Secretariat – When a Horse Becomes a Legend

Posted on May 7, 2026May 6, 2026 by Dusty Roads | 2 Comments

Gone but not forgotten. “Bronze statue of Secretariat at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, commemorating the Triple Crown winner’s historic career.”

A Tribute to Secretariat: America’s Super Horse

Now that Derby Day has come and gone for another year, I find myself thinking not just about the newest winner, but about the horse who still casts the longest shadow over the sport. Secretariat. Big Red. The legend who didn’t just win races — he redefined what greatness looked like on four legs.

Secretariat wasn’t simply fast. He was the Gretzky or Jordan of the racetrack — the kind of once‑in‑a‑generation athlete whose records don’t just stand; they dare anyone to even try. More than fifty years later, his times in all three Triple Crown races remain untouched. No other horse has come close.

The Making of a Legend

Born on March 30, 1970, Secretariat grew into a 16.2‑hand, 1,175‑pound chestnut with a stride so fluid it looked like he was skimming the ground. His conformation bordered on flawless, and during his three‑year‑old season he powered himself with 15 quarts of oats a day — fuel for the engine that would change racing forever.

In 1973, he became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. And he didn’t just win those races — he shattered them. His records in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes still stand today.

The Belmont That Became a Myth

Even if Secretariat had never run another race, the 1973 Belmont Stakes would have secured his immortality. That day, he didn’t just win the Triple Crown — he obliterated it.

He ran the mile and a half in 2:24 flat, the fastest time ever recorded at that distance. And he won by 31 lengths. The camera literally couldn’t keep the rest of the field in the same frame. It remains one of the most astonishing athletic performances ever captured on film.

A Horse Who Became an American Icon

Secretariat wasn’t just a champion; he was a cultural phenomenon. Magazine covers. Headlines. Crowds who came simply to watch him walk. He was syndicated for millions under the agreement that he would retire after his three‑year‑old season — a decision that allowed him to begin a second career as a sire.

His influence is still everywhere. Nineteen of the twenty expected starters in the 2026 Kentucky Derby trace back to him. His bloodline continues to shape the sport.

He even made ESPN’s list of the 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century — the only non‑human on the list.

The Heart of a Champion

When Secretariat died at age 19 from laminitis, the necropsy revealed something that felt almost poetic: his heart was two and a half times the size of a typical Thoroughbred’s. Not diseased — just extraordinary.

Most racehorses are buried with only their head, heart, and hooves. Secretariat was buried whole at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Because how do you separate a legend into pieces?

The Legacy That Still Gallops On

Secretariat earned over $1.3 million on the track — more than $7.7 million today — and commanded a $70,000 stud fee. But his true legacy isn’t measured in money. It lives in the records that refuse to fall, the bloodlines that still dominate, and the way his Belmont replay can make even a casual viewer feel goosebumps.

For those of us who grew up horse‑crazy, Secretariat wasn’t just a racehorse. He was the embodiment of every dream we ever had about what a horse could be.

He still is.

Big Red forever.

Treble’s Tanqueray

Posted on November 15, 2013November 15, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Billed as “Champion of the Decade”, the Morgan Stallion known as Treble’s Tanqueray is the Celebrity Horse waiting for me in the Youth Pavilion. And yes, he’s a horse, not a drink. Gin lovers will understand that observation. 🙂

To get there I had to pass back through the demo ring where a clinic was going on about tack. They had a mule that was being saddled up. Each step of the process was being described and pros and cons of each step outlined. The audience was spellbound. I guess if I was about to ride a mule down the Grand Canyon I might be as enthralled too.

I found the Mallory Building and way in the back was a quiet corner with a small ring. The floor was rubber padding, not dirt and a small group was gathering. The ring was empty so I guess I made it in time.

Treble’s Tanqueray is still competing even though he is an active Stud with a long line of offspring that are now competing themselves. At 15 year old he is in his prime.

Horses now routinely live into their late 20’s or even 30 years old when they have the right care.

I’ve always wondered how a horse could have a tail that dragged on the ground. You always see them like that in those wonderful portrait and here was a magnificent example of the long mane and tail.

According Tanqueray’s owners any horse can have a long , ground dragging tail. When Tanqueray is not in the show ring his tail is bound up . The most common reasons for a short tail are that the horse steps on it or it has frozen and the hairs have broken off.

Horses get their tails wet in their water pails in the stalls or when they are allowed outside in the snow, rain and cold. When that happens and the tail hairs freeze, the hair snaps off. Makes sense; so if you want your horse to have a long tail it needs to be bound up. The mane is braided to protect it so when it’s unbraided you get the lovely waves.

Height: 15.1	Color: bay
Foaled: 1998	Standing at: Partridge Hill Stable

Arabian Stallion

Posted on November 13, 2013November 13, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Pardon me boy, Is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Posted on October 19, 2013October 19, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Words made famous in the Big Band era by Glen Miller, today trains have a pride of place in Chattanooga’s former Terminal Station.

You can even stay at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel. And as long as you are in Chattanooga Tennessee, you need to cross the state border back into Georgia for a brief stop in Rock City. From the top of Lookout Mountain you have spectacular views of 7 states, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia . Walk the less- than -a-mile- long Enchanted Trail past ancient rock formations , a 90 ft. waterfall and the Swing-a-Long Bridge, a 180 foot-long suspension bridge that sways above the Chattanooga Valley

For Civil War history buffs, move on to Franklin, Tennessee where the focal point of the town Square is a monument to unnamed Civil War Soldiers. This is an area where the plantation system rose and fell so visit Carnton Plantation while you’re in the area.

Along the Tennessee and North Carolina border are the Great Smoky Mountains, 800 square miles of the southern Appalachians. Even the Grand Canyon is described as a distant second to the visual drama of the Smokies. This National Park is the most popular park in the country.

OK all you Elvis Fans, It’s one for the Money, Two for the show, 3 to get ready and 4 to go, go , go to Graceland Mansion, The King’s home from 1957 until he died 20 years later. While you’re in Memphis visit The Music Museums. Memphis is hailed as home to the blues, and birthplace of Rock and Roll. Celebrate not only Elvis but music greats like Muddy Waters, B.B. King and countless others.

The National Civil Rights Museum opened in 1991 in the Lorraine Building. Much of the exhibit features Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was shot and killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel.

In Nashville we can visit the Grand Ole Opry and the Belle Meads, the most well preserved of Tennessee’s plantations.

Also in Nashville is the official home of Andrew Jackson, 7th president of the United states. President Jackson lived in Nashville from 1788 until his death in 1845.

For the amusement park fans, Dollywood is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee but don’t call it an amusement park. According to Dolly Parton it’s a “family adventure”.

Horse lovers all know the Tennessee Walking Horse. Visit Shelbyville, Tennessee at the end of August to join the 11 day celebration of Tennessee’s own special horse breed.

The last bit that I have time to cover is the Tennessee Whisky Trail. W.C. Fields advised people to “Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite…and furthermore always carry a small snake.” Tennessee sipping whiskey is a blend of corn, rye, barley, yeast and water. In 1866 Jack Daniels Distillery opened in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Tours start in the visitor’s center, furnished with antique moonshine-making equipment and artifacts. Go in late October to combine your visit with the Barbecue Festival.

Gotta love guide books and brochures.:) Makes it sound like I’ve been there but no, sadly Tennessee is still on my bucket list. So the Visited and Unvisited now stand at 16/26