The Day I Touched Secretariat
71He had long, smooth muscles that screamed power and speed, his dark eyes were kind but held a king-like majesty in their expression. His copper-red coat glistened in the August 1986 sunlight.
I walked up to him and turned and asked the attendant, "May I touch him?"
My husband focused our new video camera on me as I stepped in closer and ran my hand down his neck, then turned and smiled into the camera. There I was, at Claiborne Farms in Paris, Kentucky, touching one of the most famous racehorses of all time - Secretariat. You could tell it wasn't his first photo session; he gave us his best side, posing like the star that he was. His attendant told us he was looking off in the direction of the mare barn at the bottom of the hill. The gentleman rattled off a memorized spiel of statistics: mares bred per year, stud fees, and winning offspring while we got it all on tape.
Our private audience with the king of racehorses was by accident, a matter of being in the right place at the wrong time. We were on vacation in Lexington, Kentucky visiting the Kentucky Horse Park. In the gift shop hubby asked where was Claiborne and did they have tours. The saleslady looked up the phone number for us and Alfred made the call. He was told we could "just come on by" in the morning.
When we arrived at the entrance office we were asked if we had an appointment. When we told the lady we'd come to see Secretariat she practically turned her nose up as she said, "You can't just drop by to see Secretariat, we have a year long waiting list. You have to have an appointment."
Disappointed we were about to leave when a man walked in the door just in time to hear our rebuff. He made a phone call, asked if there was a groom who could come down and take some people to tour the stallion barn. That is how we got a private tour and to meet one-on-one the 1973's Triple Crown Winner, Secretariat. The gentleman answered all our questions including the fact that although he had not produced another triple crown winner he was bred to 58-60 mares a year earning $125,000 per breeding in stud fees.
As we drove out the long land from Claiborne, my husband remarked, "That is the most famous person I ever met."
Secretariat lived out his life at stud at Claiborne. He sired 653 foals, 57 were stakes winners, but not another Triple Crown winner among them. He died October 4, 1989 and is buried at Claiborne. To learn more about this hero of a horse go to http://www.secretariat.com
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Secretariat signed Ron Turcotte 8x10 Authentic hand autographed
Current Bid: $27.95
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Secretariat Kentucky Derby 8x10 Photo Signed #105
Current Bid: $35.95
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Secretariat signed Portrait Ron Turcotte 8x10 hand autographed
Current Bid: $27.95
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what are secretariats fees now for breeding from one his offsprings.
Nice. A lot of racehorse lovers would love to have been in your place. To actual pet him would be something else.
Thanks for adding the video-- what a handsome horse! (I saw your facebook post.)
I ? Secretariat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How wonderful, Donna, that you actually had the chance to put your hands on this GREAT race horse, SECRETARIAT!!
And . . that is where my story of Kauai King, winner of the 1966 Kentucky Derby and Preakness begins - in barn EE at Pimlico Race Track in Maryland on May 21, 1966. I sneaked into that barn three races before the Preakness, and knowing exactly what he looked like, walked right up to his stall and placed my hands on his beautiful neck and laid my head against his. Yes . . . I was caught and hauled out of there . . . and then the story continues. I was a twenty-six year old young woman, married, and with my husband and his family in Baltimore for an early morning family wedding, and I had fallen completely in love with Kauai King. I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU MUST HAVE FELT TO TOUCH SECRETARIAT!
Saw the movie today and enjoyed it thoroughly. Loved it when some little kids behind me cheered and said, "Go Secretariat!" during the Derby race scene.
Sue, when we visited in 1986 his stud fee was $125,000. he covered 58-60 mares per year.
what did Secretariat receive for his stud fees?
Edward when I can get it converted from VHS to DVD I will do that.
It would be very cool if you posted that video on a familiar site to share with the rest of us. Would love to see it...
Any chance of getting a copy of the video?
You are so lucky. However, I did went to visit the Kentucky Horsepark and the Claiborn farm in Paris KY and put blue and white carnations on his grave.I want to go back to KY this fall.
I, too, got a personal visit with Secretariat. I was a junior in high school and had written a letter asking if I could come. It remains a wonderfully special memory to this day. What an amazing horse!
Thanks for sharing your story. Just wrote a hub about him. They are making a movie about him staring Diane Lane as Penny Chenery.
He was one of a kind and so envious that you actually got to touch him.
Well, that's okay. I bet you've done some neat things I haven't heard about either. Just name the day, and you can come watch the video.
Hi Deda, Isn't it funny that I've known you almost all my life so far and I did not know that you had seen or touched Secretariat. I am truly impressed....I want to see the video sometime.
Madeine
I was a young girl when I watched the Triple Crown winner and have held him in my heart ever since. I have also often wondered if the little horse Sham, who ran second to him in the Derby and the Preakness, would have been a triple crown winner himself had they not come along the same racing year. I cannot imagine the thrill of that moment. Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful story. You are a very lucky person to have touched him, let alone just lay eyes on him.
What a special moment.
You never know what you can be allowed to do if you don't ask.
Edward 3 months ago
... goose bumps... Thanks for sharing.