Citation: Five and Six-Year-Old Season

  After a one year break from racing, Citation returned to the racetrack in 1950 to win a six furlong(1320 yards) race at Santa Anita. In his next race, he met his rival, Noor. In every race the two entered, world records were broken and the two vied against each other to come out victorious. One of the greatest rivalries in racing history had begun.

 In the Golden Gate Mile, Citation defeated Noor, setting a new world record of 1:33 3/5, a record that stood until 1966. However,  Noor, who was carrying 110 pounds, ran the Santa Anita Handicap in world record time, defeating Citation, who carried 132 pounds. He once again defeated Citation in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap, running a 2:52 4/5 two and three-quarters mile, a record that still stands today. Citation raced him two more times that season in the Forty-Niners Handicap and the Golden Gate Handicap. Both times he lost to Noor, who ran the tracks in world record time.  It seemed as if Big Cy was becoming a forgotten has-been.

 By the end of the season, Citation had won two races, place second to Noor six times, and second to Roman Inn once.

 If that season was bad, then his next season was worse by far. Warren Wright's(owner) dying wish had been that Citation would become the first millionaire equine, so he would not be retired before Wright's dream came true.

  Citation came third in his next two races, then ran out of money for the first time in his career after losing the Hollywood Premiere Handicap. His prospect of failing seemed further emphasized when he lost the Argonaut Handicap. However, just when things were beginning to look impossible, everyone's hopes were buoyed by Citation's successful runs in the Century Handicap and the American Handicap. Suddenly, things didn't seem so impossible.

Citation, the great racehorse(photo credit).

 In his next race, the final of his career, Citation raced against Bewitch, the first horse to hand him defeat, in the Hollywood Gold Cup. He won, becoming the first equine millionaire, and Bewitch earned $462,605, more than any other mare.

 Afterwards, Citation, along with Coaltown and Bewitch, retired to Calumet farms. Not only was Citation a Triple Crown winner, Horse of the Year, and the richest equine, but he also had the honor of being the first equine to be painted by Richard Reeves. He sired Preakness winner Fabius and champion filly Silver Spoon, to name a few. Then, on August 8, 1970, Citation, the great champion, passed away. He was buried next to his sire and dam, Bull Lea and  Hydroplane II.

 

Citation: Three-Year-Old Season

  In 1948, Citation began his three-year-old season in a six furlong(1320 yards) race, beating an older horse from his home stable, Armed, the previous Horse of the Year, by one length. The two were next entered in the Seminole Handicap, and Citation once again defeated the more experienced horse. People couldn't believe that a young would defeat older horses so early in the season.

 Next, Citation won both the Everglades Stakes and the Flamingo Stakes. However, when his regular rider, Al Snider,  was killed in a fishing accident and Eddie Arcaro took his place, Citation lost for the second time. The Chesapeake Trial Stake's track was slick and muddy, so Arcaro was afraid to push the young horse too hard. Consequently, Citation placed second to a horse known as Saggy. Later, in the Chesapeake Stakes, Citation came back for revenge, and Saggy placed eleventh.

 Then came the Kentucky Derby. Almost everyone expected one of the horses from Citation's stable,  Calumet, to win, but the question was, which one? Many believed that Coaltown would, and Citation would not come out victorious. They would soon see for themselves how wrong they really were.

 Right out of the gates, Coaltown, Citation's rival, took the lead. It wasn't until the half mile point, when  Coaltown was leading by six lengths, did Citation make his move, easily passing his rival for a win of three and half lengths.

 In the Preakness Stakes, Citation's win was even more amazing than the last. He led from starting to finish, winning by five and a half lengths, with Vulcan's Forge second. Then Big Cy ran in the Jersey Stakes, easily winning by eleven lengths, which, to many people's surprise, did not scare off competition for the Belmont.

 At that time, everyone knew that Citation had speed, but his stamina was questionable. No one expected a 1948 Triple Crown winner. After all, many horses win both the Derby and the Preakness but fail to grab the final jewel of the Crown: the Belmont Stakes, a grueling, mile and a half race that requires a special combination of both speed and stamina, something people thought Citation lacked. Even so, surprises do happen, and Big Cy was ready to surprise.

