SECRETARIAT - 1973 Marlboro Cup 

"I saw those checkered blinkers go by me and...what ya gonna do? Nothing ya can do." ~ Eddie Maple on Riva Ridge.

i never get tired of watching this horse. the greatest of all time.

This world record performance after coming off an illness, training poorly, where Lucien Lauren drilled four hard workouts into him within two weeks before the race. That would have ruined any other horse. Secretariat responds with a world record 145 & 2 galloping out the mile 1/4 in 157 & 2!! Secretariat out sprinted the sprinters and out ran the stayers. Secretariat - the greatest horse to step on the track. Mitch

In William Nack's book on Secretariat,Ron Turcotte is quoted as saying Secretariat was just toying with a field of championship horses. He would let out a bit of rein and Big Red would move up so easily...to the point where he had them all at his mercy. A magnificent creature!

Eddie Arcaro rode the best in his time. Whirlaway & Citation two T.C. winners. Rode Kelso, Assualt after he won his T.C.. & Nashua to name a few. With all these rides on great horses he still rated Secretariat as the best he ever seen. That about seals it.

You said it perfectly. There will NEVER be another Secretariat in my lifetime. All horse racing fans should be thankful that we will always have Secretariat's races on film. I was in high school when Big Red won the Triple Crown, and I will never forget it. The Belmont was one of those moments where you know where you were and what you were doing when Secretariat won the Belmont by 30+ lengths.

Secretariat was an amazing creature. We are so lucky to have film of his performances to live on in posterity. The bar he set is so high, it may never be equaled. someday perhaps another huge colt may come along and until that time, let's honor this champion by remembering how special he truly was. In the presence of so greatness, we are or we should be in awe.

What a field. I counted 8 Eclipse Awards between Secretariat, Riva Ridge, Key to the Mint and Cougar II plus you had Kennedy Road who was a 5-time Sovereign Award winner in Canada, Onion who won the Whitney and Annihalate'Em who won the Travers.

While his Triple Crown races were extraordinary, this may have been Secrariat's greatest race. The 1973 Marlboro had one of the greatest fields of any horse race . . . ever. Not only were all the competitors true champions, but two were Hall of Fame horses and ALL were full adults in their primes. Secretariat was still a teenager and not yet fullly grown. He crushed them all like eggshells. Still, a great race by Riva Ridge and a remarkable close by Cougar II.

What this race actually shows is that Riva Ridge needs to be mentioned among the great racehorses of all-time as well. I agree that he couldn't handle an off track very well, but if the track was sound he had as good a chance of winning as did any other great racehorse. Except for Secretariat of course.

I find it incredible to think that some people think he isn't the best horse to ever live

Only a handful of athletes in history had the presence of dominance among other elites. There's a particular swagger that demands a sort of reverential treatment by their competition. The moment they are on the field, the court, the ring, or even the track, the most finely tuned athletes submit and give space to allow greatness through-Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, SECRETARIAT. It's almost magical.

Riva Ridge is often overlooked as a great race horse because of Secretariat. He won 17 of 30 races, set several track and one world record, would probably have won the triple crown in 1972 if it had not rained at Pimlico. If he had not been so successful Meadow Farms probably would have sold out all it's horses and who knows what would have been Secretariats fate.

Yeah, just an incredible field for that race. And Secretariat handled them with such ease. I never saw Turcotte hurry him one bit. Never a second of panic or rush. He certainly made up for that loss to Onion, and check out the distance between Secratariat and Onion at the finish. Simply amazing.

Big Red won in 1:45.2 and the mile fraction was 1:33. Pretty awesome huh? He pulled up at the mile and a quarter in 1:57 and change. Now that's truly unbelievable!!!

Sometimes I think Sec ran faster in training than in the actual race. Shows he was only asked to do what was necessary to win the race. We will never know what he was capable of. As far as his legendary durability...the 1973 TC ruined Sham. It was simply too much. This is something that often gets overlooked..the fact that Sec set record after record..was asked to run 3 races in some 21 days...truly one of a kind.

