Horse Races Essay Example

Chenery of Meadow Stable and Ogden Phipps of Wheatley Stable. Phipps, owner of Bold Ruler, and "Bull" Hancock of Claiborne Farms came up with the idea to use the coin toss as a way to acquire top-notch mares for Bold Ruler. If they won the toss, they planned to also add well-bred fillies to their own broodmare band. Bold Ruler was regarded as one of the most significant stallions at the time. Despite finishing fourth in the 1957 Kentucky Derby, he showed a perfect balance between speed and stamina. He went on to win the Preakness two weeks later and three major stakes at the distance of the Derby. After retiring, Bold Ruler remained at Claiborne Farms under the control of the Phipps family. As a result, he mainly mated with Phipps's mares, which resulted in very few of his offspring being sold at the auction. To compensate for stud fees, Phipps and Hancock agreed that they would claim one of two foals produced by the mare he bred in consecutive seasons or two mares he bred in the same season.

Who would end up with which foal or having the privilege of selecting first would be determined by a random flip of a coin. In 1968, Chenery sent two mares called Hasty Matelda and Something royal to Bold Ruler, and as a result, a colt and filly were produced in 1969. Chenery and Phipps decided to settle the matter by flipping a coin in the autumn of 1969, in the presence of Alfred G. Vanderbilt II, the Chairman of the New York Racing Association, with Hancock serving as a witness. According to the original agreement,

the winner of the coin toss would have the first choice for a foal in 1969 and the second choice in 1970. Phipps emerged as the winner of the flip and opted for the young filly born out of something royal.

This led to Chenery removing the colt from Hasty Matelda. However, in 1969, Hasty Matelda was replaced by Cicada, but she did not become pregnant. Both parties believed that something royal would give birth to a healthy foal in the spring of 1970. Consequently, Chenery was left with the unborn foal of something royal. On March 30, at 12:10 a.

m., a bright-red chestnut colt with three white socks and a narrow blaze star, was foaled by something royal. Even as the colt turned a year old, it remained unnamed. Elizabeth Ham, the secretary of Meadow Stable, submitted five names to the Jockey Club, but all were rejected for different reasons. Finally, the sixth submission, "Secretariat," was approved, a name that Ham had chosen from her previous career association. Secretariat had his first race at Aqueduct Racetrack on July 4, 1972, where he finished fourth, beaten by 1? lengths. He faced interference at the start, had to slow down on the backstretch, and couldn't recover the lost ground.

After losing, Secretariat won five consecutive races, including three crucial two-year-old stakes races: the Sanford Stakes and Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, and the Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park. In the Hopeful, he made an impressive move, overtaking eight horses in a 1/4 mile to seize the lead, ultimately winning by five lengths. Subsequently, Secretariat participated in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont as the favorite, triumphing by two

lengths. However, an investigation by racecourse stewards resulted in his disqualification and placement as second due to shifting in and interfering with Stop the Music, which was declared the victor. Nevertheless, Secretariat then dominated the Laurel Futurity by winning eight lengths ahead of Stop the Music and concluded his season with a triumph in the Garden State Futurity. Notably, Secretariat earned the Eclipse Award as American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse, and in a rare scenario, both Secretariat and filly La Prevoyante received top rankings for 1972 American Horse of the Year honors, with Secretariat ultimately surpassing La Prevoyante.

Secretariat received the votes of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America and the "Daily Racing Form", while the National Turf Writers Association chose La Prevoyante. Only one horse since then, Favorite Trick in 1997, has won that award as a two-year-old. Preparing for the Kentucky Derby, Secretariat began his three-year-old year with an easy win in the Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct. In his next start, the Gotham Stakes, Secretariat led wire-to-wire for the first time in his career. He ran the first 3/4-mile in 1:08 3/5 and finished the one-mile race in 1:33 2/5, matching the track record. However, in his next start, he finished third in the Wood Memorial to stablemate Angle Light and Santa Anita Derby winner Sham, in their final preparatory race for the Kentucky Derby. His loss was due to a large abscess in his mouth.

