The Legacy of Secretariat Lives On in This Week’s Kentucky Derby
Eight descendants of the Triple Crown winner are set to compete in this weekend’s race.
Secretariat races towards the finish line to win the 1973 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Photographer: Jerry Cooke/Corbis Historical/Getty ImagesSecretariat had an unusually large heart, an engine that propelled him to a Triple Crown sweep 50 years ago. The colt nicknamed Big Red remains the heartbeat of an industry that has yet to see such dominance on and off the track replicated.
His name recognition, even among those who don’t follow sports, is still strong 34 years after his death, and eight of his descendants will run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, including early 3-1 favorite Forte.