Man o' War
October 8, 1973~ Man o' War Stakes ~ 1 ½ mile ~ Belmont Park
Secretariat came on to the track for the next-to-last race of his career on Oct. 8, 1973 at Belmont Park. The track was not the regular dirt track where he had won the Belmont Stakes earlier that year, nor was it even the same surface over which all his previous races had been contested. On this day, jockey Ron Turcotte steered Secretariat across the dirt track and on to the inner "turf" track at Belmont, an oval of lush, deep grass. The $100,000 Man o' War Stakes would be run over the grass, or turf, course, at a stamina-testing distance of 1 ½ miles.
It was just one more test of Secretariat's versatility. Though upset in his most recent start, the Big Red horse had proven himself over every distance, from six furlongs to a mile and a half. He had proven himself as a 2-year-old, as a sprinter, a miler, as a Triple Crown winner at classic distances — and now he would try the turf, the preferred surface of European racing.
And he would have a new challenger. Hall of Fame trainer MacKenzie Miller had entered the top grass horse Tentam, who would be racing — so to speak — over his own turf. Tentam had already won five stakes races on turf that year. And he just happened to be a great-great grandson of Man o’ War, for whom the race is named.
Both horses trained over the Belmont grass course a few days before the race. Tentam went earlier in the morning and looked sharp. But Miller was almost astounded by the way Secretariat flew over the grass a little later. The Meadow Stable star was clocked in an eye-popping :56 4/5 seconds for five-eighths of a mile. But it was more than the fast time that caught Miller’s eye.
“My horse worse worked well and I was fully satisfied,” Miller told writers, including Raymond Wolfe, the author and photographer of the photo-essay book Secretariat. “But I also saw Secretariat in his move and it almost floored me. At times he is frightening. I’ve never seen a colt with more fluid, marvelous action. He’s certainly got rhythm in his bones!”
And how did Mr. Rhythmic do in the Man o’ War? Led every step of the way!
In his first start over grass, Secretariat handily defeats Tentam by five lengths establishing a new course record for the 1 ½ mile distance.
"Some people may not believe me, but I always thought he was an even better horse on grass than dirt." ~ Ron Turcotte
Beaming owner Penny Chenery leads Secretariat with Ron Turcotte aboard into the winner's circle following the Oct. 8, 1973 Man o' War Stakes.
When Tentam came at him after three-quarters of a mile, Secretariat shook off the threat and poured it on -- Turcotte just sitting steady, not moving a finger on the reins. Secretariat’s final clocking for the 1 ½ miles was a new turf course record of 2:24 4/5. That was less than a second off his 1 ½ dirt track record set earlier in the summer in the Belmont Stakes. The tracks records were piling up.
The question had certainly been answered whether Secretariat could run on turf – and the answer was yes. Important in that assessment was the consideration of breeders. Several of those who had purchased breeding shares in Secretariat were European, where racing was conducted strictly on grass. American breeders were also looking to expand their yearling sales to overseas buyers.
The fast workout on grass. The dominant race on grass. None of it surprised Turcotte.
“Some people may not believe me, but I thought he was an even better horse on turf than he was on dirt,” said the rider.
After the Man o' War, just one date remained on Secretariat's schedule before he would be retired to stud in Kentucky. Many tracks were interested in hosting Secretariat’s last race, but owner Penny Chenery decided the horse would run for the final time in Canada, the homeland of both trainer Lucien Laurin and jockey Ron Turcotte. The race would be the longest of Secretariat’s career, the 1 5/8 miles Canadian International. On the turf at Woodbine Racecourse, in Toronto.
1973 Man o' War Stakes Track Program, Official Race Chart and Winner's Circle Photo
