48 years ago, Secretariat cleaned up the competition at the Belmont Stakes.
My opinion is that this is the greatest sports photograph of all time, capturing the essence of the race and the magnitude of victory. Nobody needs to tell you that this was a record setting race (although it is a record that still stands to this day) - a picture is worth a thousand words.
I remember watching that race on TV. Secretariat was like a machine, just pounding away from the rest of the horses. It was almost surreal.
ReplyDeleteSecretariat was the greatest athlete of the 20th century.
ReplyDeleteAt the Kentucky Derby that year the second place horse broke the Derby record. Unfortunately for him Secretariat finished ahead of him.
ReplyDeleteFirst rule of Racing: Don't stop until you're told to. Which both horse and jockey were very good at. No slacking until way after the finish line.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, probably one of the best action photos of its time.
Soooo... the horse closest to the camera is about to get lapped?
ReplyDeleteSecretariat was a phenomenal horse, probably the greatest race horse there ever was.
ReplyDeleteThe Kentucky Derby is a mile and a quarter. The Belmont Stakes is a mile and a half. They record the horse's time for every quarter mile.
Most of the time, as the horse tires, the last quarters of the race are slower than the first quarters. Not so with Secretariat. In the 73 Derby, Secretariat's last quarter was his fastest. That should have been the clue that he was going to run away from the field at the Belmont Stakes.
I too watched the 73 Belmont Stakes live on TV. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.
In this famous photo, jockey Ron Turcotte, as he approached the finish line, noticed he was all alone. He turned to look behind him wondering where all the other horses were.
If you haven't seen it, the movie "Secretariat" is a very good film.
He was accelerating for the whole race. He was still gaining speed when he crossed the finish line.
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