1973. Secretariat. The Belmont.

[Faygo Kid]

Need I say more? I was 21, with friends at the Keg A Brew Saloon on the east side of Detroit to watch Secretariat. They were having a good time, and not paying attention. I was, and will never forget it. I yelled at them, finally, Look up! And so they did. I still weep at the memory today.

[dawg day]

1. Secretariat beats the world

Have you seen this comparison of Secretariat against the 2015 Belmont winner? (Oh, the wonder of Youtube!)

Spoiler warning, Secretariat after almost 50 years is 2 seconds faster.

[Faygo Kid]

8. Great post.

No knock on American Pharoah. Great horse. Just not the greatest.

[a kennedy]

2. It still gives me goosebumps.......

I loved that horse.

[Faygo Kid]

7. The People's Horse

That's what they called him. I still very much regret not going to visit him in Kentucky when he was still alive.

[lapfog_1]

3. Man O' War and Secretariat...

there have been other Triple Crown winners...

But these two were the Michael Jordan and Lebron James of Horse Racing.

And I think Secretariat would have beaten Man O' War if both were at the peak performance.

[Faygo Kid]

5. i agree.

Secretariat holds the record for all three Triple Crown races. Plus, he still brings tears to my eyes.

[shanny]

10. I agree also.

Somewhere I've seen a video with footage comparing Man O'War and Secretariat. I'm gonna look for it again, once I watch this, again.

[George II]

13. Man O' War didn't win the Triple Crown. His owner (Sam Riddle) thought that 1-1/4 mile...

...early in May was too much for 3-year olds so he skipped the Kentucky Derby. I guess he changed his mind over the years because he also owned War Admiral, who won the Triple Crown in 1937 (Man O' War was his father)

[lapfog_1]

17. yes, I was only naming the greatest horses in modern horse racing history

I am fairly certain IF Man O' War had run in the Derby he would have won it.

[saidsimplesimon]

4. "Which way did he goooo?"

Fantastic clip, including the commentary, 31 lengths for the win! The entire country needed a lift during the Nixon scandals.

Worthy of tears for the pure joy in watching that magnificent horse.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

6. I remember.

and I remember the picture quality back then we swore was so great....bc up till then, it was! Oh for the days of the rabbit ears and portable tvs, on racks w wheels. I miss them. You literally could walk the race, ball game etc, right out into the backyard and plug-in.
***GWB....never forget...911, Iraq, Dick Cheney, the destruction of every antenna TV we owned (and I had some extra cool hand helds for hunting and fishing and sports events), and sent the cost of light bulbs through the roof. Amongst a host of other ugly events from 2000-2008.
1973....good times.

[shanny]

9. Such a stunning, overwhelming, off-the-charts achievement.

His records in all three triple-crown races still stand I believe. My favorite moment was Ron Turcotte (sp?) looking back over his shoulder to see where the F everybody went? Well, that and finishing 31 lengths in front.

[a kennedy]

11. Loved that photo as well.....

[George II]

12. I was in the third level in the aisle between sections S and R. We couldn't believe...

....the last six furlongs.

This is a TRUE story. I was 25 and this was going to be the biggest race I'd ever seen. My friend and I were talking about it all week, we couldn't wait. On the way to Belmont I told him about a dream I'd had the night before. I dreamed that Secretariat would win easily and the final time would be...........2:24 flat! He thought I was crazy, that was 2-3/5 faster than the track/stakes record.

The final time? 2:24 flat!

[George II]

14. You might enjoy this one...a very well done video of his last race up at Woodbine in Toronto...

It give me goosebumps almost as much as the Belmont Stakes, and I love the call as Secretariat took the lead going into the last turn.

[BarbD]

15. Thanks for posting Big Red's great race.

My kids and I watched it on TV and I remember how worried I was that he was going too fast until he rounded the turn and headed for home. What a horse!!! He was a folk hero. My friend's daughter had a poster of him in her bedroom. We may have disagreed about a lot of things, but the entire country got caught up in Secretariat fever.

[George II]

16. I used to go to Keeneland in the spring for vacation. Back in 1993 Penny Tweedy was there...

...and was signing 20th Anniversary posters for charity. I bought one and still have it in the cardboard tube. One of my prized possessions.