SECRETARIAT - 1973 Preakness Stakes (Alternate Footage)

[plmooney]

A move to beat all moves around the first turn.

[bigtimcny]

"Much the Best" should only ever apply to Secretariat.

[kwgrid]

This is the only clip I can find where you can see him lunge forward. There's another clip of this race that has a still pic of his lunge and Penny Chenery commenting that it was not the place Ronnie would have sent him out so it had to be the horse. In the bonus features of the movie, Penny said Secretariat had taken his career entirely into his own hands. I also heard on a clip (I've watched a lot) that if he had been handled by other than fallible human beings, he would have been unbeaten.

[maggie195061]

Sham was a great horse. He just had the misfortune of running the same year as Secretariat.

[cwpo1973]

I know what he did at the Belmont is staggering, but this is to me the emblematic moment of Secretariat. It's like Babe Ruth calling his shot. To go from last to first on the OUTSIDE of the first turn after a poor start in a race against top level competition is jaw dropping. You're not supposed to be able to do that.

[80cathryn]

Sham unfortunately was born into the wrong year. But it is a good debate whether he would have won Belmont. Remember he finished last that day, admittedly because his heart was broken by Secretariat. But he would have been in good company...along with 7 other horses who were denied the Triple Crown by Belmont.

[gzyv15a]

Babe Ruth + Michael Jordan + Joe Montana + Wayne Gretsky = Secretariat

[CombustingRainbow]

when he was out first, i was really worried that he was going to lose it. i thought 'it's not possible for him to run that fast that long. when he did, i was amazed. it's estimated that secretariat had a 22 pound heart-2.5 times a normal horse heart. 22 pounds of determination.

[raysalsa1]

imagine the stud fees a horse like big red would command in today's market. i have never seen anything like him ever.

[nealhurwitz]

glorious...lovely horse!!!

[SeptemberChild65]

Is it just me but don't you think Secretariat, as he was coming out of the gate, was moving his head from side to side as if "scanning" the field and deciding which way HE was going to make his move? I love how he just took off. I love this dang great horse. Ronny and Secretariat were great together!!!

[RegionRatForever]

Anderson's call of Secretariat's big move is one of my all-time favorites. "Here comes Secretariat. He's moving fast. And he's going to the outside. He's going for the lead and it's RIGHT NOW he's looking for it."

[marshaul]

You don't have to know anything about horse racing to see how amazing that was.

[denlaw1217]

Now you know why Pincay had to stay with Secretariat "from the word go" in the Belmont.  Sham was an easy Triple Crown winner but for Big Red.

[lucashank1]

To anyone who enjoys greatness, this is it. He was in last again.

[davehutchinson67]

I love the Preakness..I was 6 years old and there....hardly remember with all the hooplah....so much fun....

[kwmred]

They were trying to set a false (slow) pace and Secretariat wasn't buying it. Penny has always said that at this point in his career, Secretariat was deciding how he would run. The Belmont was jaw-dropping, but this race always makes me smile.

[pieromonky]

My horse Shnaps Turn (racing name) but we called him Tango- was related to this amazing horse, Bold Ruler, War Admril and his father was Count Fleet I miss Tango more than anything ! :( we miss you and love you tango! :( <3

[SECby31]

What an electrifying move by Secretariat from the back! The power of that magnificent horse is unrivaled.

[risajoe9]

I belive Secretariat is the greatest racehorse in history.

[mstrunn]

@risajoe9 He sure was risajoe, Luv ya Big Red!

[itsokpainter]

Watch at 0:35 as his back legs dig in and start pumping! What an UnGODly performance! Magnificent Champion!

[bailinnumberguy]

Pimlico's turns are notoriously tight, making that move wide around the first turn all the more impressive. Also consider that the move was early in the race, so Secretariat wasn't passing tired horses. He was running by the best 3 year olds in the country like they were standing still. Awesome stuff.

