Ron Turcotte | Horse Racing Free Tips

50 Years Ago Today, I Was At Secretariat’s Derby

It hit me hard the other night how old I have become. My brain was slowly processing that it was 50 years ago I saw Secretariat win the Kentucky Derby.

I exaggerate. A lot.

I caught a brief glimpse of Secretariat as he flew by my strained vantage point.

After insistent begging, my older sister and her friends relented and took me with them to my first Derby.

It was May 5, 1973 and we were in the infield.

Frankly, at age 14, my day was already complete way before post time for the Derby rolled around.

I was allowed to stay up all night, since we had to get in the infield queue around midnight. On top of that, by noon on Derby day, I had witnessed more infield debauchery than I could wrap my young head around–alcohol, drugs, nudity.

Remember it was the '70s.

How could the day get better?

The day could get better by having seen Secretariat, the horse who would captivate America by winning the Triple Crown and chart the course of my future by hooking me on Thoroughbred racing and breeding.

Why was I processing that it had been 50 years since that magical day?

Because I just moved into a new home I built and was unpacking boxes.

I unpeeled the bubble wrap from my framed photo of Secretariat, bought to commemorate another anniversary, upon which his owner wrote: “To Dan, A Real Expert, Penny Tweedy, 1993.”
In a nearby box were other framed items: Secretariat's four-cross pedigree; his past performances as they appeared in Daily Racing Form on Derby day 1973; a copy of the first page of his syndication agreement; and a limited edition head shot, taken in 1973 by Tony Leonard.

Another box contained my four envelopes sealed in plastic when the Secretariat Stamp was unveiled–two from Keeneland dated Oct. 16, 1999; the other pair from Churchill Downs dated Nov. 20, 1999.

A plastic bin had my cache of bobbleheads of horses, trainers, and jockeys, among them a Secretariat model, wearing his trademark blinkers and saddle cloth 1A. In the same treasure trove I found my mini Secretariat Louisville slugger bat.

Among the more than 200 Derby, Preakness, Belmont and Breeders' Cup glasses that had been packed away were the glass from the year Secretariat won the Derby, the year after when his name first appeared as a a winner of the race; and two glasses issued on the 25th anniversary of his Derby win.

In a small box, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, a pair of jockey goggles purchased at auction last year. Inscribed on the goggles: “Ron Turcotte, TC 73.”

A Lifetime of Secretariat Memorabilia | Dan Liebman photo

There is a new addition to the collection of memories, just acquired; a 2023 Woodford Reserve Secretariat bottle. On the front stands a beautifully painted picture of Secretariat in the Churchill Downs winner's circle. It will fit neatly alongside my numbered 2003 Maker's Mark bottle, signed at Keeneland by Penny, then track president Nick Nicholson, and then Maker's president Bill Samuels Jr.

From that day in the infield I charted a course that saw me work for The Frankfort State-Journal (twice), Daily Racing Form, The Racing Times, and The Blood-Horse.

Of course I have watched, and handicapped, every Derby since Secretariat set the track record of 1:59 2/5 for the 10 furlongs. Here's hoping that record stands forever.

I've attended many Derbies along the way as well, both as a spectator and member of the press.

Never seen a horse as good as Secretariat. Never expect to. Maybe never want to.

As good as his Derby win was for this Kentucky-bred, Secretariat's move in the Preakness and domination in the Belmont were even more spectacular.

It is not so bad being 64 years old, knowing 50 years ago you saw the greatest racehorse run the fastest time in the history of the world's most well-known horse race.

It is what put Secretariat atop my horse pedestal.

I wish I had taken a Kodak to the Churchill Downs infield that day in 1973.

Alas, I have no photo of that day, but I do have a lifetime of cherished memories, and memorabilia collected ever since that reminds me every day of how special that day–and that horse–was.

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Turcotte Saddle Goes on Display Mar. 4

The saddle Ron Turcotte used while riding Secretariat to victory in the 1973 Triple Crown has been acquired by The Jim Irsay Collection and will be on display Mar. 4 at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center during a free, one-night-only performance of The Jim Irsay Band and exhibition of The Jim Irsay Collection.

Irsay acquired the saddle from the now 81-year-old Turcotte.

“This special saddle represents a most magical time in my racing career and its personal significance to me and my family goes beyond words,” Turcotte said from his home in New Brunswick, Canada. “I have had the privilege of keeping it safe and secure for nearly 50 years, and now it's time to let others enjoy the treasures in my collection as well. I am grateful to The Jim Irsay Collection for recognizing the saddle's historical importance and making it and the Secretariat story available to current and future generations.”

