(March 30, 1970) Secretariat Foaled 40 Years Ago

BloodHorse.com ^ | March 30, 2010 | David Schmitz

[donna]

Secretariat was just special.

[Texas Mulerider]

He also had a rare genetic trait that resulted in a heart that was twice the size of a normal Thoroughbred’s.

[newfreep]

I was driving on vacation and was listening on radio to the race. I could hardly believe the announcer’s description of the massive lead and how it kept getting larger. Unbelievable...even getting it on the radio somewhere near Biloxi.

[Dog]

Not funny..

[Dog]

The jockey said that peeked scared him.

[cjshapi]

Thank you for posting this. I was 10 in 73 and Secretariat was my hero. I bought and read every book on him I could find. One of my regrets is that I never made the trip to KY to visit him.

He sure did move like a tremendous machine.

[green pastures]

Wow. Seems like yesterday...

[Nepeta]

"Big Red"

The days are long at Belmont.

Speed they never learn.

And it's many a day since Man o' War

Has looped the upper turn.



The guineas stopped their rubbing,

The rider dropped his tack

When the word went round that Man o' War

Was coming on the track.



The crowd was hoarse with cheering

At ancient Pimlico

The day he won the Preakness-

But that was long ago.



The dust is deep at Windsor,

The good old days are gone.

And many a horse is forgotten,

But they still remember one.



For he was a fiery phantom

To that multitudinous throng-

Would you wait for another one like him?

Be patient: years are long.



For here was a horse among horses,

Cast in a Titan's mold,

And the slant October sunlight

Gilded the living gold.



He was marked with the god's own giving

And winged in every part;

The look of eagles was in his eye

And Hastings' wrath in his heart.



Young Equipoise had power

To rouse the crowded stand,

And there was magic in the name

Of Greentree's Twenty Grand.



And Sarazen has sprinted,

And Gallant Fox has stayed,

And Discovery has glittered

In the wake of Cavalcade.



We watch the heroes parading,

We wait, and our eyes are dim, But we never discover another

Like him.



A foal is born at midnight

And in the frosty morn

The horseman eyes him fondly

And a secret hope is born.



But breathe it not, nor whisper,

For fear of a neighbor's scorn:

He's a chestnut colt, and he's got a star-

He may be another Man o' War.



Nay, say it aloud--be shameless.

Dream and hope and yearn,

For there's never a man among you

But waits for his return.

~Joseph Alvie Estes

I saw three of Secretariat's races. I saw Onion beat him at Saratoga, I saw him set a world record in the Marlboro Cup, and I saw his last race on a freezing cold day at Woodbine. I saw him six times at Claiborne.

[SomeCallMeTim]

I will NEVER forget watching Big Red win the Belmont. I was 13 years old, and was working at the Greater Houston Gun Club. They were holding a bid skeet and trap shooting competition... I had been loading clay pidgeons all day.

During a break in the shooting, I was allowed to walk through the big clubhouse to use the bathroom. As I was walking through, I noticed a crowd gathered around a TV. The Belmont was about to start.

I went over, stood amongst a crowd of adults... and, watched Secretariat RUN AWAY from the field. All these adults were cheering and yelling.... I was amazed.

Now... I attend the Kentucky Derby every year, and keep waiting for some horse to break Big Red’s record.... Still hadn’t happened. :-)