ProphetJoe

At the Fairgrounds in New Orleans… March 13th, 2010… 2009 Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra, prepares for her showdown against undefeated Zenyatta (my choice of Horse of the Year) in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes. In this race, Rachel Alexandra will face Zenyatta’s stablemate — Zardana.

Unfortunately, Rachel did not run a good race. Her connections say the she was not well prepared for this race and that they would likely NOT enter her against Zenyatta at the Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park (Arkansas) on April 9th. Meanwhile, on the same day, Zenayatta had her prep race at the Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita (California). As usual, Zenyatta started slowed and kept to the back of the field. On the 4th turn she was boxed in and Mike Smith (her Hall-of-Fame jockey) took her through the smallest of holes and asked her if she wanted to run… she did!

I don’t think Rachel Alexandra is a bad horse — quite the contrary — I think she’s brilliant!  But as a midwesterner, I get sick of hearing the eastern racing fans (that is, RA supportes) say how “one dimensional” Zenyatta is — “she only races at home on synthetic track” and “she is afraid to take on the big boys and risk her undefeated record”.  Bunk! Last fall, Zenyatta went to the Breeders’ Cup Classic and faced as good as, or tougher, competition than Rachel Alexandra faced in any single race last year. If you’ll remember, or if you didn’t see it, Zenyatta did something no other filly has ever done. Just watch it…

Rachel may be a champion in her own right, but Zenyatta is a monster horse. Undefeated and with the speed, stamina, and determination of Secretariat!

On Tuesday last (6/9), I missed the opportunity to note the 36th anniversary of Secretariat winning the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes. Most of my FB friends know that I enjoy following the Triple Crown races because of my mother’s fascination with thoroughbred racing. Her influence, along with Secretariats’ stunning performance in the 3 Triple Crown races when I was an impressionable 12 year old, set me up for a lifetime of watching the horses run in “The Big Three”. Let’s return for a few moments and relive what happened way back when –

The year is 1973. It has been 25 years since a horse won the Triple Crown — that being Citation in 1948. Two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, Secretariat ran third at the Wood Memorial behind a horse named Angle Light and another named Sham. All 3 horses are set to compete in The Derby. Secretariat is a favorite, but Sham is a very strong contender.

Here’s how the race transpired:

1973 Kentucky Derby

Secretariat came from dead last to win the race, much like Mine That Bird did in the 2009 Derby. The only difference is that MTB took an inside track (along the rail) and Secretariat took the outside (meaning he actually ran further that the other horses). Furthermore, Sham (the second place finisher behind Secretariat) actually broke the track record at Churchill Downs. He just had the misfortune of racing against Secretariat, so virtually no one notices his skills. One final comment about Secretariat’s win at The Derby. He did something that I cannot recall any other horse doing — he ran each quarter of the race faster than the previous quarter. If you stop an think about it, that’s amazing. By the final stretch, most horse are starting to feel the exhaustion, but Secretariat continued to run faster!

Two weeks later, the horses were set to run in Maryland at the Preakness Stakes. Here’s the TV coverage with commentary from Secretariat’s jockey Ron Turcotte:

1973 Preakness Interview with jockey Ron Turcotte

Secretariat had won The Preakness in convincing fashion. Sham was about 3 lengths back, being whipped hard by his jockey and still not making up ground. Secretariat, on the other hand, needed no urging and no whip from jockey Ron Turcotte. Ironically, a timer malfunction prevented Secretariat from claiming the track record at The Preakness Stakes. To this day, the Daily Racing Form (the bettor’s bible on horse racing) and the Preakness list different times for that race.

Three weeks later, at The Belmont Stakes, Secretariat’s jockey, Ron Turcotte, says he “lost control” of the horse and what happened is racing history:

1973 Belmont Stakes

Secretariat’s win by 31 lengths is unrivaled in horse racing history. Race announcer Chick Anderson’s pronouncement that Secretariat was “moving like a tremendous machine” became the immortal words forever linked to that race. Secretariat’s time still stands as the record at Belmont. These 3 races — the 1973 Triple Crown races — are the reason I loved to watch horse racing. Deep down inside, I watch to see a horse run as beautifully as Big Red (Secretariat) ran. I watch to see a horse dominate the field as impressively as Big Red did. I watch to see the next super-horse win the Triple Crown. Unfortunately, I think I had the privilege of seeing an uber-horse. One which may never be seen again…