Secretariat Won the Triple Crown by 31 Lengths
On this day · 9 June 1973
On a June afternoon in 1973, a chestnut colt named Big Red ran so far ahead that the rest of the field nearly vanished from the frame.
On June 9, 1973, the racehorse Secretariat lined up at Belmont Park as the overwhelming 1-10 favorite, needing only to finish the 1.5-mile Belmont Stakes to become the first Triple Crown champion in 25 years. He did far more than finish. The colt nicknamed “Big Red” pulled away from the field and crossed the wire 31 lengths clear of runner-up Twice a Prince.
That margin remains the largest in Belmont history. Even more remarkable was the clock: Secretariat covered the distance in 2:24, shattering the previous stakes record by more than two seconds. It is still the fastest 1.5 miles ever run on dirt in North America.
He was alone at the finish, racing only the timer.
Secretariat became the ninth Triple Crown winner and the first since Citation in 1948. To mark the run, officials later placed a checkered pole 253 feet from the wire, showing exactly how far ahead he had been when he won.
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