After the Wood Memorial results, Sham emerged as a strong contender for the Kentucky Derby. According to the Louisville Courier-Journal and Times Derby Ratings on April 22, 1973, Sham was considered the top pick. At Churchill Downs,

bettors favored the entry of Secretariat and Angle Light as the 3-2 favorite for the Triple Crown race. (Sham had odds of 5-2.) Despite starting last, Secretariat gradually gained ground during the backstretch and ultimately surpassed Sham at the top of the stretch, winning the Derby by 21? 2 lengths. Our Native finished in third place, eight lengths behind. Secretariat went on to set a track record (1:592?) by running each quarter-mile segment faster than the previous one.

The quarter-mile times during the race were 251? 5, 24, 234? 5, 232? 5, and 23. This indicates that the horse was continuously accelerating until the final quarter-mile. Previously, no other horse had ever won the Derby in less than 2 minutes. It would take another 28 years until Monarchos achieved this feat in 2001. Sportswriter Mike Sullivan recalled his experience at Secretariat's Derby in 1973 with admiration, stating: "That was..."

Just beauty, you know? He, being the horse in question, began the race in last position, as he usually did. I, on the other hand, was focusing on the horse in second place, which turned out to be Sham. By the time we reached the last turn, it seemed like it was Sham's race to win. It is important to comprehend that Sham was incredibly fast and a magnificent horse. In another year, he could have easily won the Triple Crown. It appeared that nothing could surpass his speed and beauty.

Everyone's attention was fixed on him as the event neared its end. Suddenly, there was a noticeable disturbance in the corner of their vision, catching their attention. Before they could identify it, Secretariat swiftly appeared and effortlessly overtook

him. Witnessing this incredible display, many remarked that they had never witnessed such speed and agility – some even compared Secretariat to an entirely different species.

In the Preakness Stakes on May 19, 1973, Secretariat started behind but quickly advanced from last to first on the first turn. He took the lead with 51? 2 furlongs remaining and faced no challenge, ultimately winning by a distance of 2? lengths. Sham finished second and Our Native came in third. The time of the race was a subject of controversy as the infield teletimer showed a time of 1:55. The track's electronic timer malfunctioned due to damage caused by individuals crossing the track to reach the infield.

According to E.T. McLean Jr., the clocker at Pimlico Race Course, the hand time for the race was 1:542? 5. However, two Daily Racing Form clockers stated that the time was actually 1:532? 5, which would have been a new track record (previously set at 1:54 by Canonero II). In an attempt to compare Secretariat and Canonero II, CBS played tapes of both races side by side, revealing that Secretariat crossed the finish line ahead of Canonero II. However, it should be noted that this method of timing a horse race was not considered reliable at the time.

The Maryland Jockey Club managed the Pimlico racetrack and maintained Preakness records. They disregarded the electronic and Daily Racing Form times, and declared 1:542? as the official time. However, the Daily Racing Form, for the first time ever, published their own timing of 1:532? 5 alongside the official time on the race chart. In response to a request by Penny Chenery, a special meeting of

the Maryland Racing Commission was held on June 19, 2012 at Laurel Park. Forensic review companies were hired to examine videotapes of the race. After more than two hours of testimony, the commission voted unanimously to change Secretariat's win time from 1:542? 5 to 1:53, establishing a new stakes record. The Daily Racing Form then announced that they would respect the commission's decision regarding the running time. Secretariat gained national fame as he appeared on the covers of three major magazines – Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated – in anticipation of the Belmont Stakes.

The 105th Belmont Stakes, held on June 9, 1973, featured only four horses vying against Secretariat. Among them was Sham, who had secured second place in both the Derby and Preakness races. The remaining three horses—Twice A Prince, My Gallant, and Private Smiles—were considered long shots by bettors. Due to the small number of competitors and Secretariat's anticipated victory, no "show" bets were accepted. Secretariat was heavily favored with odds of 1-10 and had a payout of $2.20 for a $2 bet, yielding $2.40 for a second-place finish. The race drew a crowd of 67,605 spectators.

During the race, Secretariat and Sham initially raced ahead, leaving the rest of the field behind by ten lengths. However, Sham began to tire after reaching the six-furlong mark and ultimately finished last.

