RBI Snake

SECRETARIAT
Ron tells of Secretariat’s Extra Gear.
Secretariat was not really extra wide on top where my saddle sat, but he had a broad chest so that his front legs were spread farther apart than Riva Ridge, who was wide on top but had a narrow chest so his front legs would be planted closer together. That did give Secretariat a better balance so he could handle any type of surface. He was more sure-footed than Riva Ridge and that explained why Riva didn’t try hard on a muddy track or on the turf. We call that top heavy. To explain this better, say you were to load heavier stuff on top of a vehicle than on the bottom. It would be easier to tip your vehicle while turning than if you had put most of the weight first and than the lighter stuff on top.

When it comes to conformation, I would say that Secretariat was as close to a perfect specimen as you could find. If one wanted to get real picky about it, I guess the only thing you could probably find fault with would be what Penny [Chenery] used to call his slight goose rump, which is the way his rump sloped down right at the end. Personally, I think that was to his advantage because it allowed his back legs to reach farther under him and he could propel himself farther with every stride than any horse I ever rode.

I don’t know how to explain how it felt when he would kick into that “extra gear,” as they say, except to compare it to the feeling you get when you really press down on the accelerator and feel that surge forward. You could really feel it. The beauty of it is that when he was right, he was always so generous and manageable that I could do it at any time in the race then get him to relax and do it again depending on how the race was developing. It allowed me to make whatever move was needed to get position and I knew that I still had enough to finish the race. It made it very hard for other riders as he was so versatile they never knew what to expect. There was no way to plan a strategy around his style of running. His stamina was also unbelievable. He could sustain a move for longer that any horse I’ve ever known, and he proved it in the Derby and the Belmont.

Secretariat ❤️

SEATTLE SLEW
He had that special something that no one can ever really truly describe. He had character and a pizzazz that enhanced the raw talent that he displayed as a runner. He simply was the most electrifying and magnetic horse the industry has ever witnessed.

In memory of Seabiscuit.
May 23, 1933 - May 17, 1947.
Bred by Gladys Mills Phipps; Kentucky, USA. Was retired to stud and later died there of a heart attack.
Career Earnings: $437,730 (89 starts; 33 wins, 15 places, 13 shows).
He was the leading money earner in 1937, U.S. Champion Handicap Male of 1937 and 1938, and U.S. Horse of the Year in 1938. Was was inducted to the United States’ Racing Hall of Fame in 1958 and was ranked as in the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century ranking by the Blood Horse magazine. A life-sized statue of him is standing at Santa Anita Park, others at Ridgewood Ranch, the Re*****on Carriage Museum and another one outside the main entrance of The Shops at Tanforan, former site of the Tanforan Racetrack. The location of his real grave however is only known by the immediate Howard family. During the Greast Depression he became a symbol of hope for many Americans and his story is told in various books, artworks and movies. #25

Secretariat running at the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky, May 5, 1973.

Photo by Neil Leifer.

MAN O'WAR
“No other horse ever won such fame as Man o’ War. None was more beautiful, with lovelier lines of grace and power. None was more beloved by an admiring and faithful public. Few have lived so long. The American scene seems a little vacant with Man o’ War gone to the Elysian Fields where all good horses go.”

Family Lines: Nasrullah + Miss Disco = Bold Ruler