I'll bet the 1 3/16 time would have beaten the record at Pimlico for the Preakness; Beyer said that no horse in any race in American racing history could have beaten Big Red that day; 139 Beyer speed figure.
Yes, it was the Kentucky derby that he ran each quarter faster than the previous one. That's because he was in practically last place for a good part of the race. Ronnie had to hustle him up the backstretch to catch up to the leaders...he was burning up the track when he made that "sudden" move...and he caught up to the leaders very quickly....as if they were just trotting. It was amazing.
...not only that, his time at the 1 and 1/4 mile pole (red and white pole at the top of the stretch) was 1:59.00 flat; this would have beaten his current record time at the Kentucky Derby that same year (1.59.60)
His Belmont Stakes time was a worlds record for the distance on a dirt track. I believe it's in the World Record book.
Secretariats Belmont was picked as the second greatest individual performance is in a sporting event by ESPN
G.O.A.T
Pretty damned fast!
His mile and a quarter time in the Belmont was faster than his final Derby mile and a quarter time; and the Derby time was an still in the record.
I'll bet the 1 3/16 time would have beaten the record at Pimlico for the Preakness; Beyer said that no horse in any race in American racing history could have beaten Big Red that day; 139 Beyer speed figure.
@@albertpeterson5585 The unasked for sprint from first to last was unheard of for a 3-year-old. I wonder what the speed was for just that section.
And the longer he ran that race the FASTER he ran, meaning he ran each quarter faster then the previous one. No horse had done that.
That was the DERBY, not the Belmont.
Yes, it was the Kentucky derby that he ran each quarter faster than the previous one. That's because he was in practically last place for a good part of the race. Ronnie had to hustle him up the backstretch to catch up to the leaders...he was burning up the track when he made that "sudden" move...and he caught up to the leaders very quickly....as if they were just trotting. It was amazing.
Just from memory, his Belmont fractions were close to his Derby pace, which is still the track record. With another quarter mile to go.
72 km per hour
...not only that, his time at the 1 and 1/4 mile pole (red and white pole at the top of the stretch) was 1:59.00 flat; this would have beaten his current record time at the Kentucky Derby that same year (1.59.60)
Two twenty four flat .
46 mph.
60 miles an hour.
Like the wind.