American History

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,898 posts) Sun May 5, 2024, 09:42 AM May 5

On this day, May 5, 1973, Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby in 1:59-2/5, still a record.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_5

• 1973 – Secretariat wins the 1973 Kentucky Derby in 1:59-2/5, an as-yet unbeaten record.

Fri May 5, 2023: On this day, May 5, 1973, Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby in 1:59-2/5, still a record.

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On this day, May 5, 1973, Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby in 1:59-2/5, still a record. (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves May 5 OP

I remember! Goddessartist May 5 #1

I've watched videos of that race many times. Still stunning. Magnificent. Raven123 May 5 #2

It's cool to watch the video of Secretariat viva la May 5 #4

Maybe the greatest horse of all time. lastlib May 5 #3

I have a ready answer if anyone asks me who's my favorite athlete : Karadeniz May 5 #5

I had never heard of the Kentucky Derby until the excitement about that race Deuxcents May 5 #6

I didn't see that race EYESORE 9001 May 5 #7

He had another gear Bayard May 5 #8

The Belmont Was Ridiculous ProfessorGAC May 6 #11

I can still remember the excitment as my friends and I watched the Derby. Biophilic May 5 #9

An incredible stat that underlines his unparalleled greatness. BobTheSubgenius May 6 #10

Goddessartist

(1,927 posts)

1. I remember!

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun May 5, 2024, 09:47 AM

May 5

I was a young lady in love with horses. I would draw them constantly.

Raven123

(5,010 posts)

2. I've watched videos of that race many times. Still stunning. Magnificent.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun May 5, 2024, 09:50 AM

May 5

Can’t watch horse racing anymore. Too many injuries. Too much abuse.

viva la

(3,389 posts)

4. It's cool to watch the video of Secretariat

Reply to Raven123 (Reply #2)

Sun May 5, 2024, 10:02 AM

May 5

Against later winners, splitscreen.

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lastlib

(23,460 posts)

3. Maybe the greatest horse of all time.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun May 5, 2024, 09:59 AM

May 5

He was simply without equal in his time, maybe ever.

Karadeniz

(22,638 posts)

5. I have a ready answer if anyone asks me who's my favorite athlete :

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun May 5, 2024, 10:05 AM

May 5

SECRETARIAT !!!!!

Deuxcents

(16,536 posts)

6. I had never heard of the Kentucky Derby until the excitement about that race

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun May 5, 2024, 10:33 AM

May 5

I was in my early 20’s but after watching that race, nothing has come close to that magnificent performance.

EYESORE 9001

(26,065 posts)

7. I didn't see that race

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun May 5, 2024, 10:33 AM

May 5

I was in a Navy school at the time, and I don’t remember seeing anything on TV during that time. I was too busy with outdoor activities.

Bayard

(22,327 posts)

8. He had another gear

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun May 5, 2024, 11:39 AM

May 5

I watched the Derby that year on TV with another high school horsey friend. We were actually rooting for Sham, but Secretariat just blew all the other horses away in all 3 races of the Triple Crown. Hard not to cheer him on.

I was just reading that after he died, the necropsy showed his heart weighed 22 pounds--about twice what a normal horse's weighs. He didn't really reproduce himself in breeding, but ended up being a great producer of good broodmares.

Definitely one for the ages.

ProfessorGAC

(65,606 posts)

11. The Belmont Was Ridiculous

Reply to Bayard (Reply #8)

Mon May 6, 2024, 05:07 PM

May 6

There are several seconds of that video where Secretariat is the only horse in the shot.
The director holds a wide shot for a long time so the other horses could be seen.
Secretariat is way to the right.
When it becomes obvious that he's going to win unless a brick wall pops out of the ground, the shot is changed to put the superhorse in screen center. The other horses vanish from view. Unreal

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Biophilic

(3,774 posts)

9. I can still remember the excitment as my friends and I watched the Derby.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun May 5, 2024, 12:13 PM

May 5

We knew history was being made and he was gorgeous.

BobTheSubgenius

(11,590 posts)

10. An incredible stat that underlines his unparalleled greatness.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Mon May 6, 2024, 11:21 AM

May 6

Not only did he win by 31 lengths (31 LENGTHS!!!), each split time was actually faster than the one before it. He was still GAINING speed after 2 miles!

Mind-boggling.

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