Secretariat's Annus Mirabilis

 

Secretariat’s Annus Mirabilis

Joseph Di Rienzi

 

(bloodhorse.com)

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown triumph. Half a century away as if it was yesterday. In previous posts (The Secretariat Triple Crown, Parts I, II, and III), I recounted the preparation and performance of this magnificent horse leading up to and through his epoch making American Triple Crown sweep. In this final piece, I will follow his campaign through the rest of 1973.

Although that year had many stellar racehorses, the real excitement in the thoroughbred world was the racing career of Secretariat, now, after his momentous Triple Crown odyssey, a media idol. The sculpted chestnut horse’s connections, not unlike what they did with Riva Ridge, their double classic winner of the previous year, chose to race rather than rest their hero. Secretariat appeared in the Meadow Stable blue and white checkerboard silks at Arlington Park, just outside Chicago, Illinois in a special crafted raced called the Arlington Invitational at 9 furlongs just three weeks after the Belmont Stakes. Only three horses entered against him including two previous rivals, Our Native and My Gallant. The fourth entry was rank longshot Blue Chip Dan. In the special conditions for the race, Secretariat carried 126 lb., the others 120 lb.  Secretariat, reverting to his previous style, broke slowly, but gained command quickly around the clubhouse turn and won easily by 9 lengths, nearly breaking Damascus’ track record. My Gallant finished a neck ahead of Our Native for the place award.

Next, Secretariat returned to hallowed Saratoga Racetrack, the scene of his coming out party in the previous year’s Hopeful Stakes. Trainer Lucien Laurin chose the Whitney Stakes against older horses as Secretariat’s prep for the hallowed Travers Stakes. However, Saratoga has also a reputation as “the graveyard of favorites”, and Secretariat met his “Upset” in the personage of Hobeau Farm’s Onion, previously a good sprinting allowance horse, trained by the “Giant Killer”, Allen Jerkens.  Having placed in stakes races such as the Paumonok, Roseben, and Carter Handicaps early in the year, Onion, was very sharp in winning an allowance race at Saratoga earlier in the week of the Whitney in track record time. The truth is Onion did not win the Whitney; Secretariat lost it. He was trapped on the rail the entire race, and never had the opportunity to extend his stride losing by a length to his older foe. In the aftermath of the Whitney, Secretariat was declared to have a fever that would force him to miss the Travers.

In an effort to capitalize on the national attention given to Secretariat, the Marlboro Tobacco Company initiated a race that would bring together all the major horses racing in 1973 for a large purse that would serve as a “championship” race. Run at Belmont Park in September at 9 furlongs, the Marlboro Cup Handicap, as the race was called, was a precursor to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. On previous occasions these “invented” races fail to attract a competitive field, but the initial running of this race, exceeded beyond any expectations. The entries, by invitation only (with assigned weights), were Secretariat (124 lb.) who had not raced since his loss in the Whitney, Riva Ridge (127 lb.) who had tuned up with two allowance races at Saratoga (a second and a first), last year’s three-year-old champion Key to the Mint (126 lb.) who had not raced since his victory in the time honored Suburban Handicap, Cougar II (126 lb.), last seen winning the Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park, Kennedy Road (121 lb.), who came in to the race with victories at Del Mar Racetrack in the San Diego and Cabrillo Handicaps, Annihilate’Em (116 lb.), the Travers Stakes winner, and Onion (116 lb.). Key riding assignments saw Ron Turcotte aboard Secretariat, Eddie Maple on Riva Ridge, Bill Shoemaker was on Cougar II while Donald Pierce was the rider of Kennedy Road.

In the build up to the Marlboro Cup questions swirled around Secretariat after his loss in the Whitney. However, he trained very well for the Marlboro, his last work being a sparkling 5 furlong breeze. I recall going to Belmont that day to find the track sloppy, but conditions improved as the races were conducted. The betting public made the Secretariat – Riva Ridge entry the overwhelming favorite. (Is it any wonder, as combined they represented horses who had been awarded three championships and had won five classics?) As the race enfolded, Secretariat, had the benefit of perhaps, the most illustrious “rabbit” in racing history, namely Riva Ridge. His Meadow Stable entry mate challenged both Onion and Kennedy Road for the lead down the backstretch forcing a torrid pace as Secretariat was poised in fifth place on the outside. Riva Ridge deposed of his rivals around the final turn as Secretariat ranged up on the outside. In the stretch, Secretariat casually pulled away from Riva Ridge much as he did to Sham in the Kentucky Derby. At the finish Secretariat was 3½ lengths in front of Riva Ridge who had two lengths on Cougar II who closed strongly from last place. Onion was fourth, Annihilate’Em fifth, Kennedy Road, sixth and Key to the Mint, not himself finished seventh and last. The time of the 9 furlong race was a new American dirt record, and the result gave the public what they came to watch - a great horse triumphant. 