Interesting to note that Penny Chenery said her favorite was always Riva Ridge. Riva had such a sweet disposition and was sensitive. He would pout and had to be petted, pampered, and reassured when he lost. Riva was a great horse. Legs like a deer. :)

wow! How much more could a racing stable ask for , The Meadow Stables were certainly Blessed those two years in racing!, but then so were we! Oh the Glory Days of yesteryears! How I long for thee. Thanks for keeping the memories alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quite amazing. There is more talent running in this race than this year's Classic....by far.

What is amazing about Sec is the way he was trained. Lauren understood that he needed, blazing works for his horse right before a race. That is more often than not the wrong way to condition a racehorse. Usually when a horse goes out for his final work before a race and goes lets say 57 & change for 5 F.(remember this is a work) everybody gasps and proclaims the horse just ran his race,and the trainer has screwed up. Sec for whatever reason thrived on this program. Really, this is very rare.

All things considered including the class of the field, aside from the Belmont this may have been Secratariat's best race. Schooling Riva Ridge and Kennedy Road was surely no easy task, but he did take them to class that day!!

Notice how Secretariat after going real wide in that last turn heading to the strecth & all the way through the strecth never was touched by Turcotte. Poor Rive Ridge was whipped silly by Eddie Maple to no avail. And Big Red "galloped out" another 1/8 mile & was clocked in 1:57 4/5 for a 1 1/4 mile distance. A monster of a Hoss.

Hi, I read Turcotte and I think his brother on Riva, watched their strides and could see the difference, gave a number but don't remember. P. Chenery said one of her proudest moments was seeing Riva and Secretariat running together for a few moments. A great 2 yrs.

Another thing as well to remember. This was a top notch field of horses. The rest of the horses were champions and or track record holders themselves with Onion actually beating Big Red prior to this although SEC was not himself with a fever. Posthumous kudos to Onion. I almost shed a tear when they brought the old gelding back and entered him in a claming race. To me that was a travesty for such a game little horse. Just glad he got to live out his life on Hobeau Farms in the end.

Equine perfection. Mitch

bon, this race is fast becoming my favorite. It seems to take 18 seconds for Sec to gte his feet underneath of him. Then...boom...amazing how he closes and then takes over. A world record at both 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 miles. Simply unbelievable!!!

i wish i was alive to see this... its kind of depressing being born so late :S Looks like a great horse.

Keep posting the great info...can't get enough of it. Watched all 3 TC races as a kid. Used to live 5 minutes from Laurel Race Course where he ran the Laurel Futurity at 2...as did many of the all time greats. Many frequenters of Laurel Race Course/Track said they had never seen a horse run like Sec.

Many people, because of the fame of Secretariat, may not know that other than Seretariat having won the Triple Crown in 1973, that the horse that ran 2nd to him in this race, his stablemate Riva Ridge, won 2 of the 3 Triple Crown races himself just a year prior to Secretariat in 1972. Winning the 72' Kentucky Derby, and the 72' Belmont Stakes. He ran 4th in the 1972 Preakness Stakes. Many believe because heavy rain's, prior to the race, caused a muddy track.

NOW, that's more like it.. and God bless him, he set another record 1:45 and something and BLEW past Onion who beat him in Whitney when he was fighting a virus w/103 temp and a blood infection. Love my beautiful Secretariat.

What's truly amazing also is Turcotte hand riding Secretariat in this race! Has anyone considered that Big Red's finish here would put him 15 lengths in front of Rachel Alexandra's mile and 1/8th in the Woodward??? That's how great Big Red was!!!

YAY! The Meadow took home a bucket-o-money that day!!! ♥

I think he the Gotham was the frist race he led wire-to-wire. I believe he was clocked at the 3/4 fraction at 1:08 and change. I think he galloped out at 1:33 and 3/5ths. In any event, he could run from the front and burn the lungs of the competition in blazing 3/4 times or simply track you down methodically and coast to victory. As always, the greatest...one of a kind. I am so grateful that I was able to watch hi as a kid and now see him whenever I want on youtube. Hats off to CF1970!

Old Onion got the REAL Secretariat in this one. World record for a 1 1/8 mile. He looked like locomotive, just unstoppable!

