Go Big Red - 50 years ago

[MuirWannabe]

50 years ago yesterday. I was 11 and remember laying on the living room floor watching this. Secretariat winning the triple crown and so dominating the Belmont could easily be called the most dominating and greatest athlete of all time.

I still get chills when watching this. His record still stands and may it always.

 

[pacergal]

He was beautiful and made the race look so effortless.

 

[MarieIG]

I was a huge Secretariat fan.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

We stopped working in the fields to come in the house to watch. I was 7, I remember it well.

 

[Koolau]

I was never into horse racing, but Secretariat was a phenomenon that no one seemed to ignore 50 years ago. Good memories.

 

[MuirWannabe]

I read that Ron Turcotte, the jockey, never once had to apply the whip during the race. Secretariat ran the way he wanted. Ron said he just had to hang on.

I love the call by Chic Anderson. You can watch it on YouTube. ‘He’s moving like a tremendous machine’. ‘But Secretariat is alone!’.

 

[eytonxav]

Greatest super horse of all time, also loved Ruffian, if anyone remembers that philly who had a tragic demise.

 

[MarieIG]

Greatest super horse of all time, also loved Ruffian, if anyone remembers that philly who had a tragic demise.

I do remember . . .

 

[nap470]

View attachment 46239

50 years ago yesterday. I was 11 and remember laying on the living room floor watching this. Secretariat winning the triple crown and so dominating the Belmont could easily be called the most dominating and greatest athlete of all time.

I still get chills when watching this. His record still stands and may it always.

I was 12 that "summer of Secretariat." I share your lifelong love of Big Red. Every time I get asked who I think is the greatest athlete of all time, I always respond Secretariat. The response is always "who, the horse?" I say, think of Michael Jordan scoring 100 pts. every night, or someone hitting 1,000 homeruns. Domination of their sport. Then I send them the video link to the Belmont Stakes race. Visiting his grave site is still on my bucket list.

 

[MuirWannabe]

I was 12 that "summer of Secretariat." I share your lifelong love of Big Red. Every time I get asked who I think is the greatest athlete of all time, I always respond Secretariat. The response is always "who, the horse?" I say, think of Michael Jordan scoring 100 pts. every night, or someone hitting 1,000 homeruns. Domination of their sport. Then I send them the video link to the Belmont Stakes race. Visiting his grave site is still on my bucket list.

Actually did get to visit his grave site at Claiborne Farms in 2017. That was pretty special.
The movie Sectretariat is quite good if you have never seen it. Hollywood takes liberties with the whole Sham rivalry but it’s still a great movie. In reality, Sham was an incredible horse who probably would’ve won the triple crown himself, were it not for the unfortunate sin of being born the same year as the greatest horse and athlete of all time.

 

[Gumby]

I just watched the videos of each of the 1973 Triple Crown races. The Belmont is the one everyone remembers, but for my money, the most incredible moment came in the Preakness, where he accelerated from last to first in the space of 20 seconds, starting in the first turn. The rest of the field looked like they were standing still as he blasted by them.

 

[RunningBum]

I just watched the videos of each of the 1973 Triple Crown races. The Belmont is the one everyone remembers, but for my money, the most incredible moment came in the Preakness, where he accelerated from last to first in the space of 20 seconds, starting in the first turn. The rest of the field looked like they were standing still as he blasted by them.

I did the same today, and that was the most amazing part to me, too. Unreal speed.

 

[mf15]

After he died,they confirmed his heart weighed 21 pounds 3x a normal horse of 7 lb.
So he was a tremendous machine.
Oldmike

 

[MuirWannabe]

I just watched the videos of each of the 1973 Triple Crown races. The Belmont is the one everyone remembers, but for my money, the most incredible moment came in the Preakness, where he accelerated from last to first in the space of 20 seconds, starting in the first turn. The rest of the field looked like they were standing still as he blasted by them.

Hard to disagree. He was incredible coming from the back. He still holds the record in all 3 triple crown races.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Best athlete of my time.

 

[MarieIG]

Here he is in the Preakness. Watching him run had to make me smile.

 

[Koolau]

This song apparently was not about Secretariat, but it should have been. Love the video.

 

[Gremlin]

I fell in love with Secretariat, along with the rest of the nation, during that amazing summer. I was seven years old. Have loved all things horses ever since.

 

[street]

Oh yeah!! I was a huge fan of Secretariat. Brings back memories but never watched it live.

 

[GenXguy]

I was pretty young and don't have the most clear memories of back then, but I have some vague memories of it, and I have seen the movie and the videos of the actual races quite a few times over the years. Although the memories of when it happened aren't so clear, I've always been fascinated by Secretariat, especially knowing it happened when I was a young kid and always being a story that's been retold ever since.