It was murder

After an inexplicable defeat, character assassins took pot shots at Secretariat, but the favorite had his revenge in the Derby

by Whitney Tower

Issue date: May 14, 1973

In 1973, Secretariat put on one of the most dominating performances in sports history, capturing horse racing's Triple Crown during a six-week span in May and June of that year. Sports Illustrated's Whitney Tower reported from the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. In remembrance of Secretariat's remarkable feats, SI.com presents excerpts from Tower's dispatches:

Ah, the sweet smell of red-eeming roses.    (Jerry Cooke)

When Secretariat was beaten in such mystifying fashion by Angle Light and Sham in the Wood Memorial three weeks ago, the axiom was recalled: "If a horse is great, you won't have to say, 'Throw that last race out.' The great ones never need that kind of excuse."

After the happening at Churchill Downs last week, the old saw may need revising. Secretariat—and his team of Owner Penny Tweedy, Trainer Lucien Laurin and Jockey Ron Turcotte—were gloriously redeemed. No colt in history ever picked a better time or place to line up his opponents and mow them down, one by one, with brutal effectiveness. Before the largest crowd to see a horse race in this country (a squirming, screaming and sweating 134,476), Secretariat threw a 23-second final quarter at his "grudge" rival Sham and won the 99th Kentucky Derby in the track-record time of 1:59 2/5. Crossing the finish line, the magnificent chesnut drew a roar of approval. The 3-to-2 favorite on a perfect May day had helped stimulate nearly $8 million into the mutuel windows (including $3,284,962 on the Derby alone). As Turcotte rode back to the winner's circle, doffing his blue cap, the prerace doubters muttered, "Wood Memorial? Throw that race out. We've seen greatness today."

ALSO IN 1973: Preakness | Belmont Stakes