# Secretariat Pictures



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I figured Secretariat deserved his own thread. :wink:

These pictures were taken in May of 1981, when Secretariat was 11 y/o and at the height of his breeding career.

Hardly skinny, and obviously a mature stallion.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Gosh, what a gorgeous horse. I would have loved to have seen him race


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## myhorsesonador (Jun 21, 2009)

YAY!! thank you for posting the pics.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Thank you for posting.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Oh what a divine horse! I would kill to have a horse that looked like that. You'd never guess he was a TB if you didn't know it was Secretariat.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

What a hunk, thanks for sharing


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## HowClever (Feb 16, 2010)

Hunk o' Chunk!!


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## Sophie19 (Apr 13, 2009)

The guy I sat next to at the derby last year was telling me about how awesome it was the year Secretariat won. I was so jealous.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Spastic_Dove said:


> Gosh, what a gorgeous horse. I would have loved to have seen him race


I got to see him win the Triple Crown. I was a teenager at the time, but have never forgotten the excitement Secretariat engendered with the public. Like Seabiscuit before him, he was a national favorite and a media darling.


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## Jake and Dai (Aug 15, 2008)

Gorgeous!! Thank you so much for sharing SR.


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## atreyu917 (May 22, 2011)

Wow he did chunk up after retirement. He is an absolutely beautiful horse and these photos are so precious and special.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

What a beautiful boy! I am so jealous! Boy he did get a little chubby in his old age! *laugh* 

Is this why you bought JJ? A chestnut TB...doesn't JJ have a blaze also? *laugh*


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Cori, JJ's coloring was just a happy accident, but I've always been a sucker for a chestnut with a blaze and stockings. 

I never really thought about it, but my early love affair with Secretariat could very well be why I'm so crazy about that color combination.

JJ's only 7 so still looks young, but if I don't watch it he'll be just as chunky butt as Secretariat! 

Who says TBs can't gain weight? :wink:


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## ridesapaintedpony (Apr 14, 2009)

I saw him race and I saw him at Claiborne. What a magnificent animal and he knew he was a star. I've got a picture of him that I took when at Claiborne hanging on my wall.


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## Jake and Dai (Aug 15, 2008)

I wish I had pictures of the 2 TBs that I used to own. Both blood bay geldings with rear white socks. And both chunky butts. I'll have to see if I have any old photos to scan. But neither were hard keepers at all.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Secretariat was an absolute stunning boy, who was very well taken care of by those around him.

What an honor! 

Unfortunately, I see quite a few TB's coming off the track, skinny, ribby - etc, etc.

That's why I stress that TB's should have time off when they come off the track, to recoup, come into their own mentally, and get that needed weight back onto them. 

Of course, not all are like that. I've also seen TB's come off the track in very nice condition - I believe it depends on who their handlers/care takers were.


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Very cool to have those photos.
You can see, though, how laminitis eventually did him in.
Interesting info about his heart: Large Heart Gene


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Wonderful pics SR, thank you for sharing them.


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## Farleyv (May 17, 2011)

I have been in love with Big Red since I saw him with my grandfather win the Triple Crown. It brings tears to my eyes to see the greatness and the ease he won those races. The Belmont....he was not of this earth.

A grand daughter of Big Red is at the barn where I board. She is in her mid to late 20's. Same coloring. To touch her, you feel a connection to something magnificent.

We are vacationing next summer in Virginia to see his birthplace and ending up in Kentucky to Claiborne to visit his grave.

For a beautiful video of him, google "running from within Secretariat" I have it on my faves and when I need my dose of him, I just play it. It is of him running the pasture at Claiborne. The muscles only got bigger. His chest was so large. It had to be to hold that wonderful heart.

It still brings chills and tears to my eyes.


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## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> *I got to see him win the Triple Crown.* I was a teenager at the time, but have never forgotten the excitement Secretariat engendered with the public. Like Seabiscuit before him, he was a national favorite and a media darling.


I'm nothing but jealous right now. :lol:

Lovely pictures SpeedRacer!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Gorgeous pictures and thank you for sharing. I particularly love that little smudge of dirt on his neck just behind the halter, it makes him seem more _real_, you know?


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks for sharing! Such a magnificent animal! This QH girl would be a TB girl if they all were built like that 

My mom got to see him at Claiborne and has some photos and a lock of his tail she snagged through the fence, I think they are some of her prized possesions as they get front stage in her china cabinet. She gets choked up any time we get to talking about him. I wish I would have been able to see him run!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

smrobs said:


> I particularly love that little smudge of dirt on his neck just behind the halter, it makes him seem more _real_, you know?


Yep, I laughed when I saw the dirt on him the first time I saw the pictures. I thought, 'Even the great Secretariat is still a horse when it comes to rolling in the dirt.' 

MHF, many TBs have that build. My JJ has that build. I have to tell people that yes, he's a full TB, and no, he's not an Appendix. :wink:


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

Thanks for posting them. I got to see him race a couple of times, and in person he had a very imposing presence - one of those horses you couldn't take your eyes off of...


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## SMCLeenie (Mar 3, 2011)

Thanks for sharing!


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

now thats a nice giant hunk of horse!! he's gorgeous!


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## armydogs (Apr 14, 2010)

Those are wonderful pictures of him. Something to treasure always. I also wish I had been able to watch him race. Thank you for sharing the pictures.


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## Dialed In (Jul 2, 2011)

One of the greatest thoroughbreds to ever walk this earth. Rest in peace big guy 

I'm going to be meeting one of his last sons when I got to KY this month!


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

My boy is Secretariat's great great grandson:

















Believe it or not he has plumped up some since this picture.....and a girl visiting the barn last week thought he was an appendix. I was insulted. He is a full TB i told her..... she looked at me like she didn't believe me. :? It's a wonder she didn't ask to see his tattoo as proof....she was THAT convinced he was an appendix....

He is a chunky monkey...really quite plump. A fat pig, actually. Must be the secretariat genes.

He came off the track with a body score of two, though....shameful. His appetite is awesome to behold....


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## Freda (Jun 26, 2011)

Thank you for sharing those pics. I saw him run at Dover and fell in love with him. Never got close enough to touch him though. Love that Red.


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## Courtney (May 20, 2011)

smrobs said:


> Gorgeous pictures and thank you for sharing. I particularly love that little smudge of dirt on his neck just behind the halter, it makes him seem more _real_, you know?


I was JUST going to comment on that! I love the fact that he's not completely, utterly, perfectly groomed. They let him be a horse and that's so special.

Just thinking of his amazing victories in the Triple Crown makes me tear up. I never had the privilege to see him race, but everything I read and all the pictures I see just make me so emotional. That's a special horse if his magnificence transcends through pictures, video and memories.


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## Kawonu (Apr 24, 2011)

Wow, a really thick TB. I'd almost mistake him for a QH is I didn't know any better. Wonderful stud, I bet his owners were proud of their champion.


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## steedaunh32 (Jun 5, 2008)

Beautiful pictures. I just watched the movie for the first time and really enjoyed the story, as well. A true treasure!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Great pics! Man, I would have loved to see him in person. Born a generation too late :lol:


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## NutBolts (Mar 30, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> I figured Secretariat deserved his own thread. :wink:
> 
> These pictures were taken in May of 1981, when Secretariat was 11 y/o and at the height of his breeding career.
> 
> Hardly skinny, and obviously a mature stallion.


I'm speechless!!! JUST BEAUTIFUL!!!! BEAUTIFUL I TELL YA!


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