Irsay, owner of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, has assembled a collection of instruments and items owned and used by some of the greatest artists in music history, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Prince, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Sir Elton John, Johnny Cash, Jerry Garcia, Les Paul, Bo Diddley, David Gilmour, Jim Morrison, Pete Townshend, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and John Coltrane.

His collection also includes historic items like an 1823 William J. Stone printing of the Declaration of Independence; artifacts and signed documents from numerous U.S. Presidents; handwritten documents and artifacts from women's suffrage pioneer Susan B. Anthony; a Jackie Robinson game-used bat from 1953 (the founding year of the Colts); and Muhammad Ali's championship belt from his victory over George Foreman in the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” and his boxing shoes from the 1975 “Thrilla' in Manilla” vs. Joe Frazier.

The Mar. 4 event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. To reserve a ticket, visit jimirsaycollection.com.

Irsay, who regularly loans items in the collection out to museums and non-profits, has already hosted free exhibitions of the collection in Nashville, Washington, D.C., Austin, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Indianapolis and San Francisco, with more dates planned for 2023.

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2023 Calendar Celebrates Terlingua

The 2023 Secretariat's Legacy calendar will celebrate the Triple Crown winner's daughter Terlingua, who set six stakes records on the racetrack and then produced the great stallion Storm Cat. The 2023 edition is the sixth annual fundraising calendar honoring Secretariat and his descendants. The first five calendars in the series, which started with the Living Legends theme honoring the remaining Secretariats, have raised $28,000 for equine charities over the years.

“I am very grateful to all the racing fans–especially Secretariat fans–who have supported both the Living Legends calendar series and the newer Secretariat's Legacy series, which began last year when honoring Weekend Surprise,” said writer/photographer Patricia McQueen, whose creative project is part of her research work on Secretariat as a sire. Her book, Secretariat's Legacy, will be published in early 2023.

As in previous calendars, the Tony Leonard Collection continues to generously support the series with a beautiful photo of Secretariat and Ron Turcotte before the Belmont S. Turcotte has generously agreed to autograph a limited number of calendars to help raise additional funds.

All profits from the sale of the calendar are allocated to three organizations: Bright Futures Farm and Canada's Long Run Thoroughbred Retirement Society, both accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance; and Victory Alliance Ranch, an equine rescue and sanctuary supporting veterans and special needs children.

The calendars are available for $25 each at www.SecretariatCalendar.com. Free shipping within the U.S. is included.

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Turcotte: Secretariat Was Better

Secretariat vs. Flightline (Tapit): Who was better?

“I think Secretariat would have beat him,” Secretariat's jockey Ron Turcotte said of a hypothetical match up between the two legendary horses. “That's no knock against the other horse. He's a beautiful horse. Well put together. I can't fault him in any way. But he has hasn't done enough for me to say he is better than Secretariat.”

That's not to say that Turcotte isn't a Flightline fan.

“He's a fabulous horse,” he said. “We don't know how fast he could run.”

Turcotte, 81, resides in Drummond, New Brunswick, Canada. He watched the GI Breeders' Cup Classic live on television and took a look back at Flightline's previous races on YouTube. He sees some similarities between Flightline and Secretariat.

“He's very muscular like Secretariat,” Turcotte said. “He's got a real large stride like Secretariat and it looks to me than he's taller than Secretariat was.”

But Turcotte added that he finds it difficult to compare a horse who ran only six times to Secretariat, who made 21 career starts.

“There aren't enough races for me to really judge him,” he said. “It's very hard to judge a horse against Secretariat when he only had six races. Secretariat was a machine The same goes for some of the great horses like Kelso. He won the Gold Cup five times in a row. I rode against him and know what a great horse he was.

“I would have loved to see Flightline run another year because it's very hard to judge him on just six races. it would have been much better for racing if they ran him another year, but I can understand why the people did what they did, with all the money there is now in breeding.”

Turcotte said another factor that makes a comparison difficulty is that Secretariat did not run as a 4-year-old while Flightline did.

“Comparing a 4-year-old and a 3-year-old, that's awful hard to do,” he said. “Secretariat was just maturing when he was retired. His last two races were just unbelievable.”

He also pointed to Secretariat's versatility and the track records Secretariat set in his three Triple Crown wins.

“Secretariat would run in the slop , the mud, on a fast track, the grass. He would run on anything.” he said. “The other horse only ran on fast tracks. And he never broke a track record, like Secretariat did.”

It's been 49 years since Turcotte rode Secretariat and there have been some tremendous horses that have come after him, like Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Cigar, Zenyatta and, of course Flightline. But will there ever be a horse that compares to Secretariat?

“I've always said we'd never see a horse as good as Secretariat,” Turcotte said. “But you never know.”

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