SECRETARIAT - 1973 Kentucky Derby (Alternate Footage)

Wonderful, panoramic footage that better demonstrates SECRETARIAT'S circling of the field in a subtle, but devastating attack that ranks as the best Derby perfomance ever.

The camera stays with Big Red in frame as he advances steadily and stealthily through the field.

Watch closely for his prodigious closing speed on the leaders going into the turn even after running progressively faster throughout. Amazing.

Enjoy. God bless.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Thoroughbred
• Horse
• Racing
• SECRETARIAT
• 1973
• Kentucky
• Derby
• Ron
• Turcotte
• Chic
• Anderson
• Devastating
• Circling
• Churchill
• Downs
• Louisville

[blackcloudipoy]

Secretariat, at the head of the stretch, was giving up so much to Sham, there's no way Sham should have lost this race. Secretariat is showing some amazing speed coming around the turn, as the other jockeys must have been dumbfounded, but when Turcotte took to the whip, the grandstand, from their angle, must have seen an acceleration like they've never seen before!!! You can see it in the video but their view must have been SPECTACULAR!!! No way Sham should lose this race. Only a SUPER HORSE!

[cf1970]

Hear, hear! Well said. Have a good day.

[blackcloudipoy]

To watch this race, this footage, it's amazing to me to reflect on Turcotte's comments. Turcotte was saying that Secretariat was starting to run lighter on his feet (for lack of a better term) instead of pounding it as hard & that the horse was running so easy even as he was advancing on the backstretch. Just so amazing, inspiring. Turcotte seemed to have such a good feel for Secretariat.

[cf1970]

I totally agree. Turcotte was in awe at how light-footed Secretariat had become and he also stated, if I remember correctly, (my copy of Nack's book has been deemed lost after I borrowed it out; drives me crazy!) that it was a difficult task trying to gauge just how fast Big Red was going in the Derby because of his easy way of going. Once Ron figured him out completely, it was gravy. There could be no better match for the best horse of all time...those two were made for each other. Take care.

[bon1042]

This is really good. I just watched it again trying to keep my eye on him. You DO get a real sense of that "relentless drive", as he moves up to sixth and then you can see him hunker forward again, moving ever faster to final 1/4 in 23 sec. !!

[cf1970]

Totally agree. It really does show his stealthy charge through the field better than the CBS footage. I love seeing the masses in the infield as well.

Wonderful to hear from you again! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you!

[blackcloudipoy]

Andrew Beyer said that the track was a full second slower than it was the day Northern Dancer ran his record 2:00. Too bad we didn't see 1:58 2/5......or did we?

[bbmtge]

@eckythimble The BSF does not account for position. Your point, however, is excellent. What Sec did in this race simply does not happen. He's 3 yrs and just over a month old; 1st time at 10 furlongs, 10th pp; breaks last; is wide for at least one mile, at times 4 wide, unmatched turn of foot; the ground made up from 3/4 to 1 1/4 is astounding...and..he had to do it to win. So many of Sec races are unique in their own way. Suffice it to say, he did things other horses did not and could not.

[eckythimble]

@bbmtge I wonder what rating Beyer would have given Sec for this Kentucky Derby? Smashing the race record of America's most famous race after starting last and running wide all the way has got to be worth a few points as well...!

[leopold1747]

Secretariat starts last, goes wide at the top of the stretch, and still wins the race in record time. What a horse!

[Unintensify]

Im guessing Secretariat ate ground for breakfast, not the average Wheaties...

[bbmtge]

@5inthehole Actually, the whip is in his left hand, by design, to prevent the horse from reacting and moving in on Sham. He's popping Sec on the flank with his hand; really telling him that they have it keep going as the horse had not been 1 1/4 miles prior to the KD.

[5inthehole]

Funny thing I just noticed after seeing this video for,oh, about 1000 times. Around the far turn, Turcotte is using his stick to no avail. When he finally stops using it Secretariat takes off and puts distance between himself and the place horse. Tell me this horse didn't have a special sense....

[RAV52]

Even watching it today it seems impossible that a horse can run that way...Namely, FASTER and FARTHER than the rest simultaneously... Simply defies explanation.

[bbmtge]

@blackcloudipoy Actually, my good friend, Beyer stated that had the BSF been conceived when Sec ran (1975 is when the BSF started), Sec would have earned a 139 figure for the Belmont, the highest ever.

[bbmtge]

I'm taking bets on the actual distance Sec ran in this race. He had to have run an addiotnal 1/16 of a mile in the least.