Big Brown? Forget it. Remember Big Red

Another pretender for the Triple Crown bites the dust.

Big Brown came up small in the Belmont Stakes today. Already, the TV commentators are talking about an injured hoof and assorted other injuries both internal and external. Hopefully, if true, this horse will not have to be put down which would bring forth, understandably, the calls from those who believe horse racing is simply another version of cruelty to animals.

As for the race and the Triple Crown itself?

Any even cursory follower of horse racing knows this. Big Brown, Affirmed (the last Triple Crown winner, in 1978), whoever, will never hold a candle to the greatest horse of them all, Secretariat in 1973.

Anyone who got into horse racing that spring and summer did so due to the superstar syndrome, much as many follow Tiger Woods more than they do golf.

And that superstar was Secretariat. Going into the Belmont on the verge of, at the time, being the first Triple Crown winner since Citation in 1948, the talk was: could Big Red conquer the 1.5 mile distance?

Conquer it he did, winning by a ridiculous but obviously impressive 31 lengths with Canadian jockey Ron Turcotte up.

And look at the times. For all time. Secretariat, two seconds better than any other modern-day horse, Affirmed included, in the Kentucky Derby. Tied in time with Affirmed in the Preakness. And nearly two seconds better than any other horse in the Belmont. The unofficial winning time today, 2:29.65, is 12 seconds behind that of Secretariat and among the worst by a winner in Belmont history.

There may be other Triple Crown winners. There will never be another Secretariat.

Comments

[Chris Iafolla]

So now that the Belmont is over, will we finally learn our lesson that anointing a horse as the next great champion before they have completed the Triple Crown is plain folly. The Belmont is the longest and most grueling leg of the Triple Crown, it takes a special horse to win all three races. A horse like Secretariat.