3 races in some 23 days...a world record here, still existing track record for the Man O'War and 2nd place finish where he does not seem himself yet still run a great time in the slop. 2 mile and a half races and the MC at 1 1/8. Simply incredible, mythical, legendary.

Something I hadn't noticed before, in light of Secretariat's unbelievable time in this race, at around :42 of the video as the lead pack is bunching up, Turcotte is having to pull up and slow down so as not to run up Riva's rear end. I just can't imagine his time and final fractions had he just kept going!!!

This field was a top class one. Secretariat made these very fine group of racehorses(this field had more than 1 champion in it)look like they should be pulling milk wagons. Yes he would have been downright scary as a 4 yr. old!!

It is worth repeating! Mitch

He was off 6 weeks before this race. Whitney Tower said he was a week away from peak form. He carried so much muscle he needed to work fast before a race to be sharp mentally And physically so said Steve Haskins. He worked 5 furlongs in 57 flat And 1:08 4/5 going 6 furlongs. Laurin knew he was ready but still not in peak form. Taking the long route he still had a wolrd record And wasn't picked up nose until just before the last 1/16 mile to go on a track that did not fancy R.R. nor Cougar.

Secreatariat beat 4 champion horses here in this race in world record time. Breaking that record by 4/5 of a second.. What other horse ever beat so many champions in one race & were older than him?? He made pigeons of the field.

THAT HORSE WAS SOMETHING ELSE

I always thought SEC. came out of the gate slow & picked up steam further he went. Didn't know he was a super speedster from the gate until today. Reading article by William Nack he remember back on Mar. 14, 1973 a 3/8 mile morning "workout". Lucien told Ronnie to let him roll. Lucien with stop watch in hand clocked him in 33 25. After he called Watson in the high overhead tower the electronic timer read 32 2/5. A full second faster. Fastest workout in N.Y. history. 10.8 sec. each furlong ran.

Stop the vid at about 28 seconds & I'll tell you exactly what Turcotte's thinking......"My big guy is running easy, gliding, floating, and we're eating up the lead. When the time's right, I'll just let the reigns out a notch, and we'll see you in the winner's circle."

Thank You. I've been waiting a very long time to see this race.

@bon1042 Sept. 12 Laurin put the Zinger into him, Went 5 panels in 57 flat galloping out 6 panels in 1:08 Just 1/5 off the track record. This was 3 days before the race. Laurin made public he needed another week.. He was forced to drive 4 workouts into him in 2 weeks. That would have ruined a ordinary horse. He improved off each of those workouts & came back almost as fit as he was for the Derby. What a Hoss.

secritariats fastest race if he had run as a 4 year old and 5 year old he would have set world records, what a shame he didn't run as a 4 and 5 year old.

Best part about this race? Stablemates going all out against each other. In deep stretch Eddie Maple is putting the whip to RR to try to stay with Big Red. Phillip Morris initially sponsored this race as a match race between the stablemates but opened it up to other horses after both lost their prep races prior to this, as per wikipedia.

SECRETARIAT ♥

Hi, yes, and I read that was a loving heartwarming moment for Penny Chenery, her two champions, running together. Also read think Turcotte's brother, Rudy was on Riva and they could see difference in strides, Secretariat's being longer.

Amazing race. A 3/4 fraction of 1:09 and 1 among 4 horses. WR at 1:45 and 2 with RR at, roughly, !;46 and Cougar II at, roughly, 1:46 and 1. Hand-ridden and pulling up @ 1:57 and 4 for 10 furlongs. Simply unheard of!!!

i am great fan of horse races and this is amazing race.. woohhh what a horse.. my dream is to have a horse like this..

@eckythimble One example how fast that Santa Anita track was when SB ran his WR 1:57 4/5. The Bid went through the mile in 1:32 4/5. Relaunch was in 2nd with a 1:33 flat 1 mile. Flying Paster was the 2nd place finsher in a time of 1:58 2/5 time for the 1 1/4 mile. He came within 1/5 of a second of tying Noor WR that The Bid broke in that race. No way the Bid or Paster would have ran that time on a Belmont Park track like Big Red did. The Bid & Paster were 4 yrs. at the time.

