Yes I know I posted it last year but every year at this time I look at it and am amazed every time. Superhorse.
41 years now and still the record for the event when it was set at 1 1/2 miles (it's been set at other distances such as 1 1/4, 1 3/8, and 1 5/8 but it's been 1 1/2 miles every year since 1926). 2:24.00. The second fastest 1 1/2 mile time is a full two seconds slower (2:26 by Easy Goer in 1989). The most recent Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, ran it 2.8 seconds slower. Today's winner was 4.58 seconds slower. Just doing some math I figure today's winner would've been about 240 feet short of the finish line at the 2:24.00 mark. That's just looking at average speed over the distance but should provide some idea. 80 yards. That's a long way and it's probably an under-estimate because the horses are probably moving faster than their average rate when they're in the home stretch.
We've gone 36 years without a Triple Crown winner but I honestly you believe that if you could stick that horse from 41 years ago in a time machine and bring him into this time he'd win it. He'd be dominant.
Well, I believe that I must tell the truth
And say things as they really are
But if I told the truth and nothing but the truth
Could I ever be a star? Deep Purple: No One Came
Considering your past running talent, and how fast you were when you were younger, it's my opinion that you'd leave Affirmed, and CC in the dust, bro'!
That's 'cause Secretariat was a machine. He's usually voted the greatest non-human athlete of all-time. I mean, he owns the speed record for Kentucky, Preakness, and Belmont. Greatest. Horse. Ever.
Grizo406 wrote:Considering your past running talent, and how fast you were when you were younger, it's my opinion that you'd leave Affirmed, and CC in the dust, bro'!
You know I suspected that was coming! Doesn't matter. Secretariat was something else. Freak of nature. Or maybe it was steroids back when people weren't looking for steroids. Hope not.
Well, I believe that I must tell the truth
And say things as they really are
But if I told the truth and nothing but the truth
Could I ever be a star? Deep Purple: No One Came
∞∞∞ wrote:That's 'cause Secretariat was a machine. He's usually voted the greatest non-human athlete of all-time. I mean, he owns the speed record for Kentucky, Preakness, and Belmont. Greatest. Horse. Ever.
Plus my understanding is that his jockey held him back for the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Cruised and waited then exploded at the end. Didn't just let it all hang out like for the Belmont.
Well, I believe that I must tell the truth
And say things as they really are
But if I told the truth and nothing but the truth
Could I ever be a star? Deep Purple: No One Came
Well, I believe that I must tell the truth
And say things as they really are
But if I told the truth and nothing but the truth
Could I ever be a star? Deep Purple: No One Came
Grizo406 wrote:Considering your past running talent, and how fast you were when you were younger, it's my opinion that you'd leave Affirmed, and CC in the dust, bro'!
You know I suspected that was coming! Doesn't matter. Secretariat was something else. Freak of nature. Or maybe it was steroids back when people weren't looking for steroids. Hope not.
Freak of nature is the correct answer; Secretariat's heart was 3x the size of a normal race horse.
You know I didn't even realize he holds the records for all three Triple Crown races until you wrote it then I looked it up and sure enough he does. That is absolutely incredible. 41 years later and you have to assume there have been advances in training and technology yet that horse still holds the records for all THREE of those major races. And I went ahead and looked up the videos of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. What you'll see in both is that Secretariat's jokey lets him sit back near the back of the pack in both cases for a while. In fact he lets him sit in last place in the Preakness. Then he kicks him in and he easily overhauls the field.
In the Preakness you see that he takes the lead and kind of starts cruising. The jockey on the second horse, Sham, starts whipping to try to catch up. Secretariat's jockey looks over his shoulder and sees him then just kind of encourages his ride. No whip. And you see Secretariat kick it into gear a little more and just easily pull away. It was like toying with that other horse. It had no chance at all.
I think if they'd have pushed him in those first two Triple Crown races he could've blown the field away in each case just like he blew the field away in the Belmont. What an incredible creature.
Well, I believe that I must tell the truth
And say things as they really are
But if I told the truth and nothing but the truth
Could I ever be a star? Deep Purple: No One Came
Another thing is that Secretariat had to contend with Sham in all three of those races, another horse considered one of the best of all time. If it wasn't for Secretariat, Sham may have won the Triple Crown (his bad finish at the Belmont was due to a terrible strategy forced by the rivalry with Secretariat).