 Everyone's expectations faded in nothingness as Citation made his move, winning by eight lengths and tying Count Fleet's record of 2:28 1/5. Citation had effortlessly snatched the Triple Crown!

 Citation later injured his hip in the Chicago Stars and Stripes Handicap, but he returned to the racetracks just two weeks later in top form, winning both the American Derby and the Sysonby Mile. Even though some still believed that he lacked stamina, their doubts were clashed a few weeks later when Citation won the two mile long Jockey Club Gold Cup by seventh lengths. He made 1947 Preakness winner Phalanx and champion mare Conniver look like amateurs! He then won the mile and five sixteenths Empire Gold Cup.

 No one dared to race Citation in the Pimlico Special, so Citation automatically took the prize money. Then he headed west, winning two races, including the Tanforan Handicap in track record time.

 By the end of the season, Citation had won 27 races out of 29 lifetime starts, and had earned $865,150, as well as the 1948 Horse of the Year award. What a horse!

 Unfortunately, he developed osselet, and type of osteo-arthritis that effects the fetlock. Because of that, he had to sit out one season, giving Coaltown the 1949 Horse of the Year award.

Citation: Two-Year-Old Season

On April 11, 1945, a bay colt was born at Warren Wright's Calumet Farm, the most successful thoroughbred stable in American history. His sire is Bull Lea, who had raced under Calumet's blue and red colors before becoming a stud horse, and his dam is Hydroplane II, daughter of the English champion Hyperion.

 Two years later, Citation began his racing career at the time when most horses at the track came from his home stable, Calumet Farms. Some of these horses included the filly Bewitch, Citation, and his rival Coaltown, who would compete against Citation for championship honors.

A picture of Citation(click here for original).

 On April 22, he won a race for two-year-olds, called a maiden race, by one length. Then he went on to break Arlington Park's track record for five furlongs(1,100 yards) and to win his first stake race, the Washington Park's Elementary Stakes. He only lost one race that season. In the Washington Park Futurity, his stablemate Bewitch, who had not lost a race that season, beat him, setting the new track record of 1:10 2/5. Some speculate that Citation had held back to prevent breaking Bewitch's streak, since he certainly wasn't pushing himself to the limits. Nobody really knows.

 Next he won the 1947 Futurity Trial Stakes, and then gave Bewitch her first defeat in the Belmont Futurity. After that, he won his final race of the season, the Pimlico Futurity, and was rewarded divisional championship honors. Of the nine races he had won that year, he had only lost one race, which is pretty good.

 But no one knew how great he really would become.

Man o' War: Lawrence Realization, Jockey Club Stakes, Potomac Handicap, and Kenilworth Park Gold Cup

 Man o' War, the legendary racehorse that no one dared to race, was down to the last four races of his career: the Lawrence Realization, the Jockey Club Stakes, the Potomac Handicap, and the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup. After those races, he would be retired to stud in hopes that he would pass his talent to his offspring. 

 However, by the time Big Red returned to Belmont Park for the Lawrence Realization, no one wanted to race their horses against him. Only the horse named Hoodwink stood forward to accept the challenge. Hoodwink's owner openly admitted that he was running for the second place prize, as Hoodwink was clearly out of Man o' War's league. Because of this, Man o' War was being clocked throughout the race to see if he could beat the old record of 2:45 for a mile and five eighths. And beat he did.

 A new world record of 2:40 4/5 for a mile and five eighths was set by Big Red. Not only did he beat the world record, but he also took an early lead, flying down the track and winning by an incredible 100, a feat that has not been repeated since.

 The next week, he moved on to the Jockey Club Stakes, beating the American record for one and a half miles with a time of 2:28 4/5. On the other hand, his run in the Potomac Handicap brought trouble. While running, he bumped himself, bowing a tendon. Even so, he manage to defeat Wildair, Blazes, and Derby winner Paul Jones, as well as break the track record with a time of 1:44 4/5.

 Man o' War's trainer tried to keep Big Red fit enough to run one last race: the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup. Triple Crown winner Sir Barton, the only horse racing against Man o' War in the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup, had been having a fabulous handicap year even as Man o' War had been breaking records left and right. 

 Sir Barton was weighted with 126 pounds, and Man o' War 120 pounds. Right out the Gates, Man o' War took the lead and defeated Sir Barton by seven lengths and broke the track with the time of 2:03.

