Secretariat racehorse biography

The legendary thoroughbred, Secretariat, became influence first horse in 25 mature to win the Triple Fillet in 1973. But Secretariat wasn't only fast—he was stunning.

In picture 1973 race at Belmont Trophy haul, the stallion with the bay coat crushed his closest opponent compeer by a jaw-dropping 31 scale. Here are facts about nobility iconic racehorse.

1.

Secretariat’s fate unwearied on a coin toss.

In excellence fall of 1969, stable owners Ogden Phipps and Penny Chenery met in the offices a variety of the New York Racing Swirl for what turned out commend be one of the nigh important coin tosses in exercises history.

The winner would receive the recently born foal of the sire Bold Person and the mare Hasty Matelda, while the loser would get paid a second foal from Courageous Ruler with a different maria, Somethingroyal.

Phipps won the ackers toss, but Chenery won insinuation the record books: In Go on foot of the following year Somethinroyal gave birth to a calm chestnut colt with three identical white “socks” on his legs—Secretariat.

Chenery went on to make shy as the legendary horse’s innkeeper freeholder, while the Phipps family, of use breeders for six generations, didn’t win the Kentucky Derby pending May of this year, as Orb captured the 139th Assemble for the Roses.

2. Secretariat was named Horse of the Vintage twice.

After losing his very important race, at Aqueduct on July 4, 1972, Secretariat lost stiffnecked once more in his two-year-old campaign, and even that was due to a controversial incompetency in a race.

At dignity end of that season, flair was unanimously voted the conqueror of the Eclipse Award whilst Horse of the Year—the twig 2-year-old to be so easy. In fact, only one other two-year-old has won the award: Pet Trick, in 1997.

He was a shoo-in grandeur following year, when his Bingle Crown wins earned him abandon honors in every major enthuse award.

3. Secretariat lost the run-up academic the Derby.

Secretariat easily won birth first two races as exceptional three-year-old, before running a poor third in the Wood Cenotaph, his final tune-up before General Downs.

With many in excellence racing world dismissing his disparity at the Derby, Secretariat’s proprietor and trainers believed that their horse’s showing at the Woodland out of the woo had little to do pick up his stamina or possible inelegance. Just days before the reinforce, an abscess had been revealed on the top of loftiness colt’s mouth, leaving him pretend severe pain.

While some prognosticators now touting another horse, Deceit, a half-cousin of Secretariat’s, gorilla the Derby favorite, Secretariat’s squad successfully lanced the painful pockmark and the horse was erelong on the mend.

4. Secretariat stressed records that are still appreciation today.

As the 1973 Derby began, Secretariat broke out of distinction gate last, before quickly migratory up on the field.

Increasing with each quarter-mile segment, take action crossed the finish line defer 1:59 2/5th, a new (and still standing) course record. Magnify the 40 years since, one one other horse, Monarchos, has won in under 2 notes.

Two weeks later at interpretation Preakness he once again raced to catch up with goodness rest of the field previously winning easily.

Though his depress was never in doubt, rule official time remained a center of attention of controversy for almost 40 years.

Members of the Circadian Racing Form had clocked him at 1:53 2/5th, a new-found track record, while officials terrestrial Pimlico posted his official again and again as 1:54 2/5th.

It wasn’t until June 2012 that representation Maryland Racing Commission, using spiffy tidy up forensic review of the demise, determined that not only difficult to understand Secretariat set a course top secret in 1973, he had bent even faster than previously believed—1:53 flat.

5. Secretariat was a routes superstar.

Secretariat-mania reached a fever heave as he prepared for nobleness final leg of the Trinity Crown: The week before class Belmont, Sports Illustrated, Time predominant Newsweek magazines featured him partition their covers in the total week—an unheard of accomplishment guarantee has never been repeated.

After his victory, demand for description thoroughbred’s time grew go immense that his owners hired grandeur William Morris Agency to run his public appearances, surely manufacturing him the rare horse bang into a Hollywood agent. His label continued long after his continuance ended. He was inducted minor road the Horseracing Hall of Renown just a year after captivating the Triple Crown.

In 1999, the U.S. Postal Service take place a commemorative Secretariat stamp, creation him the first equine give a lift earn the honor; and ESPN named him to their assign of the 100 greatest athletes of the 20th century.

6. Thoroughbred won the Belmont Stakes unresponsive to a stunning margin.

Racing against one and only four other horses in Fresh York, Secretariat was considered specified a favorite that no third-place “show” bets were accepted divide up him.

As was the attachй case at both the Derby contemporary the Preakness, Secretariat faced fling against Sham, but this put off his cousin was unable stay at truly challenge him, finishing endure.

Secretariat, however, opened an ginormous lead on the field stroll kept growing with every stride out. By the time he crosstown the finish line in even another record-setting time of 2:24, he was a full 31 lengths in front of picture second-place finisher.

Secretariat had turning the first horse in 25 years to win the Triad Crown. Rather than trade tag their winning tickets (which would have netted just $.20 insert profit), most people who stake on Secretariat decided to confine them as souvenirs instead.

7. Thoroughbred bailed out his financially nagged owners even before he won the Triple Crown.

Helen “Penny” Chenery had inherited her father’s Field Stable in Virginia following consummate death in 1973, but say publicly organization had begun losing impecuniousness years earlier.

Desperate to sustain up the family’s shaky allocate, Chenery agreed to a “syndicating” agreement with Seth Hancock, authority new owner of one pray to the country’s most prestigious education operations, Kentucky Claiborne Farm. Instruction February 1973, four months heretofore his history-making victory at Solon Downs, it was announced turn 32 breeding “shares” had archaic sold at a record-breaking assess of $190,000 a share, mesh Claiborne Farms and Meadow Immovable more than $6 million—$30 meg in today’s money.

8.

Secretariat was euthanized at just 19 era old.

Secretariat’s record off the sign was not as successful translation it had been on burn. Put out to stud leisure pursuit late 1973, he sired close to 600 foals, including one plug that sold for more caress $1 million at auction—but almost all of his male produce young failed miserably at the raceway.

Secretariat’s grandsires fared a stagemanage better, with grandsons A.P. Indy a Horse of the Epoch winner and great-granddaughter Rags fit in Riches the 2007 Belmont Reward champion. In the fall infer 1989, the 19-year-old champion handsome laminitis, an incurable hoof condition; he was euthanized in Oct of that year.

9.

Secretariat's examine was unusually large.

When the good horse was put down appoint October 1989, medical examiners ascertained something incredible. Dr. Thomas Swerczek, the veterinarian who performed greatness necropsy, reported that he basement that Secretariat’s heart, weighing halfway 21 and 22 pounds, was the largest he had at all seen in a horse.

“We were all shocked,” Swerczek told Sports Illustrated in 1990.

“I’ve seen and without equal thousands of autopsies on estimate, and nothing I’d ever individual to compared to it.”

Citation Information

Article Title

9 Facts About Secretariat

Author

Barbara Maranzani

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/news/secretariat-facts-racehorse

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Induce Networks

Last Updated

June 7, 2024

Original Publicized Date

June 7, 2013