Got a bit of time on my hands and since the spring carnival is over,thought i would write about how I got hooked on racing.

Sitting on my grandad's (he was a mad punter)bed one Sunday , at the spritely age of 7,we were watching the sport's show or news,can't quite remember,when this horse was careering away from the rest of the field. I said " grandad who was that,and he simply replied ,son that's Secretariat".

I knew all horses had 4 legs,mane,tail,head etc,but i couldn't understand how 1 horse was so much faster than the others.I started to take more of an interest,and every second Saturday,grandad would put a double on for me.
Later that year I had my first bet in the MC 50 cents eachway on Gala supreme,I don't know how i picked it,probably a fluke.I got home from school early and listened on the radio,and jumped for joy when he won. I couldn't wait for Dad (also gambling mad)to get home with my winnings.Gala supreme was about 10-1,and when dad handed me my winnings,I thought i was the richest kid in the world. Right then I was hooked to horse racing.

Here is an article from a old racing book i have about Secretariat.
Secretariat,a huge chestnut colt by Bold Ruler out of Somethingroyal,was so precocious and successful as a two year old that he was synicated for $6,080,000 at the end of his first season,having been nominated US Horse of the Year.Even before the start of that season(1972)Secretariat,when worked over 5 furlongs,had returned a time of 57.6 seconds.His 3yo campaign was marked with such brilliance that it still remains unparalleled in racing history.After dazzling performances in the 7 furlongs Bay Shores stakes and the 1 mile Gotham stakes at Aqueduct,Secretariat shocked the nation by finishind third to his stablemate Angle light in the Wood memorial.It was later discoved that a boil had infected Secretariat's mouth just prior to the race.
Luckily,he was fully recovered by Derby day,and on that first Saturday in May,1973,Secretariat took his first step to racing immortality by coming from last place easily to defeat the Santa Anita Derby winner Sham,while also shattering the track record.His time of 1 minute 59.4 secs was .6 sec faster than the previous record,set 9 years earlier by Northern Dancer.
Two weeks later Secretariat added the Preakness to his laurels,after making a move on the first turn that became part of racing folklore.Running last,some 6 lengths off the lead,he was given his head by his jockey and he literally leaped at the rest of the field,like a tiger attacking some unfortunate victim.Before anyone could comprehend this unorthodox move,"Big Red" as he was known,was 2 lengths in front,and stayed there,with the unlucky Sham trying gallantly to close the gap.But he was unable to make an inch on Secretariat,who was under no pressure whatsoever to maintain 2.5 length margin to the post.
Secretariat's Derby and Preakness wins were indeed the mark of an extraordinary animal.However, there is not a word in the English language that could do justice to his performance in the Belmont stakes (the one i saw on t.v.).Secretariat won the Belmont by an unbelievable 31 lengths,shattering the track record by over 2 full secs.His jockey unable to pull him up,he also broke the record for 13 furlongs at Belmont park,Secretariat being the first horse in 25 years to win the triple crown.
Secretariat ran 6 more races,winning 4,including Arlington international,a world record performance in the Marlboro cup,and spectacular wins over turf in the Man of War stakes and the Canadian international turf championship.After his defeat to Onion in the Whitney stakes,it was discovered Secretariat was suffering from a virus and fever,forcing him to miss the Travers.He was defeated by Prove Out in the Woodward stakes,as a last minute stand-in for stablemate Riva Ridge.Secretariat was retired to Claiborne Farm in Kentucky,with 16 wins in 21 starts(including 1 disqualification ) for earnings of $1,316,808.End of article.
Now with youtube I watch his performances once or twice a year and still get a chill up my spine.For all you young blokes do yourself a favour and watch his races.

There you have it,Secretariat is still the best horse i have seen,and Gala supreme is my favorite MC winner,but one thing is for certain,if I hadn't seen Secretariat on T.v. that day or backed Gala supreme,I would be a lot richer,but without a hobbie.Cheers007.