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SPORTS Thursday 4 May 2023
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Triple Crown winner Secretariat still dominant 50 years on

By BETH HARRIS leading up to the Belmont.
AP Racing Writer He became a pop culture
Secretariat had an unusu- phenomenon, appearing
ally large heart, an engine on the covers of Time and
that propelled him to a Tri- Newsweek while helping
ple Crown sweep 50 years distract a nation dragged
ago. The colt nicknamed down by Watergate and
Big Red remains the heart- the Vietnam War.
beat of an industry that has “He had just about every-
yet to see such dominance thing,” Turcotte said. “He
on and off the track repli- was a good-looking horse,
cated. he was a very strong horse,
His name recognition, even had a long stride that cov-
among those who don’t ered a lot of ground, a very
follow sports, is still strong 34 cooperative and gener-
years after his death, and ous horse. He would give
eight of his descendants you whatever you asked of
will run in the Kentucky Der- him.”
by on Saturday, including In the Belmont, Secretariat
early 3-1 favorite Forte. was the 1-10 favorite in the
“He’s still the bar to me,” grueling 1 1/2-mile race
said Bob Baffert, who against just four rivals, in-
trained Triple Crown win- cluding Sham who was
ners American Pharoah in back for another try.
2015 and Justify in 2018. “I Secretariat went to the ear-
still ask strangers, ‘Who’s Jockey Ron Turcotte rides Secretariat during the 99th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in ly lead along the rail and
the best horse you ever Louisville, Ky. on May 5, 1973. was soon challenged by
heard of?’ and I’m hoping Associated Press Sham, ridden by Laffit Pin-
they say Pharoah. They say cay Jr. The two horses were
Secretariat.” “He was a special animal.” sion in the first turn to swing galloped to the wire very even through a half-mile at
Secretariat won the Derby, Big Red’s path to Triple Big Red to the outside in a easily.” a blistering pace in what
Preakness and Belmont in Crown glory began in the rush to the front. They won The Pimlico track’s timing became a match race
record times that still stand, Derby. He was the first horse by 2 1/2 lengths over Sham, device showed Secretar- with the rest of the field
and ended a 25-year Triple to cover the 1 1/4-mile dis- who had also finished sec- iat clocked 1:55 for 1 3/16 about 10 lengths behind.
Crown drought. tance in under 2 minutes ond in the Derby. miles, but it had malfunc- Sham poked his head in
“It says he was beautifully with a time of 1:59.40. It “I could make five, six tioned. It wasn’t until 2012, front around the turn, but
prepared for each of those would not be repeated moves with him in a race. at owner Penny Chenery’s soon weakened. Secretar-
races, and his competi- until Monarchos clocked A normal horse you could request, that the Maryland iat began distancing him-
tion was not as good as 1:59.97 in 2001. make one or two,” Turcotte Racing Commission re- self from the field.
he was,” said Dave John- Two weeks later, Secre- told The Associated Press viewed video and revised He ran the mile in 1:34.20
son, track announcer for tariat broke last out of the by phone from his home in his time to 1:53, another and reeled off 1 1/4 miles in
the 1973 Belmont in which starting gate in the Preak- Canada. track record. 1:59, faster than his record
Secretariat won by an as- ness. Jockey Ron Turcotte “Down the lane I never Secretariat’s popularity ex- time in the Derby.q
tounding 31 lengths. made a split-second deci- asked him to run. He just ploded in the three weeks

12-team CFP schedule includes New Year’s Day tripleheaders

By The Associated Press start with one Friday, Dec. Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The College Football Play- 20. Three more games will The CFP schedule for the
off released on Tuesday a be played on campuses 2025 season, with open-
schedule for the 12-team on Saturday, Dec. 21. The ing rounds are set from Fri-
format that will be used in quarterfinals are scheduled day, Dec. 19 and Saturday,
the 2024 and 2025 seasons, to be held at bowl sites on Dec. 20. The Cotton Bowl is
which will feature New New Year’s Eve and New set to be a quarterfinal on
Year’s Day quarterfinal tri- Year’s Day. The Fiesta Bowl New Year’s Eve. The New
pleheaders but no games will be played on the night Year’s Day tripleheader
played on Saturday. of Tuesday, Dec. 31. The will be at the Orange, Rose
CFP Executive Director Bill Peach, Rose and Sugar and Sugar bowls. The semi-
Hancock said last week bowls will host quarterfinal finals are scheduled for the
after the board of manag- games on Wednesday, Fiesta Bowl on Thursday,
ers had met in Dallas that Jan. 1, played in that or- Jan. 8, 2026, and the next
the calendar had been der. The semifinals are set day at the Peach Bowl. The
decided upon. The final for Thursday night, Jan. 9, championship game is set
piece was placing games 2025, at the Orange Bowl for Monday, Jan. 19 at Mi-
The championship trophy stands on a table during a news and sites on the dates. For and Friday, Jan. 10 at the ami Gardens, Florida. This
conference ahead of the national championship NCAA
College Football Playoff game between Georgia and TCU, the 2024 season, the first- Cotton Bowl. The champi- upcoming season will be
Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Los Angeles. round games played at onship game is scheduled the last in which the CFP
Associated Press campus sites are slated to for Jan. 20 at Mercedes uses a four-team format.q