[4108tctech]

if you read william nack's book: Secretariat: The Making of a Legend, you will learn exactly what was going on with both turcotte and his horse during the whole race and indeed his whole life. there is no way to recommend this book highly enough if you really want to understand just how great was this unique horse.

[tgd10]

Unbelievable first turn. Was that a horse or a rocket?

[BetterTasteThanU]

That move into the first turn was ungodly.

[nin12dog]

@BetterTasteThanU So True! Amazing/Astonishing!

[littlefred811]

I never thought racehorses had a reverse gear. What a ferocious outside move!

[JesusFreak494]

All three races it was Sham and Secratariat, and man Sham's no slouch horse eaither, its absolutley amazing, the things God does.

[njpavid22]

Yep, Turcotte hesitated and thought about holding him back but then decided to let him have his way since he was "galloping easy".

[thunder2688]

i still laugh cuz ron didn't take him around, secretariat stubbornly took himself around wide on the first turn cuz he did what he wanted to do

[bio2020]

@thunder2688 Yeah, during this point in Sec's career, he was deciding how he would run. Didn't matter what Ron wanted.

[ratso444]

Breaks on top but sucks back to dead last and runs 5 wide every turn. What time would he have run without spotting the field 10 lengths at the start? It's amazing what he did!

[blackcloudipoy]

I get chills too because it looks like to me, going around the turn, as I watch Turcotte's hands, that he is really trying to hold on hard to Secretariat. Just before going into the turn, notice Secretariat lunge his head forward as if to say, "Let's go, Ronny!!!" I just don't know what we'd have seen going around that turn if Turcotte would have turned him loose!!! Can anybody verify if I'm seeing that right?

[cf1970]

I can only daydream to what might have happened if Secretariat has been turned loose on that turn. I bet you he would have run that Preakness in under 1:52 full out all the way around. If he had been asked for everything, no horse in history would be able to touch that record time.

He does seem to lunge before the turn, doesn't he? Ron said he just wanted to get him to the outside and have more racing room, but Big Red had other ideas! Chills indeed.

[karlajt1975]

@cf1970Secretariat did break the record at the Preakness. The teletimer was off. Several veteran clockers for the Daily Racing Form recorded a time of 1:53 2/5 A track record by 3/5 of a second.Also, CBS-TV presented evidence that Secretariat had beaten the record, but the racing commission elected to maintain the official time.I found this info in "Secretariat The Making of a Champion" by William Nack.I have been reading the biography of Secretariat and am thrilled to find all this footage.

[njpavid22]

@blackcloudipoy

Yep, Turcotte hesitated and thought about holding him back but then decided to let him have his way since he was "galloping easy".

[westxlcr]

@blackcloudipoy You mean he was pulling away from the rest while being held back? Holy cow!!...or should we say, "holy HORSE!"

[bbmtge]

@westxlcr If you look closely in the 25-35 second range, Turcotte's hands have a tight hold on Sec, no neck pushing. He stated he was trying to hold the horse back. Sec had other ideas!!!

[thunder2688]

@blackcloudipoypenny chenery interviewed said that was all horse, i also read ron's only intention was to go outside, not sprint to the lead (around the first turn of all places) but what a hard-headed 1300lb alpha male horse want's it get's. what impressed me most was the speed at which red was pulling away with in the last 40 yards... take a look again at reds strides at the very end. it was like he was ready for the last quart mile and bounding past the finish.

[sassarooch]

@thunder2688 Nack's book was incredible. The speed in which Secretariat passed the field in that first turn always blows me away. Guess that's what happens when you have a 22lb heart thumping in you?!

[dunndiffnt]

@blackcloudipoy If they turned him loose in the preakness would we still have the same result in the belmont?

[Spikedadorf]

@blackcloudipoy, yeah it really seems like he wanted to take off. I can't imagine what this horse could have done if Ron had let him ride. Unbelievable horse, predicted to have had a 22lbs heart. My go what a horse!

[hugatag]

@blackcloudipoy yes from what I see is the jockey holding secretariat back and at the first turn secretariat said tho the jockey "let me loose pal i feel like running today" it sincerely looked that way.after that it was all horse on his very own,no need to push just enjoying the ride. Love it,beautiful sweet nothing else to say!

