50 years ago, the greatest race horse in history was born.

[shockey80]

Secretariat. If you have never seen the triple crown races of Secretariat you can go to YouTube and watch them. Secretariat still holds the track record for all three races. What he did in the Belmont stakes is legendary. I still get chills when I watch it.

What many people don't know about Secretariat is the story about his broodmare sire, Princequillo.

When World War II broke out a pregnant mare was smuggled out of France to Ireland. She gave birth there to Princequillo. Because of the threat of German bombing they shipped Princequillo to America.

Princequillo became a very good race horse in America. She actually set a track record at a race track I live close to, Saratoga race track.

When Princequillo retired he became one of the great sires and broodmare sires in racing history. Including the broodmare sire of Secretariat.

There are many great, amazing stories about the history of horse racing. People who do not follow horse racing only hear about the bad stories.

[erpowers]

1. The Broodmare's Name

Is the name of Secretariat's broodmare known? Are the names of the broodmare's of successful race horses usually known? I am not trying to make a big deal about broodmares. I am just not sure I hear about the mothers of successful race horses. I often watch the Triple Crown and I have heard about the father's of successful race horses, but I am not sure I hear about the mothers of successful race horses. I realize that female race horses are discussed and I may have actually heard the mother of a race horse mentioned. I am just not sure I have heard the mother of a race horse mentioned.

[shockey80]

6. Princequillo is Secretariats broodmare sire.

You are correct, they do give more credit to the sire of the horse than the broodmare sire. I do not agree with that. I have been a horse racing fan for over thirty years. In my opinion the broodmare sire is just as important as the sire.

Some pedigree experts believe horses get their distance, surface pedigree from the sire line and get their class from the female line. I happen to agree with them.

[erpowers]

7. Thank You

Your information is very interesting.

[shockey80]

9. I have won thousands of dollars betting by pedigree alone.

I learned from a woman by the name of Lauren Stitch. She has written books about pedigree. She taught me about the hidden turf factor.

People don't know this, Princequillo was a great turf sire. Secretariat was also a great turf horse.

Some of the greatest race horses in history only ran on the dirt. That doesn't mean they would not be great turf horses. Their offspring are very good bets if they run on grass. Sometimes they are ignored because people think they are dirt horses. Cha-ching.

[phylny]

12. Here is information about his lineage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretariat_%28horse%29

[erpowers]

17. Thank You

Thank you very much for the link.

[Green Line]

13. Her name was Somethingroyal

What an appropriate name that was. She was also the dam of Sir Gaylord. She was already known as a "blue hen" mare when she foaled Secretariat at 18. Blue hen mares are mares that have proven themselves exceptional in producing high quality foals regardless of who the stallion is.

[erpowers]

18. Thank You

Thank you very much for the information. That was very interesting.

[Drahthaardogs]

37. We call that prepotent in dog circles

It means the dog has lots of homozygous genes for good traits so they throw really good offspring no matter what they are bred to.

Ken Vospet comes to mind. An imported Drahthaar of lineage most were not familiar. You can could have bred him with a raccoon and gotten a hunting dog.

[Meowmee]

19. His mother was Something Royal

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somethingroyal

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52901029/somethingroyal

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretariat_(horse)#Early_years

[erpowers]

20. Thank You

Thank you for the links.

[Meowmee]

21. You're welcome😊 I found some pics of them at his birth and after but I can't post them here.

Oops just noticed someone already told you😹

I think this is them together when he was younger.

http://www.pedegru.com/animal/somethingroyal


https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/penny-chenery-owner-of-73-triple-crown-winner-secretariat-dies-at-95/2017/09/18/0f27a240-9c7a-11e7-9c8d-cf053ff30921_story.html

[erpowers]

38. So Cute

The picture was so cute. Thank you for posting the link to the photo.

[Meowmee]

40. Yes he was adorable, they looked very happy too yw😊

I read that he was a mischievous little guy like one of my kitties 😹

[jmowreader]

35. His whole pedigree is known

https://www.pedigreequery.com/secretariat

[erpowers]

39. Thank You

That was extremely interesting.

[Boomerproud]

2. He gave me a lot of pleasure watching him race.

You knew you were in the presence of greatness.

[Goodheart]

3. The Belmont was the most fantastic sporting event I've ever witnessed.

I have watched the replay with Chic Anderson's call about a thousand times... and get chills EVERY SINGLE TIME.

