From the dept. of "its taken a few years, but"

[Grits]

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2012/06/12/secretariats-preakness-time-to-be-reviewed.aspx

[LottaKash]

With all due respect to the great Secretariat, I say let sleeping dogs lie, er Horses ....

What is the point now ?....

Ask anyone, who was the greatest one ?, and most would simply say "Big Red"....

Enough said ?...That wouldn't make him any greater, I don't think...

best,

[pondman]

1973? Can't they get a fifth grader to watch it and time it on their iPhone?


1973?
Did Bobby Riggs try? What really happened at wounded knee. And that crook Nixon. Did he know about the break in? There were still troops in Vietnam.

[tzipi]

Just give him the record already. Everyone and their mother knows he has all three with the Preakness. Years ago they knew this when the clockers all said it was a record AND when they also started the two Preakness tapes side by side exactly and Secretariat whipped Canonero II. What more proof do they need??

[cj]

I'd be much more excited if we could get the times of races run in the present day reviewed. Gulfstream, River Downs, Arlington, etc...

[MaTH716]

Secretariat's owner, Penny Chenery, and Thomas Chuckas, president of the Maryland Jockey Club, requested the hearing to consider "compelling" evidence, based upon advances in modern video technology, regarding the long-standing controversy.

It sounds to me that someone is a little attention starved due to all the coverage that I'll Have Another garnered. With the scratch, we didn't get to see all those great clips of Big Red this year.

[Grits]

Secretariat's owner, Penny Chenery, and Thomas Chuckas, president of the Maryland Jockey Club, requested the hearing to consider "compelling" evidence, based upon advances in modern video technology, regarding the long-standing controversy.

It sounds to me that someone is a little attention starved due to all the coverage that I'll Have Another garnered. With the scratch, we didn't get to see all those great clips of Big Red this year.

Penny Chenery is 90 years old. She's not lacking for attention. She never has been. She's THE most respected woman in thoroughbred racing history. Bar none.

What she is? Determined. Just as much so in 2012 as she was in 1973 when the time was questioned.

I wouldn't ever sell this woman short, or speak of her in the way that you have. I thought her comments about I'll Have Another's trainer, strong; but that was her opinion.

[MaTH716]

Penny Chenery is 90 years old. She's not lacking for attention. She never has been. She's THE most respected woman in thoroughbred racing history. Bar none.

What she is? Determined. Just as much so in 2012 as she was in 1973 when the time was questioned.

I wouldn't ever sell this woman short, or speak of her in the way that you have. I thought her comments about I'll Have Another's trainer, strong; but that was her opinion.

What exactly did I say that sparked such outrage?

She's freakin 90 and probably doesn't have to many more TC campaigns left, so why is it so far out of the question that she wants to look into this now and maybe get one more victory lap from the greatness of Big Red?

[Dahoss9698]

Chenery is of course entitled to her opinion. Just as Math716 is entitled to his.

It does sort of beg the question though...who cares about the time of a race from almost 40 years ago? That, combined with her earlier comments about O'neill are certainly strange, especially consider the timing of the comments.

[Grits]

What exactly did I say that sparked such outrage?

She's freakin 90 and probably doesn't have to many more TC campaigns left, so why is it so far out of the question that she wants to look into this now and maybe get one more victory lap from the greatness of Big Red?

Dude, if you will, look up the definition of outrage. My post doesn't qualify, it was simply stated. And not in a vehement manner.

[Meunuco]

..who cares about the time of a race from almost 40 years ago?

Anyone making historical speed/pace figures.

[castaway01]

Anyone making historical speed/pace figures.

Except they know it already, as this topic was discussed 40 years ago and everyone knows the timer was off.

[Meunuco]

I think there's one pedant who might appreciate it.

[LottaKash]

Dude, if you will, look up the definition of outrage. My post doesn't qualify, it was simply stated. And not in a vehement manner.

Grits, I 've got to hand it to you, after viewing so many of your posts, you have gotten under my skin (in a good way,of course), these past few years....I think some of the others here on this board, from time to time, may have mistaken your passion and directness to any subject at hand, for something else....True Grit, that's you...

Your spirit and passion for things that you love, is most inspiring for some of us at times...:ThmbUp:

best,

[Grits]

Grits, I 've got to hand it to you, after viewing so many of your posts, you have gotten under my skin (in a good way,of course), these past few years....I think some of the others here on this board, from time to time, may have mistaken your passion and directness to any subject at hand, for something else....True Grit, that's you...