Secretariat winning the 1973 Marlboro Cup Handicap
(secretariat.com)

Unlike today’s era of protecting a horse’s breeding value, owners in those days raced their best. Secretariat was back in action soon, quicker than planned. The 1½ mile Woodward Stakes saw both Riva Ridge and Secretariat in the entries, two weeks after the Marlboro. Riva Ridge was the intended starter if the track was fast, whereas Secretariat’s connections were planning to race him on turf for the remainder of his career. However, the Belmont track came up sloppy on Woodward Day and Riva Ridge was scratched. Secretariat, who had not been trained vigorously, represented the stable in the race. He faced Cougar II, top class filly Summer Guest and Prove Out, a King Ranch Stable castoff recently purchased by Hobeau Farm. By Graustark out of a legendary King Ranch family that traced back to Triple Crown winner Assault, Prove Out had showed flashes of brilliance, but was inconsistent, probably due to unsoundness. In his first races for trainer Allen Jerkens, he was impressive in winning allowance races, but prior to the Woodward he finished seventh with an excuse in the Chesapeake Handicap at Bowie Racecourse in Maryland. In the Woodward Stakes, Prove Out took the lead early, relinquished it to Secretariat down the backstretch, but to everyone’s surprise regained it in the stretch and drew out to a shocking, but impressive win. Secretariat was second, 4½ lengths behind Prove Out’s wake, but 11 lengths in front of Cougar II. Summer Guest finished fifth and last. (Note, all Secretariats’ losses in 1973 were in races that began with a “W” (Wood, Whitney, and Woodward).

Not dwelling on another defeat, Lucien Laurin proceeded in his plan to try Secretariat on turf and entered him in the 1½ mile Man o’War Stakes 9 days after the Woodward. In the field were grass stalwarts Big Spruce and London Company who had just won the Manhattan Handicap, but the main threat was Tentam, who was having an outstanding year. After winning the Metropolitan Handicap, finishing second in the Haskell Handicap, and third in the Brooklyn Handicap, Tentam won a division of the Bernard Baruch Handicap on grass at Saratoga, setting a new world record. He then returned to dirt and won the Governor Stakes by 2 lengths at Belmont at 9 furlongs. Purchased after the Governor by Windfields Farm primarily for stud duty, Tentam’s trainer, Mack Miller, shipped him to Atlantic City Racecourse, where he was a 4 length winner of the U. N. Handicap at 9½ furlongs on the turf.

Prior to the Man o’War Stakes, Secretariat had another of those workouts that just amazed everyone. A 5 furlong blowout on grass three days that made clockers check their watches to see if they were still working properly. In the paddock, I remember marveling how the big horse’s coat shined like bronze in the autumn sun. In the race, Secretariat, relishing the turf, broke with the field and was in front by the clubhouse turn. Along the backstretch, Tentam became his closest pursuer and made two concerted efforts to close the gap, getting within a length of Secretariat around the final turn. However, as they straightened out in the stretch, Secretariat was in his pendulum-like stride and drew away without any encouragement from Turcotte, winning by 5 lengths, and in the process setting a new Belmont track record for the distance on that surface. Big Spruce checked in third, 7½ lengths behind the valiant Tentam. It was not lost on observers the appropriateness of the horse often referred to as “Big Red” winning the race named after the original “Big Red”. 

Secretariat would face the starting gate one more time in his fabled career, and his connections decided it would be the Canadian International Championship at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto on October 28, 1973. The reasoning behind this was to share this great horse beyond the borders of the U. S., but also in homage to Canadian born Laurin and Turcotte. (An irony in that Ron Turcotte was under a suspension on the day of the Canadian race and could not ride Secretariat. His place was taken by Eddie Maple, born in Ohio.) The race at 13 furlongs drew a field of twelve and included Big Spruce and Canadian champion, Kennedy Road. Again, prior to the Canadian International, Secretariat had a brilliant workout on the Woodbine turf, a sure signal he was ready to show his best. The race was run in near darkness as a steady rain that had fallen throughout the day increased as the horses went to post. Kennedy Road rushed to the front, with Secretariat second as they went by the stands the first time around far ahead of the rest of the field. Along the backstretch, Secretariat moved on the outside to challenge Kennedy Road, who put up some resistance, before capitulating as they headed for the far turn. Secretariat drew away dramatically to an insurmountable lead to the delight of the crowd which he held in the stretch run finishing 6½ lengths in front of Big Spruce who had 1½ lengths on Golden Don. Kennedy Road finished a tired ninth.

Thus, ended the racing career of the horse with the most ability I have ever seen. Secretariat was retired to Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to begin his stallion career in 1974. By any measure, other than not producing a horse of his caliber (as if anyone could), Secretariat was a success as a stallion. He sired double classic winner and champion Risen Star, champion filly or mare and Horse of the Year, Lady’s Secret, major winner General Assembly, brilliant filly Terlingua, and Australian Melbourne Cup winner Kingston Rule. Secretariat was also very influential as a broodmare sire, such as siring the dams of important stakes winners and influential stallions A. P. Indy, Gone West, and Storm Cat.

He died in 1989 at age 19, the result of severe laminitis.