KIMMER'S DAY BETTING ON HORSES AT CHURCHILL DOWNS

SECRETARIAT WINS THE TRIPLE CROWN JUNE 9 1973

With a spectacular victory at the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat becomes the first horse since Citation in 1948 to win America’s coveted Triple Crown–the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. In one of the finest performances in racing history, Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, completed the 1.5-mile race in 2 minutes and 24 seconds, a dirt-track record for that distance.

Secretariat was born at Meadow Stables in Doswell, Virginia, on March 30, 1970. He was sired by Bold Ruler, the 1957 Preakness winner, and foaled by Somethingroyal, which came from a Thoroughbred line known for its stamina. An attractive chestnut colt, he grew to over 16 hands high and was at two years the size of a three-year-old.

He ran his first race as a two-year-old on July 4, 1972, a 5 1/2-furlong race at Aqueduct in New York City. He came from behind to finish fourth; it was the only time in his career that he finished a race and did not place. Eleven days later, he won a six-furlong race at Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, New York, and soon after, another race. His trainer, Lucien Laurin, moved him up to class in August, entering him in the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga, which he won by three lengths. By the end of 1972, he had won seven of nine races.

With easy victories in his first two starts of 1973, Secretariat seemed on his way to the Triple Crown. Just two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, however, he stumbled at the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct, coming in third behind Angle Light and Sham. On May 5, he met Sham and Angle Light again at the Churchill Downs track in Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. Secretariat, a 3-to-2 favorite, broke from near the back of the pack to win the 2 1/4-mile race in a record 1 minute and 59 seconds. He was the first to run the Derby in less than two minutes and his record still stands.

Two weeks later, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, Secretariat won the second event of the Triple Crown: the Preakness Stakes. The official clock malfunctioned, but hand-recorded timers had him running the 1 1/16-mile race in record time.

Big Red with owner Miss Penny

On June 9, 1973, almost 100,000 people came to Belmont Park near New York City to see if “Big Red” would become the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown. Secretariat gave the finest performance of his career in the Belmont Stakes, completing the 1.5-mile race in a record 2 minutes and 24 seconds, knocking nearly three seconds off the track record set by Gallant Man in 1957. He also won by a record 31 lengths.

Ron Turcotte, who jockeyed Secretariat in all but three of his races, claimed that at Belmont he lost control of Secretariat and that the horse sprinted into history on his own accord. Read More

     

TODAY'S PREAKNESS STAKES: NO TRIPLE CROWN FOR 2019

The 2019 Preakness Stakes will begin at 6:48 p.m. ET 

Saturday, May 18th, on NBC.

When the 2019 Preakness Stakes gets underway on Saturday, none of the top four finishers from the Kentucky Derby, including Country House, will be running.

Initial Derby winner Maximum Security, who was eventually disqualified, will be held out at the Preakness Stakes because of abrasions sustained during his infamous run at Churchill Downs. Code of Honor and Tacitus, the second- and third-place finishers, are also not listed as part of the Preakness field.

But why, exactly, is Country House not running at Pimlico Race Course? Why is he set to become the first Kentucky Derby winner to skip the Preakness Stakes in more than two decades?

Maximum Security won't be running today...

Country House won't be running either!

KIMMER'S FAVORITE PICK FOR THE WINNER OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY 2018 BOLT D'ORO!

Bolt d'Oro (The Bolt Show)

Don't miss The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports. Watch the 2018 Kentucky Derby live on Saturday at 2:30p EST on NBC.

Bolt d'Oro is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is one of the early favorites for the 2018 Kentucky Derby. Wikipedia
Born: March 17, 2015
Parents: Medaglia d'Oro
Earnings: 1.016 million USD
Damsire: A.P. Indy
Sex: Colt
Grandsire: El Prado (IRE)

LEADER BOARD

WAGER TALK

Bolt d'Oro was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm. He was sired by Medaglia d'Oro, winner of the Travers Stakes and fourth in the 2002 Kentucky Derby. As a sire, Medaglia d'Oro is best known as the sire of Hall of Fame inductee Rachel Alexandra and multiple Eclipse Award winner Songbird. Bolt d'Oro was the second foal out of Globe Trot, a daughter of A.P. Indy. Her first foal, Sonic Mule, was also a stakes winner.

Bolt d'Oro (foaled March 17, 2015) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is one of the early favorites for the 2018 Kentucky Derby. At age two, he won his first three starts, including the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner Stakes, before finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

He started his three-year-old campaign by winning the San Felipe Stakes by disqualification and finishing second in the Santa Anita Derby.

CALIFORNIA CHROME WINS THE PREAKNESS!

California Chrome

California Chrome is one victory from the Triple Crown after winning the 139th Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Ride On Curlin was second and Social Inclusion took third. The Belmont Stakes will be the third leg of the Triple Crown, which was last swept 36 years ago by Affirmed in 1978 and 41 years ago by Secretariat in 1973