Secretariat dominated the race, progressively widening his lead over the other horses. CBS Television commentator Chic Anderson vividly described Secretariat's impressive speed, comparing him to a powerful machine. In the final stretch, Secretariat extended his advantage to 1/16-mile ahead of the rest. Ultimately, he triumphed by an astounding 31 lengths, surpassing the previous record set

by Count Fleet in 1943 by 6 lengths. This remarkable victory was accompanied by a record-breaking time of 2:24 flat for 1? miles on dirt, breaking the stakes record by over two seconds. This equated to an impressive overall speed of 37.5 mph. Secretariat's accomplishment remains unparalleled, as no other horse has ever completed 1? miles on dirt in under 2:25. If the Beyer Speed Figure calculation existed at that time, Andrew Beyer estimated that Secretariat would have achieved a rating of 139, his highest ever assigned figure.

Bettors who possessed 5,617 successful pari-mutuel tickets for Secretariat chose not to cash them in, presumably retaining them as keepsakes (partly due to the fact that these tickets would have yielded a meager $2.20 return on a $2 wager). Secretariat made history as the ninth-ever winner of the Triple Crown, ending a 25-year drought. Following this accomplishment, Secretariat embarked on a journey to Chicago and effortlessly emerged victorious in the Arlington Invitational held at Arlington Park. Later, he traveled to Saratoga to participate in the Whitney Stakes. This marked his first encounter with older horses, and he was bested by Onion, a four-year-old gelding trained by Allen Jerkens.

Onion led the race from the beginning and was ahead of Secretariat by one head on the final turn. However, in the straight, Onion pulled ahead and won by a length. The race was witnessed by a record crowd of over 30,000 people who were shocked by the unexpected victory. In another race, Onion also won the inaugural Marlboro Cup. The race included horses such as Riva Ridge, Cougar II, Kennedy Road, Annihilate 'Em, and Key to the Mint. Secretariat ran

the race in 1:452? 5 for 11? 8 miles, setting a world record at that time. Later in September, Secretariat competed in the 11? 2 mile Woodward Stakes at Belmont against Prove Out, who was trained by Allen Jerkens. Despite leading for most of the race on a sloppy track, Secretariat was overtaken by Prove Out who won by 41? 2 lengths.

Following his defeat by Prove Out, Secretariat was moved to turf for the Man O' War Stakes over 11 and a half miles. He won by five lengths from Tentam, with Big Spruce placing third, seven and a half lengths behind. Secretariat managed to set a track record time of 2:24 and four-fifths. Ron Turcotte, Secretariat's jockey, explained that when Tentam approached him in the backstretch, he urged Secretariat forward and he pulled away. Due to a syndication deal made by Secretariat's owner, the horse was not allowed to race past age three. Consequently, Secretariat's final race took place at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada on October 28, 1973, where he competed against older horses in the Canadian International Stakes covering one and five-eighths miles.

With a five-day suspension keeping Ron Turcotte out, Secretariat was ridden to victory by Eddie Maple, winning by a staggering 61 1/2 lengths. Following the race, Secretariat made his final public appearance at Aqueduct Racetrack, parading before his adoring fans. Throughout his career, Secretariat achieved an impressive record of 16 wins, three second-place finishes, and one third-place finish, accumulating earnings of $1,316,808. At the age of three, Secretariat once again garnered the title of Horse of the Year and received Eclipse Awards in the categories of American Champion Three-Year-Old Male

Horse and American Champion Male Turf Horse. Prior to achieving the Triple Crown, Secretariat's breeding rights had already been sold.

Secretariat's first offspring, Canadian Bound, holds the title of being the first Thoroughbred yearling racehorse to be sold for over $1 million. This historic moment took place at the 1976 Keeneland July sale, with the bidding for Canadian Bound surpassing the $1 million mark, reaching a final price of $1 million, which is equivalent to $6,051,754 in today's currency. Despite this impressive sale, Canadian Bound did not find success in racing, causing Secretariat's offspring to lose value for a significant period. However, Secretariat later went on to sire several notable stakes winners, such as Lady's Secret, the 1986 Horse of the Year, Risen Star, the victor of both the 1988 Preakness and Belmont Stakes, and Kingston Rule, who set a course record in Australia's richest race, the 1990 Melbourne Cup. Additionally, Tinners Way, born in 1990 as part of Secretariat's last crop, won the G1 Pacific Classic in both 1994 and 1995. Another notable offspring was General Assembly, which achieved a still-standing race record of 2:00 flat at the 1979 Travers Stakes in Saratoga. This exceptional performance earned General Assembly one of the fastest speed figures in history, according to Andrew Beyer. However, similar to Secretariat's experience in the Belmont Stakes, General Assembly was unable to replicate this success in future races.