[willfjones]

@blackcloudipoy he held him back because going into a turn there is a big concearn about stumbling once they came out he let him fly . and the horse did his thing. secretariat is the greatest of all time! he had the speed of a quarter horse, and the stamina of a champion would you agree?

[rscarbro100]

@willfjones Not only that he ran a much fater pace in the Marlboro Cup than he did in his Preakness race and was not in top form said Andy Beyer. Only 4 workouts in 2 weeks of training coming off a serious illness from the Whitney race.He also took the long route in that race as well. Was not driven out or had the use of the whip in either race. Charles Hatton said Laurin never could get to the bottom of him.

[kwgrid]

@blackcloudipoy Penny Tweedy said that it was what the horse wanted to do. It was far too early strategically for Ronnie to have sent him out but Secretariat had different ideas. She later said that "he had taken his career into his own hands.: :)

[schnucklefutz]

@kwgrid and that's also the difference between a good jockey and great jockey. He let the horse run his race. and like youve said in other posts Not having to put a crop to the horse is a testiment on how that animal loved to run. Woh knows if there will be another like him ever. But for his records to stand right now almost 40 years later shows this was by no means just an ordinary horse.

[kwgrid]

@schnucklefutz Amen to that! By no means 'just another horse.'  :) ♥

[REDorsey]

I love this horse - most people like the Belmont the best because of the lead at the end but I like the Preakness the best due to his move on the first turn. It gives me chills every time I watch this.

[bbmtge]

The big guy toys with the competition!!! I swear Sham was drafting!!! LOL.

[blackcloudipoy]

Once Sec blows past, Sham pulls in right behind him and he just can't hold close. It seems not until Turcotte pulls Sec back to the rail that Sham can finally make up a little ground. Turcotte said that Sec went back to "galloping and loping along" once he put him back to the rail. Makes sense because Turcotte said that if not for thinking ahead to the Belmont he could have pulled further and further away from Sham. Wow!!!

[melc1949]

It's interesting that everyone always talks about Secretariat being the son of Bold Ruler, whereas, as far as his oversized heart, and therefore, at least some of his stunning "run" ability comes from, it would be more fair to say he is the son of his mother, as that's apparently where the large heart came from.

[BE109]

I would like to say that there is no way Ecole Etage ran 25 seconds for the first 1/4. You can tell by his action that he is motoring to the lead. They ripped off "Big Red" of a stakes record!

[BE109]

That move on the clubhouse turn was a enough to convince me of what Secretariat was. Normal horses just cannot move that early at that fast of a pace, and have any hope of lasting!

[bon1042]

as Turcotte wld describe it, "like a hoop around a barrel." (your comment 4 mos ago re. move on clubhouse turn)He also said Sec loved that left lead, look at him coming around that corner on final turn, w/wave of kids reversing direction ! Still think there's no better, possibly as good but not better.

[BE109]

He was basically left handed(or left footed). That occurs with horses,favoring the left or right. Sometimes you see ones that are ambidextrous. If your referring to Dr. Fager I cannot disagree with you, I think they were both of the first order.

[bon1042]

Hi,Turcotte said was both, one wld assume, bec T described how he'd switch at appropriate time, machine like to rt lead. In bio he describes in Belmont. Re. 1 1/4 races, Dr. Fager, love to see that (in dreams, right?) Nack said T tk S wide 2nd time in Derby final turn to be sure he wldn't bump Sham bec didn't want to warn w/whip(Dsq fm 1st Champagne bec as 2 yr old was 1st time T waved whip and S startled & bmpd StpTheMusc)all on his own. W/urging and not wide last turn, 1:59 flat? 1:58 + ?

[jstreets1]

Secretariat's Triple Crown races reind me of when I used to play one-on-one basketball against my little brother. I would usually try just hard enough to win, so as not to crush his spirit. Then. Mom would say "Lunch is ready", and wanting to finish the game cause by now he thinks he has a chance, I would just bury him as fast as I could to get to eating lunch...

