Part 3: The
Final Chapter
by Gayle Farmer
Secretariat galloped into history
as he crossed the finish line of the Belmont; he was totally,
absolutely, completely alone. His competitors were so far behind
him that the cameras of that day had only one choice. They had
to film HIM, or the rest of the field. The choice was obvious.
He was etched in black and white forever! Seared into the minds
of his screaming fans was the picture of this huge running machine,
thundering down the homestretch, running under his own direction.
Ron Tercotte could see the finish line, could see the incredible
times the colt was running, and nodded to himself, still sitting
chilly. He'd never had a doubt that the Triple Crown was theirs.
No one who'd ever thrown a leg over this colt could imagine doubting
him. He was so much larger than life, so much more than just the
'Super Horse' Time magazine called him when he graced their cover!
To whom could he be compared?
Secretariat was still 'going away'
as he flew under the wire with a thirty-one length lead over the
field, in a time that has still stands! Secretariat was not racing
his challengers. There were no challengers. He was racing himself.
Secretariat raced nine more times
after the Belmont, winning six, with two seconds and a third.
He retired with a lifetime record of eighteen starts; fourteen
wins, three seconds and one third. He was voted thirty-fifth among
top North American athletes of the 20th Century, the sole non-human
entry.
He retired to the beautiful, rolling
grass pastures of Claiborne Farm at the end of the year, taking
over the premier stall of his daddy, Bold Ruler. He remained a
'competitor' for the rest of his life. The mighty Round Table
lived in the adjoining pasture, and he and Secretariat would race
each other on a daily basis.
Secreatriat sired forty-one stakes
winners over the years he stood at stud, but his stars came from
his fillies, and he became a noted Broodmare Sire. He never reproduced
himself, of course; he was truly one of a kind. No one ever thought
it would happen, but many spent millions trying.
It was his heart, that great heart
of his, that made him have to be first, to be ahead, to win. He
never settled for less in his mind or his heart. He always tried
to be first.
At the age of nineteen, Secretariat
came down with a very serious hoof disease called laminitis, which
makes walking, even standing, painful. His heartbroken owner,
Penny Tweedy, did everything possible to save the magnificent
stallion, but he could not be saved. He was humanely destroyed
and buried at Claiborne Farm.
Dr. Thomas Swerczek, professor
of veterinary science at the University of Kentucky, performed
the necropsy of his body. He found that all of his vital organs
were normal in size, except for his heart. He was shocked. After
performing thousands of autopsies, he'd never seen anything to
compare to it.
The heart of the average horse
weighs roughly nine pounds. Secretariat's heart was almost twice
the size and a third heavier than normal. All the chambers and
valves were normal in every respect. It was just so much larger!
Perhaps that was why he was able to do what he did.
No doubt
about it, he had a huge heart. Long may he run!
Part
1: Toss of a Coin
Part 2: The Triple Crown
Part 3: The Final Chapter
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Gayle's novels, e-books and short stories can be found at www.4SHOWTIME.com
