The Preakness, 1973 - Secretariat, BAM, and he's gone.

[Faygo Kid]

For today's Preakness: I remember the Derby and the Belmont in 1973 very well, but this may be my favorite. Secretariat is dead last through the first turn, then BAM - he laps the field and is gone in the blink of an eye in the second turn. Check it out. Sham (great horse) kind did his best to hang with Big Red, but it wasn't to be, of course. Prediction: Secretariat holds the record times in all three Triple Crown races. That won't change today.

[yallerdawg]

1. Run, Amercan Pharoah!

Last edited Sat May 16, 2015, 04:55 PM - Edit history (1)

It's been a long time.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. This incident turned me against the sport forever...

Damn... it's been 40 years???

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. He was the most amazing race horse ever!

Was he the last winner of the Triple Crown?

Wow.

[Faygo Kid]

4. Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978, CaliforniaPeggy.

Another great horse with a great challenger like Sham, Alydar, but Secretariat holds all the records. No horse will come close to his Preakness record this year, either.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Thanks!

I thought there was a more recent winner, but I couldn't remember who!

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Seattle Slew and Affirmed in 1977 and 1978, but no horse has won all three since

Several have come close, but the Belmont is the real test since it's the longest. However, Secretariat was in a class all by himself. He not only won, but pretty much left everyone else in the dust. I don't know if we'll ever see anyone else like him.

[truebluegreen]

6. An amazing race by a beautiful horse,

but the Belmont that year was...surreal. Any other year, Sham would probably have been a Triple Crown winner, but Secretariat was--simply--perfection.

[Joe Chi Minh]

22. Someone said that he seemed to be running in a different race!

[lovemydog]

7. Drama in today's Preakness:

American Pharoah’s parents are seated in separate sections of the crowd.



http://www.theonion.com/graphic/american-pharoahs-parents-seated-separate-sections-50452

[Ilsa]

10. Bwaaaahahaha!

Thanks for that.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

8. Romney dances with his horsey.

[KansDem]

12. Bet he doesn't have a horse elevator!

[Rhiannon12866]

13. Awww! Such a cute little guy!

I've seen miniature horses here in my neck-of-the-woods and they are adorable!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. I bet those booties keep the little cutie from slipping....

Hooves are lousy on a waxed floor.

[Rhiannon12866]

11. Secretariat was truly one of a kind, an amazing champion

I grew up in Saratoga, occasionally went to the track with my Dad. He knew everyone, so we'd get to sit in one of the boxes, the very best seat in the house. When Secretariat raced there, I desperately wanted to go to see him in person, but my Dad wasn't willing to deal with the insane crowds that were also there to see him, so I missed out. I know that my Dad was right, but I've always regretted that since I loved Secretariat - and he was so close!

Thanks for posting this! Brings back good memories...

[gwheezie]

14. the track conditions just changed dramatically

Downpour and thunder.

[George II]

16. My friend and I were on the third level of Belmont Park around the 1/16th pole for the Belmont...

....toward the end of the race we looked back, the other horses hadn't passed it yet!

On the way to Belmont that morning, I told my friend that I had a dream that Secretariat would win the Belmont, and the time would be 2:24-0 He said I was crazy about the time (the record was 2:26-3/5)

The final time? 2:24-0!!!!

I think Amerian Pharoah (his name is misspelled!) will win the Belmont, but not in spectacular time.

[Rhiannon12866]

19. American Pharoah certainly gave an impressive performance today

Won by lengths that were reminiscent of Secretariat. And the track conditions were just awful. The Belmont really is the test, since it's considerably longer, but after today I wouldn't be surprised if he won that, as well, either.

And that was quite a remarkable dream! And so fortunate that you saw Secretariat making history!

[Faygo Kid]

20. Yes. that was a great run.

Could it happen in two weeks? Maybe, but the problem is for many years really good horses who run but don't win in the Derby are held out of the Preakness, giving them more rest for the Belmont.

But American Pharoah sure looks special to me. Understand he's a very gentle and smart horse, too. Secretariat had an ego, and why not?

[Rhiannon12866]

21. He looks special to me, too.

So many horses can't handle the extra distance of the Belmont, but American Pharoah was so far ahead - and on that track - that I began to think that we really might have another Triple Crown winner after all these years. And he is such a beautiful horse, deserves all the praise that he's been getting.

[phylny]

17. Many of you may know this, but Secretariat had the "x-factor" - literally.

A gene inherited from his mom that made his heart huge - as in possibly about 22 pounds. He was literally a machine.

[Stardust]

18. Yes, he was one of a kind. nt