Secretariat wins the 1973 Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths in an amazing and historic performance. Photo courtesy Americas Best Racing/Bob Coglianese/Secretariat.com.
Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. —- Job 39:19-24
50 years ago, on June 9, 1973, I watched a tremendous feat, an act of unprecedented power, strength and heart. It was an act that would go down in time as the greatest achievement of all recorded history for a race of this type. It was the running of the Belmont Stakes horse race with the winner Secretariat proving to be an incredible champion ‘athlete ’ by winning the Triple Crown.
Thanks to televised sports I was able to watch the horse named Secretariat who was also called “Big Red” compete in and win all three races of the Triple Crown series and set records still unbroken today. Secretariat was the first Triple Crown winner following 25 years of silence since Citation was crowned in 1948.
The first leg of the three races that make up the Triple Crown was made at Churchill Downs, Louisville, for the running of the Kentucky Derby. The Derby is a 10 furlong race [a furlong is 1/8 of a mile or 220 yards] and perhaps the most well known of the races of the Triple Crown series probably due to it being the longest running sporting event in US history.
Not surprisingly, most horses run a little slower each 1/4 mile. Yet, Secretariat performed each 1/4 faster than the 1/4 before it! He was in fact getting stronger the further he ran! Secretariat suddenly exploded as the horses passed the final turn and turned on the speed for the final stretch. While patrons were sipping Kentucky’s famous mint julips at the Derby, Secretariat set the course record of 1:59:40 which still stands today.
The next jewel in the crown was the Preakness Stakes which is a 9 1/2 furlong race run the third Saturday every May in Baltimore, Maryland, and two weeks after the Derby. This is where they used to sing “Maryland, My Maryland”. At this race Secretariat ran an incredible come from behind victory by passing all other horses in the field like they were sitting still—-while in the turn. He came from last place to first place in the first turn. It was simply amazing.
Secretariat won the Preakness in a record time of 1:53:00 flat. This mark still stands.
Three weeks following the Preakness is the Belmont Stakes. Run in Elmont, New York, the Belmont is known as the “Test of the Champion” race for its 12 furlong distance—-1 1/2 miles! Remember, this is a flesh and blood animal racing not a gasoline powered engine. That’s a long ride on horseback at full speed.
Secretariat who usually came out slowly and picked up speed a quarter to mid-field came out fast in this race. Incredibly Secretariat not only came out fast but kept increasing the lead running, as the announcer famously stated, “like a tremendous machine”.
This race did prove the test of a champion as Secretariat continued to pick up speed and increase distance over his nearest competitor. The announcer Chic Anderson called out the distances Secretariat was ahead by 3 lengths, 7 lengths, finally 24 lengths, declaring at the wire it may have been more. It was more, and with a winning record time of 2:24:00 flat! Amazingly that averages over 50 feet per second for a mile and a half!
Proclaimed a “miracle horse” Secretariat shattered the previous Belmont Stakes record by 2 3/5 seconds and by a winning distance of 31 lengths! It was said at that race he was “impossible to catch.” In the movie titled Secretariat trainer Lucien Laurin told rider Ronny Turcotte the only way he could lose was if he ‘fell off’ the horse .
Secretariat at the 1973 Belmont Stakes. Video courtesy New York Racing Association.
These victories assured Secretariat the title Greatest Racehorse of all time. Not only did he win three races, but he won the Triple Crown, the premier races in the horse racing world. And, Secretariat still holds the all time fastest time in all three Triple Crown races.
Secretariat also did something unusual in all the crown races: increased his speed every quarter in the Derby, shot from last place at the first turn to first place to win in the Preakness, and then amazingly won the Belmont by 31 lengths! And he broke performance records in each race that still stand.
What a Champion!
After his death Secretariat was examined and it was discovered his heart was almost three times the size of the normal thoroughbred horse heart. It was determined that this larger heart increased the ability to uptake oxygen and thus generate more power to the hoof. Plus Secretariat had a larger girth and longer stride giving him further advantages which he used all to his benefit and our viewing enjoyment.
What About Us?
As a former coach I must ask several questions. The question for each of us is this, are we performing or seeking to perform like this race horse Secretariat? Do we work with all our heart? Is our heart larger and filled to capacity to do more for building our family, America, God’s kingdom and improving our world? Or are we performing as “ordinary” just as good as the next guy or gal?
Are we getting stronger as we go further along in our worldly race or are we an “also ran” statistic? Are we content just to watch the race and not compete or get in and pour our heart soul and might into it?
Finally, are we capable of performing at a much higher level than we have been exhibiting? Are we holding back or giving it our absolute best? Do we have the mindset of just getting by or ‘that’s good enough’? Or Have we performed at our highest capacity leaving the competition “31 lengths” behind?
We all have the ability to perform at our maximum individual capacity whatever that is. The question is, are we?
It has been written that ‘these are the times that try men’s souls’. Indeed they are. Our country is at a crossroads of regaining victory and retaining our sovereign nation or continuing the route we have been seeing the past few years under inept puppet representation toward appeasement, shame and destruction.
To overcome this stagnant malaise and decline every person must give their best shot to get better in everything we do in this country. That means more work, perhaps working harder longer. But it’s your future and that of your country. Is it worth it for your children not to live under communism?
What are you doing personally to give toward restoring America, and perhaps yourself? And are you giving your absolute best?
Only you can answer these questions. But America is depending on a lot of people answering it is worth it!
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” —- Isaiah 40:31
Michael Reed is Publisher of The Standard newspaper, print and online. You may find our videos available on Rumble. The bulk of TheStandardSC video media channel has been censored by dominant social media groups like YouTube. YouTube, owed by Alphabet (Google), removed and destroyed all of our video work without permission or remuneration. That has stopped all potential donations from our many supporters on that venue. If you want to continue to see independent thought and reports please “like”, comment, share with a friend, and donate to support The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.
This is an awesome write-up! It is amazing that Secretariat achieved such feats of physical wonder. And yes, if we care, we will be a thoroughbred and fight for America. But I also think that segments of our population should not be “abused.” In this case, the Southern states of America have been truly punished for almost 10 years, the worst coming after madmen Dylan Roof killed Godly Blacks in Charleston and another madmen (and helpers) took the life from George Floyd. Sadly, these two incidents led to horrible riots and overturned much of the USA in incredible ways whose affects are still strong today. In the national news daily now, a day does not go by that multiple stories are not focused on aspects of racism, needs for diversity policing, and who has been deemed a “white supremacist.” While OTHER madmen have taken guns into schools and public venues like concerts or bombs into marathons and killed thousands, no single finger is focused on a group the way it has been focused on the South and against all Southern beliefs, culture and historic pride. If Secretariat had been whipped every day, do you believe he would have had the will to run those races? I doubt it. So my belief is that regions of the country should not be singled out for abuse, that communities should be allowed to retain their individual pride, that a hand of encouragement sometimes can reap many more victories, and that if this is allowed–we can have a better chance to all be “Secretariats” for America!