Man o' War winning the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup(click here for original
photo)

 After the race, people discovered that Sir Barton had been suffering from sore feet and that Man o' War's stirrup had been cut before the race, though the job had been poorly done and the stirrup held. Rumors had it that Willis Sharpe Kilmer was offended that his horse Exterminator had not been invited to the race, but no one knows what really happened. 

Man o' War: Two-year-old Season

After his win of six lengths in his first race, held at Belmont Park, Man o' War moved on to win five other stake races. They include the Keene Stakes at Belmont Park; the Youthful Stakes at Jamaica Park, the Hudson Stakes at Aqueduct Park; the Tremont Stakes at Aqueduct Park; and the US Hotel Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse(click here for race record).

 However, he did not perform too well in his next race, which was to be at Saratoga.

 Often known as "Graveyard of Champions", many great racehorses have been defeated there, including Man o' War. That race of August 13, 1919, is most remembered by his fans because it is the only race that he had lost.

  Just before the rope was raised(they didn't have starting gates back then), Man O' War backed up. Because of his slow start, he ended up losing, but only by the meager distance of half a length! I find that really incredible.

Man o' War(left) ironically lost to a horse known as Upset,
the only loss of his career. 

 Ironically, his defeater's name was Upset. Upset's victory gave the word "upset", which at the time meant "to capsize", a new, more figurative meaning: an unexpected outcome. Sports commentators began using the phrase "pulled an Upset" whenever the outcome of a sport event was unexpected.

 Despite his single loss, Man o' War remained a favorite among racing fans, and won all the other races he ran that year, giving him a victory of 9 out of 10 races.

Man o' War: His Early Life

Man o' War, like Secretariat, is probably one of the greatest racehorses that ever set foot on the racetrack. Out of 21 races, he won 20, and holds three world records, two American records, and three track records. That means he holds more records than Secretariat! No wonder he is often considered the racehorse of the century. 

 On March 29, 1917, the gangly Man o' War was foaled by Muhubah. His sire was named Fair Play. Right from the day he was born, his breeder, August Belmont Jr., knew that the foal had inherited his grandsire's (named Hasting) spirit. Also included in the mix was just enough calmness from Muhubah's  sire, Rock Sand, to balance his temperament. August Belmont Jr. believed the horse was special.

Man o' War as a young foal.(click here for original site)

Yet he was forced to sell the special colt. Not long after Man o' War was born, Belmont Jr. was recruited to serve his country during World War I, and had to sell all his new foals at the Saratoga Yearling sale. He kept the brood mares to continue the breeding operation, but Man o'  War, named by his wife, had to go. Man o' War was sold to Samuel Riddle for $5000, about half of what the horses he would later beat had been sold for.

 At the time, no one expected the colt to amount to anything. But he did. And in the process he became one of the greatest racehorses the world has ever known.

Secretariat's Final Race: the Canadian International

  Secretariat arrived at Toronto on October 8th, 1973, for his final race. He was greeted with journalists, photographers, and thousands of fans from all over the world. Millions of people had seen the great sport hero on television, and they had finally got the chance to see him in person.

 It was a really big day for everyone.  After making his last public appearance, Secretariat would leave the racetrack forever and be used for breeding purposes. All of his fans wanted to get the chance to see him run just one last time. they expected a great show, and a great show they would get.

 At last, after being filmed by dozens of photographers, including a television crew that was filming a documentary on his final race, Secretariat was ready to begin his race. He seemed to know how important it was to everybody.

 Also racing would be Kennedy Road, a U.S. turf champion ridden by Avelino Gomez. Gomez says, "Secretariat shows up in Toronto, and it is a very big thing for Canada. Even if he gets beat by me!" Of course, he was going to use the same strategy as the other horses that had beaten Secretariat: He would get an early lead and try to hold it until the end. Yet it didn't quite work out the way he had hoped. With  Secretariat, though, that was only to be expected.

 What did happen was this: Kennedy Road took the lead right out of the gate, as planned, but Secretariat followed behind him. Secretariat ran along side Kennedy Road through the backstretch, then passed him and lead until he reached the finish line. He won by 6 1/2 lengths.

