May 19, 1973 – Riding perhaps the most famous racehorse of all time, Secretariat, jockey Ron Turcotte sets a record (not recognized until 2012) as the fastest Preakness race ever at the 98th running of the famous thoroughbred race.
Horse and rider crossed the finish line at a pace of 1:54. For Secretariat taking the second leg of the Triple Crown was his 11th win in 14 career starts and fourth race won in 1973. The racehorse bred by Meadow Stable in Virginia would go on to win the Belmont Stakes a couple of weeks later to claim the Triple Crown of horse racing.
Interestingly enough Turcotte claimed that Secretariat urged him to make the move for the lead much earlier than advised at the 5/8 of a mile mark in the 1-3/16 mile race. Turcotte was quoted by the Associated Press as saying; “Ordinarily, that’s a bad move, but under the circumstances, it was a big move.”
The talented colt did a lot of things that were out of the ordinary and that is why we still remember the horse half a century later.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
Gene Washington: Through the Banks of the Red Cedar
In this episode, I talk to Maya Washington about her book and documentary –
The Miracle On Ice (America’s Version of David Vs. Goliath – From The 1980 Olympics)
America’s first President, George Washington, was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, on February 22,
The Playoff Runs of the 1972 Cleveland Browns and 1978 Houston Oilers
At this time of the year, the NFL playoffs are on the minds of
The Adventures, Calamities, and Hijinks of the Stanley Cup
Of all the championship trophies in North American sport, none has the beauty and
A Short History of March Madness (NCAAB Tournament)
The National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball (NCAAB) tournament, known as March Madness, has a
The Men Behind The Best Football Nicknames (Early Chicago Football)
In professional sports, we have experienced a wide spectrum of clearly memorable nicknames. For
Beyond Broadway Joe: The Super Bowl TEAM That Changed Football
In this episode, I talk to Bob Lederer about his book – Beyond Broadway
Super Bowl XXX (Steelers vs. Cowboys): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XXX, which was held on January 28, 1996, at