In June of 1973, the world of horse racing changed forever. The Belmont Stakes had a reputation for breaking champions, the mile-and-a-half track often too punishing for even the strongest contenders. It had been twenty-five years since a horse had captured the Triple Crown, and few believed this chestnut colt named Secretariat could finish what so many before him had failed to do.
With the world watching, he delivered a victory that was not only decisive but historic. Secretariat finished the Belmont Stakes 31 lengths ahead, setting a record time that remains untouched. In that moment, he joined the small group of Triple Crown winners and elevated the standard by which every contender has since been measured. Generations later, fans still point to Secretariat’s Belmont as the ultimate example of what a thoroughbred can achieve.
Decades later, Secretariat still stands as the benchmark for speed, stamina, and heart, his name forever linked with the words Triple Crown and greatness. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story.
Photo Credit: Tony Leonard via Kentucky Derby Museum