@eckythimble Very important to note that Sec, while setting a WR in this race, was absolutely nowhere near his TC form. Also, Cougar II would never had started his charge that soon if it was a longer race. Zenyatta did the same thing in hugging the rail and making a very measured move to the outside with a very specific distance remaining in her. Sec showed in the KD he could make a charge of immeasurable distance. Even champions horses could not/cannot do the same.

Why did not Turcotte hit big Red with a whip after coming out of the turn? I tell you why. As Whitney Tower said Turcotte knew he had plenty of horse left in him even after running the 1st 6 furlongs in 1:09 2/5 with only 4 workouts in 2 wks. after being off for 6 wks coming off a serous illness that would have put most stakes horses out for the yr. yet not in top form he pulled away for a world record. Charles Hatton said Laurin never did get to the bottom of him. That is hard to imagine.

I wanted to clarify point of my post which is that given what Secretariat went thru bec of fever/virus thus losing Whitney and having to be scratched fm Travers bec of illness and recuperation time, Turcotte said any other horse wld've been out rest of yr, yet he came back, did 3 furlongs in 33+. Penny said Sec bit her so he must feel better. Then LL trained him hard and look what he did in Marlboro! I wanted to get all info in above to show he never got a rest after Belmont.

There was one that he lost when healthy, that was the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Lucien Laurin lost that one for him....he never really intended to run Secretariat, but he scratched Riva Ridge when it rained out and never gave Secretariat a blowout before the race, like he did before all his races. When you see the finish, you can tell the horse needed that workout. Still, he was the greatest.

That's just telling it like it is! What an incredible horse! Mark my words, he's so great, we'll yet see a descendant that will bring back shades of the great Big Red! I can't wait!

@marysueeasteregg Kennedy Road was indeed a good one, winner of the Queen's Plate, the Derby of Canada in 1971. Went head to head with Secretariat in Big Red's final race at Woodbine until unable to keep up the pace. What more is there to say about Secretariat though? Even as kids we knew we were seeing something special at the time, that we haven't seen since.

I'm jealous of you Knugabug. Wish I was there. Whitney Tower a journalist & president of the National Horse Museum was there too. He stated in a article he wrote. After an all-night rain, the sun and wind dried out the track to the point where it was wet-fast, as they say in racing circles. As many know that track was slower than a fast track. Thats even more amazing.

cf, haven't commented yet on the wonderful video you forwarded, thanks,

that's true the jockey said when I saw those blue and white silks ,I thought the race is over

Big Red's trainer said that Ruffian could have been better. Now that shows how good she was. I love both and Easy Goer and Rachel are very special as well.

The official opinion of the experts (and of course those who share it) is in Blood Horse top 10 Derbys. Secretariat's is number one, a relentless continual drive thru 1 1/4 mi, each quarter faster than previous rather than normal reverse due to tiring. His final quarter 35 yrs ago was 23 seconds flat.

Could not agree with you more. I believe the time in that race was 1:48 and change. That clearly shows, as was later disclosed, that something was wrong (health) with Sec. This race, like the Belmont amongst others, shows that Sec seemed to run on a different track. With veritable ease we see another world record; especially after a very slow start out of the gate. Watch how, at approx. 1:30 he seperates from the field. Sub 1:45 time if he wanted. The greatest!!!

Big Red din't reach the 1 1/8 mile post in 1:45 2/5 in his Belmont race. He did it here going real wide into the last turn. Really, this race was even better than all his races including running another 1/8 mile puling up to reach a time for the 1 1/4 distance in 1:57 4/5. What a Freight Train.

I like the close by the 4 horse staring around 1:09. Great finish. As for Sec...looks like a jog in the park!!!

The World Record for the 1 1/8 mile that still exist is held by Simply Majestic a 4 year old in 1988 at Golden Gate race track near San Francisco. He was carring 114 lbs. Ran it in a time of 1:45 flat. Most say that golden Gate is the fastest or one of the fastest tracks in the world. Big Red here carried 124 lbs I believe. I could say Big Red time here would have been as fast for better than 1:45 flat if he was not slowed up coming upon Riva Ridge rear-end.