 That was it. He had run his final race. No longer would thousands of people flock to the racetracks to watch this incredible horse run, or turn on their TVs to see him race. Big Red had retired as breeding stallion, to be used to create line of champions, many of which still race today. His owner, Penny Chenery, told the public about her horse on the day he had ended his career.

 “Secretariat loves to run, and this should be communicated to the world. This is a vital sport, an exciting sport. It’s not exploitation of horses. There are horses like Secretariat, who are sound and able, and think running is thrilling. He knows when he wins. He knows when people notice him. It’s been a great experience for him, too.”

 Secretariat will forever be remembered as an extraordinary horse. He holds two world records, three track records, and one tied track record, more than any other horse, excluding Man o' War. All of Secretariat's records still stand today, yet to beaten by another great horse. I doubt they will.

Secretariat: the Man o' War Stakes

On October 8 of the racing season if 1973,  Secretariat returned to Belmont Park for his second-to-last race. He had yet another chance to prove himself after losing to an unlikely opponent(see Woodward Stakes). Then he would become a stud horse to produce a line of champions.

 The Man o' War Stakes, named for a famous racehorse from before Secretariat's time, was far different than any other race he had run before. Instead of being on dirt, it was turf, like the European tracks.  Secretariat had proven himself in races ranging from 3/4 of a mile to 1 1/2 miles. This grassy, 1 1/2 mile track would only be another test of Secretariat's skill.

 In spite of that, Secretariat did just as well in this race as in many of the others he had run. He easily took the the lead, running on the grass that lined the inside of the Belmont track. It was an easy race for him. His jockey, Ron Turcotte, said that Secretariat was an even better turf horse than a dirt horse.

 After that race, he had just one more to go: the Canadian International. He was going to leave the racetrack forever, but was going to go out in style. His fans, as well as his owner and jockey, were certain of that.

Secretariat: Woodward Stakes

On September 29, just a few weeks after his incredible win in the Marlboro Cup, Secretariat returned to  Belmont Park to race in the Woodward Stakes. The race was 1 1/2 miles. "It shouldn't be hard after defeating the nation's top horses in the Marlboro Cup," his avid fans thought. However, despite someone's expectations on a horse"s performance, the racing world is full of surprises and unexpected twists. Nothing is ever certain.

  At the start of the race, Jorge Velasquez urged his mount to take an early lead, which is exactly what Onion had done before defeating Secretariat in the Whitney Stakes. Prove Out(Velasquez's mount) ran along the rail the while race. He remained unhurried, even after Secretariat had passed him. Suddenly, halfway through the homestretch, he shot ahead, passing Secretariat and winning by 4 1/2 lengths!

 Second place was just not good enough for many of Secretariat's fans. Even though the second place prize was $100,000 dollars, the loss hit them hard. Once again, the great Secretariat had lost to a horse with very bad odds of winning.

 Meanwhile, Allen Jerkens, the trainer of both Onion and Prove Out, had gained quite a reputation. Two different horses that he had trained had vanquished Secretariat on two different tracks! No wonder he had been given the nickname the "Giant Killer", which he still holds.

 Secretariat had been beaten twice in that past month, but he would return. Then he would win once more.

Secretariat: Marlboro Cup

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.

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.

Secretariat: Arlington Invitational

Secretariat's road to victory did not end with Belmont.  On June 30, he moved on to the Arlington Invitational, held in the suburbs northeast of Chicago. Only three horses were raced against him for the prize of $125,000: My Gallant, Our Native(both raced against him in the Triple Crown) and Blue Chip Dan. Though the field was small, 41,223 fans flocked to see Secretariat run.

 Anyone you ask will say that the Arlington Invitational was an easy win for Secretariat. Right out of the gate, he maneuvered around his three opponents and took the lead before he was even around the first turn. Then he ran quickly down the backstretch. After the final bend, with only an eighth of a mile remaining, there was no chance that any of the horses could beat him.

 Secretariat won by nine lengths with a time of 1:47, 1/5 of a second slower than the track record, held by Damascus.

 The betting format of this race was far different than that of other races. Instead of being able to bet on any one horse, a person could either bet on Secretariat or the other three horses as a whole. Of course, everyone bet on Secretariat, who was at that time a legend because of his famous Triple Crown win.

