As you can tell from my userid, I am a huge Secretariat fan, and I have enjoyed reading all these posts, especially CABVMD's recollections. Big Red turned me into a fan of horse racing. My family moved to Louisville in 1968 and I would watch the Derby, but that was it for horse racing for me until my trip to the infield the first Saturday in May 1973.
I also can still vividly remember watching the 1973 Belmont Stakes. My parents asked my older sister and me if we wanted to go to Saturday afternoon mass, and we replied, "Are you crazy? We'll go in the morning." As we watched the race we jumped up down, screaming and yelling, and fell into each other's arms hugging and still jumping after his incredible win. It was amazing.
I have ESPN's 50 Greatest Athletes piece, which is a fabulous tribute to Big Red. I, like others have already posted, still get a chill down my spine every time I watch the 1973 Belmont although I've watched it hundreds (into the thousands?) of times.
I have the Twice the Heart Secretariat cap, and I proudly wear it on Derby day.
Finally, in the interst of full disclosure, I bet on Sham. Sham(e) on me.
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