Sham was getting spanked crazy during the Preakness stretch run and Turcotte "has his whip put away" as Chic called it. When Eddie Maple rode Big Red in his last race I think Turcotte warned him against using the whip as well. How do you turbocharge a supercharged engine anyway.

Just as amazing as the new world record Secretariat set in this race is the fact that he galloped out the mile and a quarter in 157 and 2. Mitch

CF the funny thing was that RR broke a world Record for the mile 3/16's just a couple of months ago in 1973. 2 amazing horses. Here's the stats: 9½fT Riva Ridge 4 127 AQU, 4-Jul-73 1:52 2

@bbmtge His only race he led wire to wire was in the Belmont. Most all the races he had in his career was trailng fall back in the field. It was passing all them horses & most of the time going far wide into the last turns & no horse when he won came within 2 lengths of him. Hardly ever whipped, never went after a track or world record. Not even in the Belmont until the last 1/16 of a mile or less. Even then Turcotte never laid a hand on him. Right, we never know what he was capable of.

@bbmtge According to the DRF chart he was 3 lengths behind at the 1/4 & 1/2 post. He took the lead before he got to the 3/4 post. His time was 1:33 2/5.

if you watch closely as the come down the front stretch to the finish line Ron Turcotte gently strokes Secretariat with his right hand as they pass Riva Ridge and then again before they cross the finish line.

@GBeret83 Excelent point. RR could not run in the mud. Further, the credentials in this race, aside from Sec...RR 1971 Eclipse Award 2YO, 1974 Eclipse Award - Older Horse. RR still holds a share of the wrodl record, on dirt, at 1 3/16ths mile. Key To The Mint...1972 Eclipse Award YO. Obviously, they are, in this race 4YO. Sec carried 3 lbs over scale at 124 and RR 127. A great filed, a great race and a spectacular performance by a still not healthy BIG RED!!!

He was under a ride the whole trip, but he could simply sustain it. Riva Ridge ran a huge race and never switched to his right lead and was coming back at the big horse a bit. A couple of sluggers.

@rscarbro100 those workouts, then this race... came on end of 3 to 4 wks of sweating out a 103 temp and blood virus that incubated BEFORE the Whitney, thus the loss. Turcotte said any other horse wld've been out for the season. Trng for Whitney Turcotte knew something wrong. After the 1:34 mile wkout T said he didn't believe that time bec Sec wasn't right. Acc to The Horse God Built, T begged Lucien not to race him but Lucien said he'd get someone else to ride if T didn't.

@bbmtge He did not lead wire to wire in the Gotham. He was 3 lengths back at the 1/4 & 1/2 mile post. He got in front by a head at the 3/4 mile post according to DRF chart. Watch the video of that race & you can hear the announcer say Secretariat is now in front at that point.

If Secretariat was even close to the lead going into the stretch, it was over. He always kicked it into another gear while the other horses were struggling to finish.

The 1 mile distance time was ran in 1:33. He was within 3/5 of a second off Dr. Fager record for a mile here & still had some ground left to go. Also looks like Secretariat had to be held up somewhat from keep hitting Riva in the rear or he would have gotten to the 1 mile post even faster & the time pulling up at the 1 1/4 mile post would have been better than 157: & change.

Hi, sorry I inadvertently deleted your PM. Yes, after setting record 35 yrs ago of 1:45 2/5 in Marlboro Cup, he did the same time as Bid's 1 1/4 dirt record, I forget, 1:58 2/5? AND he did it PULLING up. Charles Hatton used to say "this sucker sets records pulling up!" And don't forget, Bid set record at age 4, Sec at 3.

If this race was a 1 1/2 mile his time would have been better than the Belmont. He went through the 1 1/4 mile in 1:57 4/5 'pullin up'. & would have been done on a 'Wet Fast' track like Whitney Tower said. Yelp, thats a full 2 seconds & another tick faster going through the 1 1/4 mile post 'pulling up' than he did in the Belmont in 1:59 flat. WOW

@bbmtge You missed some credentials. : ) Kennedy Road would retire with 5 Canadian championships, and be inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame. Cougar II had been Am. turf champ in '72, and is in the Am. Racing Hall of Fame. I remember Cougar with fondness; he'd come out without a lead pony, as many overseas horses do. This was one of the strongest fields I've ever seen.

