| In the history of horse racing there have been many | | | | old colt in the early spring. |
| fantastic runners from the sensational Seattle Slew | | | | In his last race Man o' War defeated Sir Barton by 7 |
| to the clubfooted comet Assault, and the filly | | | | lengths, who had won the Triple Crown the year |
| champion Ruffian to the very determined Affirmed. | | | | before. |
| But the number one and number two match up in | | | | We won't go into his breeding accomplishments since |
| this writers opinion was the incredible Secretariat and | | | | this article is concerned strictly with the results of his |
| the great one, Man o' War. | | | | racing abilities. |
| Of all the horse racing results which one of these | | | | Secretariat has a more recent record and his races |
| two was the fastest? Or perhaps which one of | | | | are recorded on film. Just a day before the Belmont |
| these two was the best? | | | | Stakes in 1972, retired Hall of Fame trainer Hollie |
| Let us look at the two and then try and decide the | | | | Hughes was at the track and he motioned for Ron |
| question. | | | | Turcotte, Secretariat's jockey, to come over to him |
| First let us take a look at Man o' War, picking him | | | | so he could say a few words to him. Hughes' heyday |
| first simply because he came first. Age has its | | | | had been during the time that the likes of Sysonby, |
| advantages. | | | | Colin and Man o'War had raced. |
| Man o' War was eulogized by his groom Will Harbut | | | | His words to Turcotte were 'Son, there is no way |
| as "de mostest hoss that ever wuz." No truer words | | | | you can get this horse beat--just don't fall off. |
| have ever been spoken, regardless of the grammar. | | | | Believe me boy, you are riding the greatest horse of |
| All those who witnessed him race at all distances | | | | all time and I have seen them all.' |
| were impressed by his relentlessness and the fact | | | | Needless to say Turcotte did not fall off. He won the |
| that he had so much energy left after each win that | | | | Belmont by a breathtaking 31 lengths and set the |
| it was mind boggling. Whether he spotted a horse 15 | | | | record of the mile and a half in 2 minutes and 24 |
| pounds or 30--it did not matter. He would win and | | | | seconds. |
| trot back to the paddock as if he had just been out | | | | Kent Hollingsworth of The Blood-Horse wrote, 'Two |
| for a Sunday trot in the park. | | | | twenty four flat.I don't believe it. Impossible. But I |
| His record at two years of age in 1919 was 10 starts | | | | saw it. I can't breathe. He won by a sixteenth of a |
| with 9 wins and 1 second. His lone defeat came at | | | | mile. I saw it. I have to believe it.' |
| the hands of Upset in the Sanford Stakes in which he | | | | In his lifetime Secretariat had 21 starts and 16 |
| was the victim of major traffic problems. | | | | victories and was named Horse of the Year two |
| Many who were still reeling from the sting of the | | | | years in a row. |
| White Sox fix of the World Series, suggested that | | | | These two horses were two of the best athletes |
| the race with Upset had also been fixed. | | | | ever. Their racing results proved beyond a shadow |
| At age 3 Man o' War had 11 starts with 11 wins. He | | | | of a doubt that they are among the very best |
| did not win the Kentucky Derby because owner | | | | thoroughbreds to ever thunder down the stretch. |
| Samuel D. Riddle held to the belief that 1and1/4 mile | | | | Which one was the best? You study their horse race |
| with 126 pounds was too much to ask of a 3 year | | | | results and you decide- if you can. |