“Steve Cannon” Preakness Contest
“STEVE CANNON” PREAKNESS PICKS CONTEST
Hosted by Steve Haskin and Secretariat.com
In 1973, turf journalist and Secretariat.com columnist Steve Haskin was working as a librarian for the Daily Racing Form, a position not usually assigned media credentials for big races. But seizing an opportunity to see Secretariat in the Preakness, Steve pulled a few strings. The name on the credential? “Steve Cannon.”
Steve’s Sept. 28, 2020, “Askin’ Haskin” column My First Preakness: Big Red Bashes Baltimore provides the origins of the fictional name, as well as the back story of his encounter with the eventual 1973 Triple Crown champion, and is now the inspiration for our inaugural Preakness Picks Contest.
To participate in this contest, predict the exact finish order of the complete field for the 2021 Preakness Stakes on May 15.
For anyone perfectly predicting the complete finish order, we will award a priceless GRAND PRIZE of an original Swiss Skydiver halter worn by the reigning Preakness Stakes winner during her 2020 spring classic racing season. The champion filly’s thrilling victory in last year’s running in the official time of 1:53.28 is second to only Secretariat’s 1973 stakes record.
The Steve Cannon Preakness Pick contest debuted to an auspicious start with nearly 300 entries from across the nation. Although no entry predicted the exact finish order of the race, congratulations are in store to our top three “Handicappers Extraordinaire” who most closely predicted the final finish order of the complete field:
1st Place – John D., Sandwich, MA
2nd Place – Ken B., Berea, OH
3rd Place – Larry C., Lincoln, NE
The individual average score in the contest was approximately 27 variance points, while our winner John D. tallied an amazingly low total of only 12 points. Thank you for participating and look for more “Steve Cannon” contests in the future!
FIRST PLACE PRIZE – Secretariat Triple Crown Print hand-signed by jockey Ron Turcotte. This long sold-out print featuring Secretariat as captured by esteemed sports photographer Nell Leifer practically transports the viewer back to 1973. The image encompasses the strength, speed, and nearly every attribute which characterized the Meadow Stable colt’s immense popularity during his glorious Triple Crown campaign. The print is attractively framed within a rustic hardwood frame measuring 23″ x 29″ in total.
SECOND PLACE PRIZE – Secretariat “Preakness Winners Gallop” autographed by jockey Ron Turcotte. This striking 11″ x 14″ image by the noted equine photographer Tony Leonard features Secretariat with jockey Ron Turcotte aboard as they gallop back to the winners circle following the 1973 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racetrack. Secretariat’s graceful fluidity of movement is on display here after running the 1 3/16 mile distance and establishing a new track-record in the process.
THIRD PLACE PRIZE – Secretariat “The Look of Eagles” Preakness Saddling Photo. This powerful image of Secretariat being saddled for the 1973 Preakness emanates from our own Steve Haskin. The 11″ x14″ photo captures Secretariat’s reaction to the clicking of the shutter by turning his head and staring right at the esteemed journalist and sports photographer, who recalls the moment, “To be that close to Secretariat and see him in all his splendor was as good as it gets.”
CONTEST RULES:
* Entry Form must be complete with your predicted order of the finishers in this race.
* Entries must be submitted by 5 p.m. EDT on May 15, 2021.
* Only one entry per person is allowed.
* Contest is open to anyone where this activity is legal.
* Secretariat.com and its contracted agents will judge entry eligibility.
* Entries listing a horse more than once or any name other than horse in the 2021 Preakness field will be invalid.
* For any scratched horses after contest form has been submitted, the remainder of the predicted finishers will automatically move up in order.
* Contest Forms will be scored from the difference of your horse’s predicted finish to its actual finish. For instance, if you select HORSE X to finish in 1st Place and he actually finishes in 3rd place, your variance will be 2 points. Entry forms will be tallied by the aggregate of the variance. Much like the scoring in golf, the lower the total the better. Any ties will be decided using the tiebreaker question of most closely predicting the official time for the race.