@bbmtge Also remember my good man that Cougar II has the second fastest 7 furlong of all time in 1:39 1/5 And R.R. still has the fastest 1 3/16 time of all time in1:52 2/5 in which Secretariat broke here unoffically. He ran 1:51 3/5 for the 1 3/16 mile pulling up and a 1:39 2/5 or possibly a 1:39 1/5 7 furlongs in this race. According to Andy Beyer is was not in top form like he was in his T..C. races.

Haaa !! haven't looked yet but I knnooww who you're hinting at shell ! He's also granddad of Medaille d'or (sp?)

@liszt1186 What is interesting about PO's fall of "73 campaign is that he (from memory) set a stakes record at Saratoga for 7 furlongs, a track record at Belmont for 1 1/16th miles, ran the 2nd fastest 1 1/2 miles in history and the only horse to run the 2 mile Jockey Gold Cup faster was the great Kelso...and in that race, PO hit the rail!!! PO defeated Sec, Forego and Rive Ridge that summer/fall. Not too shabby, huh? Jerkins brought out the best in a horse that had been given up on by everyone.

How was he eased when Ronny whiped him?

I have seen the Bid's record. Very impressive indeed. But, the Bid was not a 1 1/2 mile horse. Delp knew that & might be the reason he never ran him again at that distance. To be a gaint of a horse you gotta be a long distance runner as well. Bid was not but Secretariat was. As 3 year olds Secretariat out performed Bid especially in the big 3 TC races. Must remind this one more time. SEC ran a unoffical time at a 1 1/4 distance in 157.80 in this race as a 3 year old, Bid was 4 years old.

Cougar II finished third after starting from 7th/last, 6 behind the next horse in front.

sorry it has been 3 months,but The Bid's time was 1:57 4/5.

@liszt1186 I missed this post. You make a great point. I think, simply, that Sec was worn down as he never fully recovered from his virus, ran the MC two weeks prior and was completely unprepared for the 1 1/2 mile distance. Key word here is VIRUS. Funny how so much criticism was laid on the horse, though he ran ~2:26 and 3/5th's in the WW. However, Prove Out ran an awesome race with the last 3 quarter fractions run at 24 seconds each!!! PO still has the 2nd fastest 1 1/2 miles on dirt...con

Hey, was that Onion Secretariat passed here well before going into the turn? Was that the same Onion that beat him in the Whitney? Bye, bye Onion. I'm not sick here here good buddy & not running a fever. See you later. I think I will set a world record & post a unoffical time for a 1 1/4 mile in 1:57 4/5 'pullin up'. Now take that.(smile)

What was Sec 3/4 fraction in this race?

Do you think it cld have something to do with his size, that is his girth and "wide-sprung ribs" to hold the lungs and that 21-22 lb heart? I sometimes think bec of this "big engine" so to speak, it needed that much more "revving up" and that that is why he thrived on and maybe actually needed the zingers, to have that edge. 2 slow wkouts wrkng up to MOW and then being thrown into WdWrd, brkng trng pattern was why he lost it. He cld've won but he came back blowing, he wasn't fit.

I see what you men, amazing, even those strong back legs, and he even has his white socks on the right legs, I fantasize being on jeopardy and final jeopardy question being... Sec had 3 white stockings, which leg was solid chestnut??

The money was on Cougar II that's why the jockey held him for the first half mile. There is no excuse for the break..

Ah, get it. Mis read that.

A son of Secretariat, how old is he?? What's his name? What does he look like, who was dam?? Are you aware of Straight Flush story on Secretariatdot com, half brother of Secretariat, 32 yrs old, son of Riva by Somethingroyal, Sec's dam? READ IT, it's wonderful.

I put JCGC, I meant that it happened in the Woodward.

@GBeret83 Pardon my spelling. Old keyboard!!!

Youv'e got to be kidding. Secretariat ran much faster than the Bid in every triple crown race. If they ever raced head to head, I've got my money on Big Red. His motto: refuse to lose! Also, Seattle Slew killed in Affirmed when they went head to head. You need to rethink your rankings. Secreariat and Seatlle Slew 1 and 2!