[thecorvis]

Exactly. I love that part. He's passing the field so fast the announcer can't keep up. I also like this view because you can see him start that move.

[davemock]

That was Chic Anderson's style, and I prefer it to the race callers who shout from the get-go. He was not a screamer by any means. The first quarter or so he would ease into it. (It's less pronounced on a TV-only call, which this is, than it would be for one of his PA calls at Churchill or later Belmont.)

[bon1042]

I agree, and that's what makes this call so fabulous. He's easing into it... calling placement of horses... and is completely caught off guard... and then it's just sensational ! .."and Sham's under an easy hold right now... but here COMES SECRETARIAT !!!

[lopper33]

Also, it's funny how dead the announcer sounds until Secratariat rushes toward the lead then he comes alive.

[lopper33]

I bet Sham would've won the Triple Crown this year if Secratariat had not existed.

[cf1970]

Without a doubt. Sham was a terrific horse.

[fordjack]

I agree . . . so close to the greatest horse ever.

[gretababy18]

@cf1970 im a horse girl but not huge into TB's what  ever happened to sham. did he go to stud?

[cf1970]

@gretababy18 Yes, Sham did go to stud, and had a good life. He passed on in 1993 at age 23.

[80cathryn]

@cf1970 Sham's record without the 73 triple crown races was 5 wins; 3 place; 1 show. perhaps if he continued to race after the belmont there might be more to discuss but apparently Sham didn't race much as a 2 and 3 year old. My theory is that although he suffered a career ending leg fracture during the summer of 73, it's a wonder his heart wasn't broken by Sec. Was Sham a great horse? Maybe. he's in better company than his record would otherwise indicate.

[fundamentalpreacher]

Thanks for the post. It's amazing how similar this race is to Phar Lap's Agua Caliente. Do a search for Phar Lap on here and you'll be able to see it for yourself. These two "Big Reds" were awesome horses.

[scrawneypaledude]

It's pretty self-evident when it comes to how sweet this video is. Outstanding view of Big Reds "Preakness Blitz". Thanks!

[cf1970]

Thank you for watching. "Blitz" indeed!

Take care.

[mooks2k]

Thanks for posting! Nice to be able to see that devastingly (sp) swift move from the very beginning. Also nice to see the infield better & the fans going crazy, & to see Big Red in the winner's circle. One AMAZING performance. He did it so easily!

[cf1970]

Glad you liked it. It gives a panoramic perspective on just how amazing Secretariat's rush was and also how pumped up the crowd was.

Thanks for watching

[bon1042]

Hi you seem to love him, I've notice some of your comments. Have you found Moment of Glory and Moment of Passion, new by kierkegaard. something different, and I love it after Derby w/outrider and Turcotte doffing(sp?) his cap, wish it were longer and w/sound and view of crowd reaction.

[mooks2k]

Thanks for comment. Yes, I have seen Moment of Glory and Moment of Passion. Seen all videos posted on SECRETARIAT. I have 3 books including Nack's & a couple Dvd"s. Yes I love him, he was a magnificent(sp?) athlete.

[bon1042]

Hi, how is quality of DVDs and where did you get them, Sec dot com or or maybe fm Steve at secondrunning dot com. Want to get his complete TC races, but on VHS Don't have DVD player (yet).

[mooks2k]

DVD Life&Times of SEC quality fair-good(it was 73 after all) got off Sec 's site. DVD- WIN, PLACE, SHOW the history of horseracing quality very good. It was a HISTORY channel. The part on Sec was on this site only in Japenese. Has MOW, Calumet Farm, SeattleSlew, etc. I think you'd like it.

[mooks2k]

cont. I got it with the book The Most Glorious Crown last year. The HISTORY Channel has it on their site. I want to get all of the DVD's fm Steve eventually. Get a dvd player(they don't cost much, quality of dvd better than VHS, & they don't wear out).