1973 Belmont Stakes

105th Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes

Secretariat on the final stretch
Location Belmont Park, Elmont, New York
Date June 9, 1973
Winning horse Secretariat
Jockey Ron Turcotte
Trainer Lucien Laurin
Owner Penny Chenery
Conditions Fast
Surface Dirt
Attendance 69,138
← 1972
1974 →

The 1973 Belmont Stakes was the 105th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, held on June 9, 1973. Facing a field of five horses, Secretariat won by 31 lengths, the largest margin of victory in Belmont history, in front of a record crowd of 69,138 spectators. His winning time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds was an American record for a mile and a half on dirt and has not been broken.

Pre-race coverage

Knightly Dawn was entered into the race, but was scratched prior to race day.[1] The horse, who was known for being quick, was thought to give Secretariat trouble.[1] The horse's scratch also reduced the winner's share from $150,200 to $90,120.[1]

Event details

The race was viewed on television and broadcast over the radio.[2]

The official attendance for the event was reported to be 69,138.[1] This became the second-most attended Belmont Stakes,[1] after the 1971 race which had 82,694 in attendance.[3] The track conditions were clear and fast.[4][5]

Race summary

Secretariat in the stretch run

Out of the gates, Secretariat and Sham raced evenly through the first turn.[1][6] Through a half-mile, the two were even.[6] Entering the backstretch and approaching three-quarters of a mile, Secretariat began to distance himself as Sham began to fade, finished last.[7] Secretariat maintained his advantage for the rest of the race and extended his lead to 31 lengths over the second-place finisher, Twice a Prince.[6] Track announcer Chic Anderson described Secretariat's move from the backstretch with the famous call, "Secretariat is widening now. He is moving like a tremendous machine!"[8]

Secretariat set the Belmont Stakes track record at 2:24 and the record for largest margin of victory.[N 1][6][7][9] Secretariat also broke the American record for a mile and a half, breaking the previous record of 2: 26 1⁄5, set by Going Abroad in 1964.[1]

Results

Finish Post
Position 		Program
Number 		Horse Jockey Owner Trainer Final Odds
(to 1) 		Stakes
1 1 2 Secretariat Turcotte, RonRon Turcotte Tweedy, PennyPenny Tweedy Laurin, LucienLucien Laurin   0.10 $90,120
2 4 5 Twice a Prince Baeza, BraulioBraulio Baeza Elmendorf Farm Compo, JohnnyJohnny Compo 17.30 $33,044
3 3 4 My Gallant Cordero Jr., AngelAngel Cordero Jr. Appleton, Arthur I.Arthur I. Appleton Goldfine, Louis M.Louis M. Goldfine 12.40 $18,024
4 2 3 Pvt. Smiles Gargan, DanDan Gargan Whitney, C.V.C.V. Whitney Poole III, George TimothyGeorge Timothy Poole III 14.30 $9,012
5 5 1A Sham Pincay, Jr., LaffitLaffit Pincay, Jr. Sommer, SigmundSigmund Sommer Martin, Frank "Pancho"Frank "Pancho" Martin   5.10 −
scratched[10][11] 1 Knightly Dawn Valenzuela, Ismael "Milo"Ismael "Milo" Valenzuela Sommer, SigmundSigmund Sommer Martin, Frank "Pancho"Frank "Pancho" Martin − −

Times:  1⁄4 mile: :23.6,  1⁄2 mile: :46.2,  3⁄4mile: 1:09.8, 1 mile: 1:34.2, 1 1⁄4mile: 1:59.0, Final: 2:24.0[11]
Note: times were kept to the fifth of a second.

Payout schedule

Pgm Horse Win Place
2 Secretariat $2.20 $2.40
5 Twice A Prince $4.60

Based on a $2 bet. As only five entries, there were no show wagers.[11][12]

Analysis

Neil Milbert wrote that Secretariat "ran what may have been the greatest horse race in history."[1] When asked about Secretariat's margin of victory, trainer Lucien Laurin stated: "Naturally, not that big!"[1] He further commented on Sham's performance saying "The horse we had to kill, we did."[1] My Gallant's jockey Angel Cordero, Jr. said Secretariat was "just like a car."[1] The 40th anniversary of the win was commemorated by the New York Racing Association in 2013 by placing a blue-and-white checkered pole at the Belmont track 253 feet, 2 inches from the finish line to mark the 31-length margin of victory.[13]

That day at Belmont Park $7.9 million was wagered on the nine races that were held during the day, which includes $2.2 million from off-track betting.[14] A total of $5.6 million was bet through the mutuels that day.[14] The Stakes itself had $519,689 bet on it.[14]

If the Beyer Speed Figure calculation had been developed during that time, Andrew Beyer calculated that Secretariat would have earned a figure of 139, the highest he has ever assigned.[15] Bettors holding 5,617 winning parimutuel tickets on Secretariat never redeemed them, presumably keeping them as souvenirs (and because the tickets would have paid only $2.20 on a $2 bet).[16]

References

Endnotes

  1. ↑ The previous course record was 2: 26 3⁄5, set by Gallant Man in 1957.[1] The largest margin of victory at the Belmont Stakes before the 1973 race was set in 1943, when Count Fleet won by 25 lengths.[1]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Neil Milbert (June 10, 1973). "Secretariat Gallops to Triple Crown!". Chicago Tribune  – via ProQuest (subscription required) . p. C1 & C12.
  2. ↑ Shirley Povich (June 10, 1973). "1 ½-Mile Belmont a Race For Only a Quarter Mile". The Washington Post, Time Herald  – via ProQuest (subscription required) . p. D1 & D9.
  3. ↑ "2016 NYRA Media Guide – Belmont Stakes" (PDF). The New York Racing Association. p. B7. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 19, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Belmont Stakes Chart". Chicago Tribune  – via ProQuest (subscription required) . June 10, 1973. p. C12.
  5. ↑ "The Belmont Chart". Los Angeles Times  – via ProQuest (subscription required) . June 10, 1973. p. C15.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "2016 NYRA Media Guide – Belmont Stakes" (PDF). The New York Racing Association. p. B48. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 19, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Copper, Bob (June 11, 1973). "Secretariat Defies Description After Record-Setting Belmont Run". The Argus-Press. Owosso, Michigan. Associated Press. p. 14.
  8. ↑ Flatter, Ron. "Secretariat remains No. 1 name in racing". ESPN. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  9. ↑ Hirsch, Joe (June 11, 1973). "Secretariat Achieves 'Triple' Grand Prix Nominations Number 22 - Astonishing 31 Lengths Best In 2:24 Belmont Stakes Romp". Daily Racing Form. LXXIX (139): 1.
  10. ↑ SECRETARIAT - 1973 Belmont Stakes - Part 1 (CBS) CBS Sports. June 9, 1973. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 "Secretariat Breezes by 31 Lengths; Wins Triple Crown in Record 2:24". Daily News. June 10, 1973. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  12. ↑ McCulley, Jim. 105th Running—1973—Belmont Stakes. Belmont Stakes.com. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  13. ↑ Staff (June 7, 2013). "NYRA Places Secretariat Belmont Margin Pole". The Blood Horse. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 "$7.9 Million Bet on Belmont Races". Los Angeles Times  – via ProQuest (subscription required) . Associated Press. June 10, 1973. p. C15.
  15. ↑ Beyer Race Figures - Daily Race Form
  16. ↑ Sean Magee (September 1, 2002). "The 10 greatest horse races of all time". Observer Sport Monthly. Guardian News and Media Limited. Archived from the original on June 19, 2016. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
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