And for all the greatness of that stunning event I still believe that Secretariat's performance in the Preakness was even more impressive. If you can find a video just watch how on the back stretch Big Red moves from last to first in the blink of an eye.... STAGGERING.

When I die I want my tombstone to read:

"Fortune smiled on this man. He saw Secretariat in the Belmont."

[Green Line]

11. "Secretariat is moving like a tremendous machine"

I've watched the race as many times as you have, and like you I get chills every time. That was the greatest race I've ever seen or ever will see. We won't be lucky enough to have another Secretariat in our lifetime.

"He was not a horse--he was Secretariat."
--Bennett Liebman, New York Racing Official, after the death of Secretariat

[shockey80]

14. Thank you, I forgot about the call from the announcer.

[montana_hazeleyes]

32. I've watched the videos so much I was afraid I'd wear them out.lol

[ElementaryPenguin]

4. The greatest indeed!!

[judeling]

8. And then there is Affirmed Alydar

the greatest series of all time.

[shockey80]

10. I got to watch Rachel Alexandra at Saratoga race track.

WOW! I have never heard a cheer from a crowd like that in my entire life. When she hit the stretch this unbelievable sound came from the grandstand. It was louder, more intense than any rock concert I have ever been to.

[Green Line]

15. This is from a Steve Haskin column about that race at Saratoga

"That was the day those old rafters holding up the Saratoga grandstand shook with exhilaration. And for as long as racing fans flock to the Spa in droves each year, that courageous triumph in the Woodward Stakes will remain frozen in time, as will the deafening roar that greeted Rachel Alexandra following her gut-wrenching victory. Racing’s grand old lady had experienced many great moments in 145 years, but never has she been engulfed by such an eruption of sound as she was on this day."

[shockey80]

16. I was standing on a bench in front of the grandstand that day.

The sound made me stop watching the race and look back at the grandstand. What the fuck was that, entered my mind. After the race was over I walked back to my seat on the lawn behind the grandstand. On the way there I got my answer. I saw women in tears everywhere. It was the women that made that sound. It was a momma grizzly bear scream protecting her daughter I heard that day.

I am telling you, it was a sound I never heard before and I will probably will never hear again.

[Green Line]

29. If you're on FB

Stonestreet Farm just did a virtual tour featuring Rachel, she’s all relaxed and living the good life.

[Corgigal]

24. I was at Belmont

when Affirmed won the triple crown.

Went to Coolmore last year to see American Pharoah and Justify.

[GreenEyedLefty]

22. I plan to watch those races. Thanks for posting!

One of my favorite Kentucky Derby races was Mine That Bird coming from last to first in 2009. I loved that race and Calvin Borel (who rode Rachel Alexandra in that year's Preakness).

[Green Line]

27. Love Calvin, that race call was legendary

Tom Durkin never saw him coming

[tavernier]

23. I have a bit of a personal funny story about Secretariat.

Before I retired I was a home health nurse. One day I was sent to the home of a male patient to do a dressing change and take vital signs. When I got there I noticed that there was a large display of silver plates and bowls and urns in the living area. I asked him if they did a lot of entertaining, pointed to the silver articles. He chuckled and said no, he was a horse trainer and those were trophies he had accumulated over the years. He motioned to an enormous painting on the wall, a big red horse. I know nothing about horses and horse racing, but to be polite I asked him the name of the impressive animal. He told me to look above the door where there hung a horse shoe with the name Secretariat printed below in the frame. I said, “Oh, you named your horse after that famous one.”

Mr. Lucien Laurin got a real big laugh out of that.

[Green Line]

26. Great story

[Corgigal]

25. A beauty,

to me the most beautiful

[Green Line]

28. Close to perfection

I think this is the last video of him

[elevator]

30. Number one.

Forget the Taj Majal etc. He was The Wonder of The World.

[montana_hazeleyes]

33. He was so stunningly beautiful in every way!

[GreenEyedLefty]

36. So beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

Love how he put his head down and kicked up his heels, like a colt.

[Rhiannon12866]

31. I remember when Secretariat came back to Saratoga

My Dad was manager of Niagara Mohawk at the time and he allowed them to use a bucket truck to broadcast there and get above the record crowds. I begged my Dad to take me since I really wanted to see him, but my Dad wasn't up for dealing with the insane crowds, leaving the track is tough enough with the stopped traffic on a normal race day.

Thanks for adding more to the story, he was truly a remarkable champion, and just beautiful, too!

[Recursion]

34. Also one of the more moving story arcs from Bojack Horseman (nt)