Your spirit and passion for things that you love, is most inspiring for some of us at times...:ThmbUp:

best,

LottaK, thank you. True Grit is a good summation. Sometime, I wish so much that I wasn't this way. I'm all or nothing. No in between. Loyal to my own detriment. As the old Southern adage goes, "I can love ya as much as you want me too." Such passion can make a mess of things at times whether its folks, animals, sports or whatever.

This piece released about Secretariat's Preakness, came just hours after a stop on my way home from New York yesterday. Who would have thought either would come together the next day?

I wrote a note last night to one of my friends. My friend liked it, so I'll share it.

I'm glad to be home. Actually, it was a roller coaster week, one with so much mental goings on. The possibility of a strike, Hava Nutha's scratch and on and on.

I stopped in Virginia on the way home today. Secretariat's birthplace, Meadow Farm, is only 2 miles off of I-95 in Caroline County, Virginia. Much has changed, much has been torn down. But the barns--the yearling barn, the stallion barn, other stalls, original, but for new paint and new shingles on each, all are still there. Even old well pumps remain outside each barn.

The farm was bought by the Va. State Fair a while back, and made into an Equine/Agricultural Center and Conference Center, but it fell into foreclosure. In May it was auctioned off. Sold to Universal Fairs.

It cannot be developed for residential use, as several years ago it was placed on the National Historical Register. Secretariat and Riva Ridge's Marker is on the highway in front of the farm.

This is not the first time I've been there. I went for the first time about 13 years ago. There were no locks then. There was no one, there, on the property. It was like hallowed ground. Even Secretariat's foaling barn was still there at the time. I was amazed at how small a barn it was. I mean, tiny. I don't see how the mares hardly fit inside. So unlike today's operations.

The property is locked now. But, maybe, after my tremendous disappointment in New York, some higher being knew how badly I wanted to see Big Red's birthplace again.

I had parked my car outside the wrought iron gate and was taking a couple of shots from afar when a county deputy drove up to the gate beside me. He had to check an alarm that had gone off on the property. It has several buildings now, including a several hundred square foot mansion. He said he was sorry, he couldn't allow anyone in. But then, for whatever reason . . . he changed his mind, and said, "c'mon follow me."

I drove in behind him, parked and got out of my car underneath the tall Oaks. He let me walk all over the property, taking photos.

I tried to give him money--"take your girlfriend, your wife to dinner. You just don't know what this has meant to me this afternoon." But, he wouldn't take my money. He was so dear. He sure made a woman smile this afternoon.

I truly don't believe there will ever be another Secretariat. And I'm OK with that.

Sometime, we're in the right place at the right time. Sometime, things are just meant to be. Either way, a young man showed me a great kindness today. I loved Secretariat and still do. He probably saw this.

MY exit off of Interstate 95 was very welcome a couple of hours later. I was tired. I love NY, but home is where I belong. Its where I'm needed.

[pam916]

This is huge for Secretariat fans and to Secretariat's legacy. He deserves the record in all three races, he earned it. I would say the same thing about any horse in a Triple Crown Race. Penny Chenery is Secretariat's advocate and his voice. I always found it frustrating that the timer malfunctioned and cheated him out of the record, you could not help but wonder if it was not done intentionally. Ron Turcotte in his brief speech after the Belmont said he was not sure if they were cheated out of the record. I am sure Penny was eager to see that the record was corrected during her life time. As far as her remarks about I'll Have Another's trainer, while may have sounded a little harsh, I don't feel she was too far off the mark. The reputation of all of I'll Have Anothers connections affects how the public views racing.
'

[tucker6]

This is huge for Secretariat fans and to Secretariat's legacy. He deserves the record in all three races, he earned it. I would say the same thing about any horse in a Triple Crown Race. Penny Chenery is Secretariat's advocate and his voice. I always found it frustrating that the timer malfunctioned and cheated him out of the record, you could not help but wonder if it was not done intentionally. Ron Turcotte in his brief speech after the Belmont said he was not sure if they were cheated out of the record. I am sure Penny was eager to see that the record was corrected during her life time. As far as her remarks about I'll Have Another's trainer, while may have sounded a little harsh, I don't feel she was too far off the mark. The reputation of all of I'll Have Anothers connections affects how the public views racing.
'
For what good reason would someone try to intentionally slow a race time? What would a track have to gain by doing that? The reality is that people walking to the infield to party that day messed up the timer some how. At least that was the story right after it happened, and I believe it to be true. Again, why lie when the truth works and makes more sense?

[takeout]

What seems to have been done on purpose is to not officially correct the time for almost 4 decades.