Article: "Horse cloners try to force their way into the starting gate"

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

If Secretariat was reborn today, he'd race twice as a 2yo and come up just short in the BC Juvenile. Then some new age trainer would turn him out until March before entering him in the Wood off two breezes. Because he's Secretariat, he'd win the Wood and the Derby, but then skip the Preakness to freshen up. After finishing second in a slow Belmont to a Jerkins horse (Sheet guys would turn blue in the face arguing he bounced) and beating a bunch of sprinter pedigrees, he'd go to the sidelines again. Then he trains up to the Travers, which is his last race because, of course, he's done enough at that point.

Nah, they'd never skip the Preakness if they won the Derby. To be a modern day cliche, they'd have to push him through the series despite some sort of problem. More like he'd have a foot bruise or something a couple days prior then scratch, or run anyway and lose. Maybe he'd go into the Belmont trying to train up to it or still nursing the physical issue that caused the Preakness loss, and a 21-1 shot would steal it.