In the early '70s sponsorship in sports was very uncommon. Companies were still advertised in sport events, but many teams did not have an official sponsor. Then Jack Landry, a horse racing fan, saw the money in sponsoring the racing legend Secretariat and decided to hold a race on September 15. Secretariat and Riva Ridge were to run in this race. It was to be called the Marlboro Cup.
Just about a month before, Secretariat had been defeated by little-known horse by the name Onion, and a horse from his stabled named Riva Ridge, another Kentucky Derby winner, had likewise been beaten by the unknown Wichita Oil. It was no wonder that the press dismissed the idea and suggested that Onion and Wichita Oil race instead.
Another problem also prevented this race from taking place. At Belmont Park, New York, rules prohibited pari-muteul betting(a form of betting in which all bets of a particular type are put together in a pool, which is divided among all winning betters) when the horses racing are from the same stable.
However, fans were not discouraged, and the New York Racing Association had an even better idea that sparked the interest of many people. Instead of having only Riva Ridge and Secretariat race, all the top horses would race. This include Riva Ridge, Secretariat, Kennedy Road, America's top turf racing horse; Cougar II, the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap; Onion, who had defeated Secretariat against all odds; Annihilate ''Em, and Key to the Mint, Riva Ridge's rival from Rokeby Stable. They made quite a field.
Right out of the gate, Onion took the lead. Riva Ridge followed close behind him, and Secretariat settled for fifth place, where he waited to strike.
Then, somewhere near the far turn, Riva Ridge made his move, followed by Secretariat. After that, the race was just between Riva Ridge and Secretariat. Secretariat moved ahead, winning by 3 1/2 and beating the world record time for 1 1/8 miles on dirt with his own time of 1:45 2/5 seconds.
The last time the record had been broken was in 1972 when the Kentucky Derby winner of 1971, Canonero, defeated the 1972 winner, Riva Ridge. His time had been 1:46 1/5.
It seems as if Secretariat was not only destined to win almost every race he entered, but also to shatter the track record, or even the world record for that distance.
Showing posts with label Onion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Onion. Show all posts
Monday, March 25, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Secretariat: the Whitney Stakes
After his easy victory in the Arlington Invitational, Secretariat went to Saratoga Springs, New York. It had only been a year since he had last been there as a rookie two-year-old horse. At that time, which was August of 1973, he had returned as the champion that had shattered the records in all three of the Triple Crown races. So a large crowd of his fans flocked to see him win yet again. Yet it didn't turn out the way they had expected.
The Saratoga racecourse, nicknamed the Graveyard of Champions, has a really interesting history. Throughout all the many years since it has first been used, many famous racehorses have met their match on that track. Even so, the outcome of the Whitney Stakes of '73 came as a surprise to many racing fans.
One of the lesser known horses that had raced against Secretariat in the Whitney Stakes was Onion, who had set a new track record a few days previously. Onion posed a problem for Secretariat.
The horse called Onion took a early lead in the Whitney. Secretariat sped forwards and both horses battled neck-to-neck for first place until they reached the last sixteenth of a mile. Then, against all expectations, Secretariat slowed down and Onion crossed the finish line in first place.
The audience was stunned. The great Secretariat, after winning the prestigious Triple Crown, had lost to little-known amateur. How could something like that happen to a record-breaking horse?
Coincidentally, Secretariat was not the only champion racehorse that had lost to an amateur that week. Another Kentucky Derby winner from his stable, Riva Ridge, had recently lost to Wichita Oil, so the public wanted both amateur horses to be raced against each other. The public had to know which amateur was better.
The Saratoga racecourse, nicknamed the Graveyard of Champions, has a really interesting history. Throughout all the many years since it has first been used, many famous racehorses have met their match on that track. Even so, the outcome of the Whitney Stakes of '73 came as a surprise to many racing fans.
One of the lesser known horses that had raced against Secretariat in the Whitney Stakes was Onion, who had set a new track record a few days previously. Onion posed a problem for Secretariat.
The horse called Onion took a early lead in the Whitney. Secretariat sped forwards and both horses battled neck-to-neck for first place until they reached the last sixteenth of a mile. Then, against all expectations, Secretariat slowed down and Onion crossed the finish line in first place.
The audience was stunned. The great Secretariat, after winning the prestigious Triple Crown, had lost to little-known amateur. How could something like that happen to a record-breaking horse?
Coincidentally, Secretariat was not the only champion racehorse that had lost to an amateur that week. Another Kentucky Derby winner from his stable, Riva Ridge, had recently lost to Wichita Oil, so the public wanted both amateur horses to be raced against each other. The public had to know which amateur was better.
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