Were you at 1973 Belmont?

[jognlope]

Just wondering, watched a wonderful video of it, were you there to see Secretariat?

[Red Knave]

No, but I saw it on TV. Since then, every time I have watched the replay I get the same lump in my throat when Secretariat pulls away from Sham on the turn. Unbelieveable.

I did see Secretariat in his last race at Woodbine. Just an easy jog in the park that day.

[jognlope]

I think that's the video that I saw on Youtube and someone commented, "like Michael Jordan with high schoolers." I would have been happy to see him taking a poop, at Woodbine, anything... dumb me I wasn't into racing then.

[46zilzal]

At Golden Gate Fields. I had a radio listening to it as it wasn't on the P.A. system and everyone kept bugging me to turn it up. As the race unfolded I shouted out I was going to put my ear plug in if people didn't quit crowding me. They calmed down quickly.

These were the days before VCR's or I would have taped it as well.

As I have said about many great moments in history, it takes water going under the bridge to put them into perspective.

[jognlope]

there's a nice video of the Woodbine race on youtube with some extra footage of Secretariat

[jognlope]

go to youtube and type secretariet woodbine

[Marlin]

I was three weeks old. Of course I bet Sham.:)

[o0xst!]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoFquax2F-k

[midnight]

I saw it on TV. I didn't think much of it then. I wasn't interested in the betting end of the sport yet.

[GlenninOhio]

I was there.

The crowd was enormous - if you didn't get in line to buy your mutuel ticket as soon as the previous race was over, you were likely to be shut out. And if I'm recalling correctly, at that time you could not advance bet on a later race in the card.

But that's just a sidebar. I grew up in New York City and I had been to a number of major sporting events over the years, including the Mets' playoff and World Series games. I had never before (nor have I since) experienced a crowd reaction that even approached the deafening roar and the thunderous ovation Secretariat received from that throng of hardened New York racing fans as he widened his huge lead down the lane. Not to wax too poetic about it, but it was like a massive living, breathing "we are all one" tribute to this great race horse.

I don't like to think this will never happen in horse racing again - either a performance at that level or a crowd reaction of that magnitude. I consider myself a very lucky man to have been at Belmont Park on that fine June day. Hopefully, some of you will get to have a similar experience with this great sport.

Best wishes to all.

[cj]

No, I was not.

[cees with dees]

9 years old on my dad's shoulders. He needed My Gallant for the exacta and got nailed up the rail by Twice a Prince. Great memory though.

[wolsons]

I was there in '73, in the grandstand - at that time, there hadn't been a triple crown winner in 25 years, and racing being a much bigger spectator sport in those days, with tons of print coverage as opposed to today, the country was much more wrapped up in the possibility of Sec being the horse to hopefully break that drought. I remember the momentary panic as Sham actually headed Secretariat in the backstretch...and then Big Red started to EFFORTLESSLY pull away - that's when the crowd reaction that GlenninOhio referred to started to kick in. Around that final long turn at Belmont, we all realized that something very special was happening - something the country really needed in those days.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience, IMO!

Steve

[NYPlayer]

Nope! Wasn't there. I was three months old and the first child of two devoutly religious parents. I didn't learn about Secretariat for a very long time!

[Edward DeVere]

every time I have watched the replay I get the same lump in my throat

Interesting - the hair always goes up on the back of my neck.

[WJ47]

I was four years old and I remember my grandfather and father watching it and getting very excited. I remember feeling a bit sorry for Sham. I wish Secretariat had run when I was a little older and I could have appreciated it more. By the time Affirmed won the triple crown, I was really into horse racing and reading all those Marguerite Henry books like Black Gold. :)

[kenwoodallpromos]

I remember seeing the replay of the stretch run on the TV news before I was into the ponies.
I thought "Not much of a race, no competition".
If I saw the race today I would think the same thing, plus " The horse ran 12 seconds a furlong like they are suppposed to".

[pic6vic]

I was there. left right after the race. No one left early that day and when I left it took about 2 minutes to get out of the parking lot. Also on that csard was FOREGO in an earlier race. 6-1 M/l paid 4.00

[46zilzal]

I have a tip sheet for that day and Red wasn't even the best bet of the day!