Allowance
July 31, 1972 ~ Allowance ~ 6 furlongs ~ Saratoga Race Course
Now that Secretariat had won his maiden race, and become a winner, the next step up in competition was an “allowance” race, where he would face horses that had all won one race.
The Big Red horse was no secret to the serious racing fans. The railbirds who annually make a late-summertime pilgrimage to Saratoga Race Course would be looking for big things from Secretariat, and the son of Bold Ruler did not let them down.
Bet down to 40 cents on the dollar in this race, Secretariat won nicely and this time was in the hands of a new jockey, Canadian-born Ron Turcotte, who was the Meadow Stable’s top rider.
In the words of the Daily Racing Form chart caller, Secretariat was “unhurried early, moved to the leaders with a rush approaching the stretch and out-finished Russ Miron under good handling.”
There are continuing steps up the allowance race ladder, races for horses who have won one race, then for those who have won two races, etc. However this would be the first and last allowance race in which Secretariat would ever run. He was too good. It was time for stakes races.