Secretariat: Belmont Stakes

Three weeks after his win in Baltimore, Secretariat went to Elmont, New York, where he would run one of his most famous races. Every racing fan was eagerly awaiting the final Triple Crown race, hoping that the great Secretariat would win it and the Triple Crown.

Once again, Secretariat attempted to take an early lead. This time, however, Sham was ready, and both horses were vying for first place. They stayed neck-to-neck throughout the first half of the race. They even ran fast quarter-mile times: 23 3/5 for the first one, 46 1/5 for the second, and 1:09 4/5 for the third.

 Then, at the last turn(turns at Belmont are extremely long) Sham could not keep pace with Secretariat any longer, so he slowed down. Sham's defeat energized Secretariat, who ran even faster as he neared the finish line. His jockey, Turcotte, wanting to show the world Secretariat's abilities, let Secretariat run at his own pace, which was fast. Nothing could stop the Big Red Horse.

 By the time he was halfway through the homestretch, Secretariat had a lead of 28 lengths. His lead continued to lengthen until he passed the finish line in world record time: 2 minutes and twenty-four seconds, with an amazing lead of thirty-one lengths!

 This extraordinary horse has not only won the Triple Crown, a difficult accomplishment in itself, but also broke the records of all three races, something never before heard of.

 The world has not seen a more extraordinary horse since Secretariat. Neither has a horse been more loved by the public. His records still stand today, yet to be defeated by another great horse. Perhaps it will remain that way.


Don't miss the posts on the Triple Crown.

Secretariat: the Preakness Stakes

I also painted Secretariat in the winner's circle in Baltimore.

Two weeks after his impressive win at Churchill Downs, Secretariat advanced to the the Preakness Stakes,  the second Triple Crown race which is held in Baltimore, Maryland. Many people expected another Kentucky Derby where he would beat the track record.

 Secretariat, as was to be expected, began the race at the back of the field of six. Each of the horses were being directed by their jockeys to go slow to preserve energy for the 1 3/16 mile long race ahead of them. However, Ron Turcotte, Secretariat's jockey, had different plans.

 Instead of lingering at the back of the pack as usual, he urged Secretariat to make the risky maneuver of taking an early lead and attempting to hold first place until the end of the race. At the first turn, Secretariat was 2 1/2 lengths ahead of the second-place horse, Sham.  The other riders remained ready to burst ahead should Secretariat falter. Secretariat did not falter, and he ended up holding first place from start to finish. He beat Sham by 2 1/2 lengths.

 Even though Secretariat had won the race, a great controversy arose afterwards. The large digital clock showed his time to be 1:55--one second slower than that of Canonero, who at the time held the track record. In contrast, the track's clocker's watch stated that his time was 1:54 2/5, and two men from the Daily Racing Form showed that his time was 1:53 2/5.

 The following day, TV stations such as CBS showed reruns of both Canonero's and Secretariat's races. They allowed fans themselves to time the video clips and thus draw their own conclusion. Several days later, after much controversy, an official statement was made: Secretariat's time was 1:54 2/5.(Daily Racing Form still noted their timing of 1;53 2/5)

  Yet his most avid fans were not too concerned about his time. It had been twenty-five years since a horse had last one all of the races in the Triple Crown, and they all knew that if any horse could do it, Secretariat sure could.


Don't miss the other posts on the Triple Crown.

Secretariat: the Kentucky Derby

I painted Secretariat running in the Kentucky Derby.

When Secretariat was finally three years old in 1973,  it was decided that he would participate in the Kentucky Derby, which is a part of the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown is a prestigious three race event specifically made for three-year-olds. It includes the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.

 The first race in the Triple Crown is the Kentucky Derby, a one and a quarter mile race held at Churchill Downs, Kentucky. It was in this race that Secretariat first made world history and shattered one of the many world records he would break.

  At the beginning the race, Secretariat, as usual, was in last place. He then gradually passed many of the other horses. However, on the backstretch, a horse known as Sham(he and Secretariat were a favorite among fans) still held the lead, and many believed that he would win the Derby. Suddenly, Secretariat burst forward and passed Sham. He went on to win the race by 2 1/2 lengths with a time of 1 minute 59 seconds, a new track record.

 His record still stands today, and he is remembered as a legend among horse enthusiasts.  I believe that he is the most greatest horse that ever lived. I am sure that many of you agree with me.

Don't miss the other posts on the Triple Crown.

