1973 Whitney Stakes - Onion beats Secretariat

The 1973 Whitney Stakes. In a shocking upset, Onion defeats the Triple Crown winner Secretariat.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• horse
• racing
• secretariat
• whitney
• stakes
• belmont
• nyra
• saratoga

[flylion132]

I think the 1989 Belmont and Derby speak for themselves. It is in regards to the Preakness and Classic. And like many of the racing experts stated from ALL parts of the country, but stated the most correct by Paul Moran of espn, "Easy Goer was the better and more remarkably and extraordinarily talented horse, but was defeated by a whisker and desperate neck in two races because Pat Day rode him horribly, he rode him like the exposed end of a live wire." So true and correct.

[funshipM174]

@kwgrid

Bill nack, author of secretariat book found this out:

*Secretariat had a low-grade fever on the day of the race, but that with all of the hype the Meadow Stable connections felt that they had to run him and that he probably could win anyway*

The same Pressure Jess Jackson was put under a couple of years back to run Curlin on Polycrap track (Jess stated Curlin did not tae to the track), that same pressure was oout on BIG Reds camp to run him.

[bbwalk100]

@bbwalk100

The BIG picture the ultimate achievement in horse racing in America, is to try and win the TC, which is no easy task for any horse. 3 races, 3 different states within (5) weeks. My point is neither Angle Light, Sham, Onion, or Prove-Out achieved the Ultimate prize winning the TC.

[bbwalk100]

IMO, all of Secretariat's, achievements & accomplishments as a 2 & 3 year old supersedes his (5) losses (minus the race he won but was disqualified) in his short career.

Sec., at 100%, had rematch races with Angle Light, Sham, & Onion & beat them unfortunately, he never had a rematch with Prove-Out.

Continuation

[funshipM174]

@tigerboy1966 Can you list something he printed regarding Secretariat that was not true? Even in losing the Wood Memorial Secretariat couldn't get into the bit because of an abscess. That is facts. I am not aware of anything Bill put in writing that couldn't be verified by other sources, but if there is something I would be interested in knowing about it.

[tigerboy1966]

When Mill Reef ran badly, he was beaten by Brigadier Gerard. When Secretariat ran badly, he was beaten by Onion. Compare and contrast.

[tigerboy1966]

@funshipM174 Bill Nack built his career on worshipping Secretariat. His opinions should not be taken seriously.

[rscarbro100]

Please read the Paulick Report article titled Ask Ray: Secretariat And the Travers. Read the comments as well from that article. It cannot be denied by anyone how sick this horse was and the track was dead on the rail as quoted by SI Whitney Tower but that is not why he really lost. The real Secretariat kick Onion ass in good order by 12 lengths in the Marlboro Cup with only 4 workouts in 2 wks, He was not carrying the virus then and he ran another World Record without raising a sweat.

[rscarbro100]

@tizfrreecharm Marshall Cassidy:Just to add my slightest trace of anecdotal commentary, I, as a novice radio broadcaster, near the Saratoga Race Course roof and with my trusty taperecorder that 1973 Whitney Stakes day, was vocally dumbfounded by the quantity of loose stool Secretariat released just moments before entering the starting gate. I privately wondered how that could happen at the threshold of his big "prep" for the Travers. "Good Grief! If that were I ...," I thought in empathy.

[rscarbro100]

@tizfrreecharm William Nack quote: I walked over from the barn to the paddock with him before the Whitney, and he was tracing diarrhea down his back leg the entire way over. Every hundred yards or so, Eddie (groom Eddie Sweat) had to stop him so Charlie Davis could wipe him down. I asked what was wrong with him, and Eddie said he was ‘nervous.’ But he was incubating a virus for a while. Source: The Paulick Report dated 8/23/2011 from the article titled Ask Ray: Secretariat and the Travers.

[tizfrreecharm]

@tigerboy1966 Yes, and from the evidence elsewhere, there is NOTHING to suggest that, had Secretariat been given an opportunity to TRAIN over the largely irregular European courses, he'd have likely put up a good fight.

[tizfrreecharm]

great post but you wouldn't happen to have the CBS pre-race commentary for this, would you? I can't prove it, but the CBS fellows made a point of HOW DEAD the rail was that day, and it wasn't the colt that put himself there.