Secretariat retired at the age of three and General Assembly at the age of four. In the end, Secretariat sired around 600 foals. Some criticism arose regarding Secretariat's ability to produce male offspring of the same caliber as himself. Nevertheless, he proved to be an

esteemed sire of broodmares. He became the maternal grandsire of A.P. Indy, the Horse of the Year in 1992 and a successful sire. A.P. Indy is Secretariat's grandson through his daughter Weekend Surprise and was sired by Seattle Slew, another Triple Crown winner. Rags to Riches, the winner of the 2007 Belmont Stakes and the first filly to win since 1905, is sired by A.P. Indy.

Additionally, Secretariat is the sire of Storm Cat, who is a remarkable stallion and was born from Secretariat's daughter Terlingua, who was also an outstanding race mare. Secretariat is also the sire of Gone West through his daughter Secrettame. Furthermore, Secretariat is the great-grandsire of Giant's Causeway, who is a descendant of Storm Cat and Terlingua.

Secretariat's genetic legacy may be connected to the fact that he carried the "x-factor," a trait associated with a large heart that is only passed on through his female offspring. Unfortunately, in the autumn of 1989, Secretariat developed laminitis, a painful and often incurable hoof condition. Despite a month of treatment, there was no improvement in his condition, leading to his euthanization on October 4 at the age of 19. He was buried whole at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, which is a rare privilege usually reserved for racehorses who have won; typically, only their head, heart, and hooves are buried while the rest of the body is cremated. During a necropsy, it was discovered that Secretariat had a significantly larger heart than an average horse. Having an exceptionally large heart is occasionally observed in Thoroughbreds and is associated with a genetic condition passed down through the female line, known as the "x-factor".

The x-factor can

be attributed to Eclipse, a historic racehorse whose heart was examined after his death in 1789. The heart was found to be larger than average, weighing 14 pounds (6.4 kg). It is believed that Eclipse passed on this trait to his daughters, and research on pedigrees confirmed that Secretariat's dam line can be traced back to one of Eclipse's daughters. In the 20th century, Phar Lap's heart was also weighed and recorded to be 6.35 kilograms (14.0 lbs).

At the time of Secretariat's death, Dr. Thomas Swerczek, the veterinarian who performed the necropsy, was stunned by the size and condition of Secretariat's heart. The heart was approximately three times larger than that of an average horse, or about the same size as Eclipse's. Dr. Swerczek, head pathologist at the University of Kentucky, did not weigh the heart but mentioned that it was perfect without any issues.

Swerczek performed a necropsy on Sham, who died in 1993. He found that Sham's heart weighed 18 pounds (8.2 kg). After examining both horses, Swerczek estimated that Secretariat's heart probably weighed about 22 pounds (10.0 kg), or roughly two-and-three-quarters times bigger than the average horse's heart.

Posthumous recognition: On October 16, 1999, at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, the U. S. Postal Service commemorated Secretariat by unveiling a 33-cent postage stamp featuring his image. ESPN ranked him as the 35th greatest North American athlete of the 20th century out of 100, making him the highest-ranked non-human on the list. Secretariat was honored with induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1974, a year after his Triple Crown victory. Additionally, he was featured on ESPN Classic's show "Who's No." in

2005.

"In the list of 'Greatest Sports Performances' (by individual athletes), the horse was the only nonhuman on the list, with his run at Belmont ranking second behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. On May 2, 2007, Secretariat was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, marking the first time an animal received this honor. A new award created in 2011 titled 'Secretariat Vox Populi (voice of the people) was presented by Penny Chenery to the first honoree, the 2010 Horse of the Year, Zenyatta. This annual award will acknowledge the horse that brings the most excitement and attraction to the sport. Pop culture Secretariat, a Disney live-action film written by Mike Rich and directed by Randall Wallace, was released on October 8, 2010."

The television show called The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson features a pantomime horse named Secretariat.