Secretariat: His Two-year-old Season

This is a painting I made of young Secretariat.

When Secretariat first appeared on the racetrack in 1972, he became a champion almost instantly. He was everyones favorite, and had a unique style of racing never before seen.

 Unlike most of the other famous two-year-old race horses, such as Man o' War,  Secretariat did not take the lead right at the beginning of the race and hold it all the way until the end. Instead, he was normally in last place until he was about four furlongs(one furlong is 220 yards) from the finish. Only then would he have one final burst of energy and come in first place.

 Of the nine races he ran in that season, Secretariat only lost two-- his first race, which was at the Aqueduct Racetrack(he had had a slow start) and another race called Champagne. In between those two races, however he had won five races, including three important two-year-old ones: the Sanford Stakes, the Hopeful Stakes, and the Futurity Stakes.

Next he lost the Champagne Stakes. He was doing good until he bumped into a horse known as Stop the Music near the end of the race. Though this did not slow him down too much, and he had ended up beating the horse he had hit by two lengths, he was later disqualified for interfering with it. Afterwards, Stop the Music was given the position of first place.

 Despite these two loses, Secretariat was a favorite among fans, and even won the horse of the year award, one of three two-year-olds to do so.

Secretariat: the Story of His Birth

Secretariat as a young colt.

Everyone who knows about horses knows Secretariat, the racing legend from the 1970s and '80s. They know how great a racehorse he was. What very few know about are the years before his fame and fortune and the interesting history of how his owners got him.

 It all began in 1968 when Penny Chenery, from Meadow Stud,and Ogden Phipps, from Wheatley Stables, made an unofficial business agreement. Phipps was the owner of Bold Ruler, a retired successful stallion who had won several important races. No stud fees were paid. Instead, they decided that several of Chenerey's mares would be bred with Bold Ruler. A toss of a coin would determine who got first choice on the offspring.

 So Chenery sent her best mares--Hasty Matelda and Somethingroyal to be bred with Phipps's stallion. The result was a colt and filly. Then Somethingroyal was bred with Bold Ruler one more time, because the original agreement had stated that the winner got only one foal while the loser got two.

 Late in the year of 1969, Phipps and Chenery held the long awaited coin toss in the chairman's office of the New York Racing Association. Phipps won and took the filly, leaving Chenery with both the colt and the unborn foal.

 Many months later, on March 30, 1970, a bright red colt with three white stockings and a narrow blaze was conceived by Somethingroyal. Elizabeth Ham, the secretary of Meadow Studs, named the colt Secretariat.

 And thus the racing legend who had shattered over a dozen track and world records was born.

The picture of young Secretariat is courtesy of:  Secretariat.com

The Grand National

The Grand National is a famous race held on a Saturday every April in Aintree, England. In the race, the horses run a distance of about 4 miles and 856 yards. There are also 30 fences to be jumped in the race. It has quit a bit of history behind it.

The most famous horse ever to race in the Grand National is Red Rum. He won The Grand National 3 times and lost it twice. He won the race in 1973, 1974, and 1977, but he unfortunately lost the race in 1975 and 1976.

The Grand National has many big hedges positioned throughout the course. When a horse reaches a hedge, he needs to jump over it. .Sometimes a horse doesn't jump smoothly and its rider falls off.If this happened, the rider would have to lay at the bottom of the jump until all the other horses have jumped over it. If he didn't, he would get stepped on by a horse and get injured.

The Grand National is a long and tiring race. Most people fall off their horses before the end of the race. If this happens, the rider will have to catch his own horse! Sometimes the rider is unable to catch his horse until after a horse or horses cross the finish line.

Becher's Brook, an eight foot hedge with a pond on the end the horses land on, is the hardest jump on the course. Many racers fall off their horses on it. Becher was a famous jockey that raced in the Grand National. He is most famous for falling off his horse on a jump with a brook on the other side during the Grand National. He managed to remount his horse, but he was far behind the pack.On the next lap, he fell off his horse on the same jump with the brook! That jump was then known as Becher's Brook, named after the jockey.

Every year, hundreds of fans go to see the Grand National. Many authors wrote about the history of the it. Though the race is tough, many owners enter their horses in the race, and many jockeys ride in it. It shall be run every year for hundreds of years to come.