his owners and trainer for putting his welfare first.
Thanks.
I've watched horses all my life
and I care about the animals. I
hate to see them abused or over used.
While I recognize that Secretariat is probably the best horse ever, the only record he holds is at a mile and a half.
http://www.horse-races.net/library/na-records.htm
I wish they didn't run them so hard so young.
But I suppose it could have been worse for him than retirement at stud.
ping
I'm trying to remember...was it 26 lengths or was it 40+ lengths.
It was the most awesome race in thoroughbred history, and it shattered the existing record and has not yet been broken.
Too bad Secretariat couldn't throw clones. Maybe that should have proven that breeders needed to start looking at other things than pure bloodline data.
That horse had heart. As the line went in "Dances with Wolves"....(I think)...."He was working on becoming a human being."
. . . just a typical guy! :-D
Yeah - he's ok.
We break down a lot of others that won't have a second career.
I stand corrected. Thank you.
Thank you more for the website with all the records. I remember both Dr Fager and Spectacular Bid, although I don't remember those particular races.
31 lengths
http://www.secretariat.com/races/belmont.htm
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